The following quote describes an algorithm invented by Feynman to compute the logarithm of a fractional number (presumably a dyadic one).Consider the problem of finding the logarithm of a fractional number between 1.0 and 2.0 (the algorithm can be generalized without too much difficulty). Feynman observed that any such number can be uniquely represented as a product of numbers of the form (1 + 2^{-k}), where k is an integer. Testing each of these factors in a binary number representation is simply a matter of a shift and a subtraction.Unfortunately, there are many numbers that cannot be represented as advertised above, for example 7/4, 11/8.There must be something wrong with the quote.What was the algorithm proposed by Feynman ?
Feynman and the logarithm
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