How do you calculate log base 2 on a calculator?

To calculate log base 2 on most calculators, you can use the change of base formula. The formula states that:

log_b(a) = log_c(a) / log_c(b)

Where b is the base you want (in this case, 2), a is the number you want to find the log of, and c is a base that your calculator supports (commonly base 10 or base e). Most calculators have buttons for log (base 10) and ln (natural logarithm, base e).

Here’s how you can do it step-by-step:

1. Find the log of your number (a) using either the log or ln button on your calculator.
2. Find the log of 2.
3. Divide the result from step 1 by the result from step 2.

For example, if you want to calculate log₂(8):

• First, calculate log(8) (which is approximately 0.903).
• Then, calculate log(2) (which is approximately 0.301).
• Finally, divide: 0.903 / 0.301 ≈ 3.

This shows that log₂(8) = 3, since 2 raised to the power of 3 equals 8.