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Mathematica provides a score of convenient functions to make plots with various logarithmic scale axes, for instance I am using ListLogLinearPlot to have a discrete plot with a logarithmic x-axis and a linear y-axis.

My issue however is that I would like the x-axis to be on a binary logarithmic scale, instead of the default logarithmic scale (natural? with decimal ticks?). In particular I need 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, etc. to be equally spaced on the x-axis to highlight the periodic nature of the function I'm plotting.

How may I proceed?

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    $\begingroup$ So all you want is defining your custom ticks ? $\endgroup$
    – b.gates.you.know.what
    Nov 11, 2012 at 17:14
  • $\begingroup$ Yes, I guess :) $\endgroup$
    – Jérémie
    Nov 11, 2012 at 17:45
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    $\begingroup$ To be clear, all logarithmic scales are just rescalings of each other, because $\log_a x = \ln x/\ln a$. In particular, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, etc. are already equally spaced in any logarithmic scale: try LogLinearPlot[Cos[x], {x, 1, 16}, AxesOrigin -> {1, 0}, Ticks -> {{1, 2, 4, 8, 16}, Automatic}] and see. $\endgroup$
    – user484
    Nov 11, 2012 at 19:03
  • $\begingroup$ @RahulNarain: Please post this as an answer. $\endgroup$
    – Brett Champion
    Nov 11, 2012 at 23:58
  • $\begingroup$ @Brett: Done.${}$ $\endgroup$
    – user484
    Nov 12, 2012 at 4:02

2 Answers 2

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You can use the normal ListPlot and scale/label your data :

data = Table[{Log[x]/Log[2], Cos[x]}, {x, Range[1, 16, 0.05]}];

myTicks = {Log[#]/Log[2], #} & /@ Range[1, 16];

ListPlot[data, Ticks -> {myTicks, Automatic}]

plot

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By request:

You don't need a new kind of plot function for this. The existing logarithmic plots already do exactly what you want! It doesn't matter what the base of the logarithm is: all logarithmic scales are just rescalings of each other, because $$\log_a x = \frac{\ln x}{\ln a}$$ for any base $a$. In particular, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, etc. are already equally spaced in any logarithmic scale. For example:

LogLinearPlot[Cos[x], {x, 1, 16}, AxesOrigin -> {1, 0}, Ticks -> {{1, 2, 4, 8, 16}, Automatic}]

enter image description here

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