MySQL LOG2() function

LOG2() function

MySQL LOG2() returns the natural logarithm of a number to the base 2.

Syntax:

LOG2(N);

Argument:

Note :The equivalent expression for this function is LOG(N) / LOG(2).

This function is useful in -

• The LOG2() function calculates binary or base-2 logarithms, which are important in computer science and information theory.
• In computer science and algorithm analysis, binary logarithms frequently appear in the analysis of algorithms' time and space complexities, especially in divide-and-conquer algorithms.
• The LOG2() function is used to determine the height or depth of binary trees and other data structures, making it essential in data structure design and analysis.
• Binary logarithms are critical in information theory, where they are used to calculate the number of bits required to represent a set of possible outcomes, known as entropy.
• In digital signal processing (DSP), binary logarithms are used to analyze signal frequencies and perform Fourier analysis.
• The LOG2() function can be used to calculate the number of bits required to represent a range of values in computer memory, which is crucial in memory management and optimization.

Syntax Diagram:

MySQL Version: 8.0

Pictorial presentation of MySQL LOG2() function

Example of MySQL LOG2() function

Code:

SELECT LOG2(256);

Explanation:

The above MySQL statement returns the natural logarithm of 256 as specified in the argument to the base 2.

Output:

mysql> SELECT LOG2(256);
+-----------+
| LOG2(256) |
+-----------+
|         8 | 
+-----------+
1 row in set (0.00 sec)

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