numpy.logaddexp2

numpy.logaddexp2(x1, x2[, out])

Logarithm of the sum of exponentiations of the inputs in base-2.

Calculates log2(2**x1 + 2**x2). This function is useful in machine learning when the calculated probabilities of events may be so small as to exceed the range of normal floating point numbers. In such cases the base-2 logarithm of the calculated probability can be used instead. This function allows adding probabilities stored in such a fashion.

Parameters:

x1, x2 : array_like

Input values.

out : ndarray, optional

Array to store results in.

Returns:

result : ndarray

Base-2 logarithm of 2**x1 + 2**x2.

See also

logaddexp

Logarithm of the sum of exponentiations of the inputs.

Notes

New in version 1.3.0.

Examples

>>> prob1 = np.log2(1e-50)
>>> prob2 = np.log2(2.5e-50)
>>> prob12 = np.logaddexp2(prob1, prob2)
>>> prob1, prob2, prob12
(-166.09640474436813, -164.77447664948076, -164.28904982231052)
>>> 2**prob12
3.4999999999999914e-50