 Some authors write the binary logarithm as lg n , the notation listed in The Chicago Manual of Style . Donald Knuth credits this notation to a suggestion of Edward Reingold , but its use in both information theory and computer science dates to before Reingold was active . The binary logarithm has also been written as log n with a prior statement that the default base for the logarithm is 2 . Another notation that is sometimes used for the same function ( especially in the German scientific literature ) is ld n , from Latin <unk> <unk> . The DIN 1302 , ISO 31 @-@ 11 and ISO 80000 @-@ 2 standards recommend yet another notation , lb n . According to these standards , lg n should not be used for the binary logarithm , as it is instead reserved for log10 n . 
