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How can a simple logarithmic number line be drawn between any 2 integer values?

logarithmic number line of integer values

The closest function I found in the documentation is LogLinearPlot[] and I've been racking my brains trying to figure out how to do this with no luck...

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4 Answers 4

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One way is to plot the function 0 against a log axis. 

LogLogPlot[0, {t, 1, 12}, Axes -> {True, False}, Ticks -> {Range[12]}]

enter image description here

or, changing the numbers

LogLogPlot[0, {t, 64, 96}, Axes -> {True, False}, Ticks -> {Range[64, 96]}]

enter image description here

The Axis function turns off the vertical axis (because you just want the number line) and the Ticks specifies where you want the tick marks. As a further example (to see the appropriate syntax), here is

 LogLogPlot[0, {t, 1.07, 1.44}, Axes -> {True, False}, 
         Ticks -> {{1.07, 1.15, 1.20, 1.29, 1.38, 1.44}}]

enter image description here

Note the double parentheses in the Ticks list. This is because Ticks is really a list of x-ticks and y-ticks (but since in this case, we aren't plotting any y's, so it is empty).

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  • $\begingroup$ What if instead of a range of integers there is a list of irrational numbers? As LogLogPlot generates a plot of 0 as function of t from 1 to 1.5 for example, the number list doesn't seem to fit here. FindDivisions didn't help either so I guess it has to do with setting the ticks according to my defined list. I tried Ticks -> {1.07,1.15,1.20,1.29,1.38,1.44}, also with List but this doesn't work. $\endgroup$
    – Bo C.
    Sep 1, 2013 at 1:12
  • $\begingroup$ I added this example, above. Note the double parentheses in the Ticks list. This is because Ticks is really a list of x-ticks and y-ticks (but since in this case, we aren't plotting any y's, it's empty). $\endgroup$
    – bill s
    Sep 1, 2013 at 1:37
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And another way:

logLine[min_, max_] := Module[{lines, labels},

  lines = Line[{{Log[#], -1}, {Log[#], 1}}] & /@ Range[min, max];

  labels = Text[#, {Log[#], 1.7}] & /@ Range[min, max];

  Graphics[{
    labels,
    Line[{{Log[min], 0}, {Log[max], 0}}],
    lines
    }, AspectRatio -> 1/10
   ]

  ]

We have then that logLine[1,12] yields

logline

To plot an arbitrary range we could use the following function:

logLineRange[range_] := Module[{lines, labels},

  lines = Line[{{Log[#], -1}, {Log[#], 1}}] & /@ range;

  labels = Text[#, {Log[#], 1.7}] & /@ range;

  Graphics[{
    labels,
    Line[{{Log[Min[range]], 0}, {Log[Max[range]], 0}}],
    lines
    }, AspectRatio -> 1/10
   ]

  ]

Having defined that function, we can then do this:

logLineRange[{1.07, 1.15, 1.20, 1.29, 1.38, 1.44}]

logline2

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  • $\begingroup$ Mathematica can't seem to plot this; tried replacing min and max with 1 and 12, both with and without the _ sign, only in the first line then all over the code - it returns nothing. I'm also interested in a version where the range of integers is replaced with a list of irrational numbers - for example 1.07,1.15,1.20,1.29,1.38,1.44. $\endgroup$
    – Bo C.
    Sep 1, 2013 at 8:59
  • $\begingroup$ @Bogdan The code block is just the definition for the function. To actually plot a scale you write logLine[1,12] for example. I added another function which takes an arbitrary range, you can have both those functions defined simultaneously as they take a different number of arguments. I added an example of how to use the second function as well. $\endgroup$
    – C. E.
    Sep 1, 2013 at 19:05
  • $\begingroup$ Thank you, everything is clear. How come your first example doesn't work for 1 to 10? Try logLine[1,10] $\endgroup$
    – Bo C.
    Sep 2, 2013 at 15:45
  • $\begingroup$ @Bogdan It works for me, don't know why it would not work for you. :/ $\endgroup$
    – C. E.
    Sep 2, 2013 at 15:49
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    $\begingroup$ Very strange, indeed. The Holy Restart solved it. As a side note, your second code can also be used for plotting a specific range with logLineRange[Range[1,12]] $\endgroup$
    – Bo C.
    Sep 2, 2013 at 17:26
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Create unit-sized number lines with tick mapping function f for a list of values vals:

numberLine[f_, vals_List] :=
    With[{pos = Rescale[f /@ vals], tick = 1/50},
        Graphics[{Thick, Line[{{0, 0}, {1, 0}}],
            MapThread[
                {Line[{{#1, -tick}, {#1, tick}}], 
                 Text[#2, {#1, 2 tick}]} &, {pos, vals}]}, 
            PlotRange -> {{-2 tick, 1 + 2 tick}, {3 tick, -tick}}]]

GraphicsColumn[{numberLine[Log, Range[12]], 
    numberLine[Identity, Range[64, 96]]}]

enter image description here

EDIT: Apparently both number lines in the original question are logarithmic, while mine above are logarithmic and linear. This is easy to fix, of course.

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  • $\begingroup$ Yes it is. On the last line, replace Identity with Log. I would also like to use your code to plot a version where the range of integers is replaced with a list of irrational numbers - for example 1.07,1.15,1.20,1.29,1.38,1.44. $\endgroup$
    – Bo C.
    Sep 1, 2013 at 9:04
  • $\begingroup$ @Bogdan You can replace vals with any list of numeric quantity; for instance, {1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, E, Pi, E^2, Pi^2, Sqrt[2], 5 Sin[1], 40/7}. Also, you can use Reals, such as 1.07. There might be some issues with this (solvable by Hold, or multipliers used with tick I believe), but for simpler expressions, it's just fine. $\endgroup$
    – kirma
    Sep 1, 2013 at 9:16
  • $\begingroup$ I can't seem to make this work; just replaced vals with the list - only in the first line then again in the second. I'm still searching the documentation to figure out what's wrong. This is the first time i use Mathematica; different versions of the code are my very best tutorial. Thank you. $\endgroup$
    – Bo C.
    Sep 1, 2013 at 10:13
  • $\begingroup$ @Bogdan Run Clear[numberLine], re-evaluate above definition of numberLine and try out numberLine[Identity, {1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, E, Pi, E^2, Pi^2, Sqrt[2], 5 Sin[1], 40/7}]. Maybe I was a bit vague. For beginners, Range[12], for instance, generates list corresponding to {1, 2, 3, ..., 12}. :) $\endgroup$
    – kirma
    Sep 1, 2013 at 11:02
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Rescale[Log@v](b-a)+a will space any list v of positive values logarithmically over the interval [a,b].

v = Range[12]; Transpose@{N@Rescale[Log@v]*11+1, v}

{1.,      1}
{4.06837, 2}
{5.86326, 3}
{7.13674, 4}
{8.12454, 5}
{8.93163, 6}
{9.61401, 7}
{10.2051, 8}
{10.7265, 9}
{11.1929, 10}
{11.6148, 11}
{12.,     12}

v = Range[64,96,4]; Transpose@{N@Rescale[Log@v]*32+64, v}

{64.,     64}
{68.7846, 68}
{73.2956, 72}
{77.5627, 76}
{81.6109, 80}
{85.4615, 84}
{89.1329, 88}
{92.6411, 92}
{96.,     96}
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