The log2() function in Scilab

In Scilab, the log2() function is a mathematical tool used to compute the base-2 logarithm.

log2(x)

Here, x can either be a singular number, whether real or complex, or an array, such as a vector or a matrix.

The beauty of the function is that it calculates and returns the base-2 logarithm of the number or for each element within an array.

In the world of science and engineering, logarithms are practically indispensable, and base 2 holds a special place in the realm of computing.

Let's go through a hands-on example.

Let's find out the base-2 logarithm of the number 16.

log2(16)

The answer we get is 4. Why? Well, because 2 to the power of 4 gives us 16.

Moving on, let's see how we can put the log2() function to work with a vector.

First, you'll need to define a vector in the variable "x".

x = [1, 2, 4, 8]

Next, it's time to compute the base-2 logarithm using the log2() function

log2(x)

In this scenario, the log2() function crunches the numbers to find the base-2 logarithm for each element in the vector. The output? Another vector, but of the same size.

0. 1. 2. 3.

Don't feel restricted to only vectors, you can also use the log2() function with a matrix of values.

Let's create a 2x2 matrix in the variable "x" for instance

x = [1, 2; 4, 8];

Then we'll get the base logarithm on the roll with the log2() function

log2(x)

The function's job here is to calculate the base-2 logarithm of each element within the matrix.

What you'll get as a result is another 2x2 matrix

0. 1.
2. 3.