# I need a simple algorithm

I am doing a website and I need an algorithm. I am not so good in math, that is why I come here for help. It is, from my point, for a mathematician very easy.

Here's the deal :

IF X IS BETWEEN 0 AND 9
Y = 2

IF X IS BETWEEN 10 AND 19
Y = 4

IF X IS BETWEEN 20 AND 39
Y = 8

IF X IS BETWEEN 40 AND 79
Y = 16

IF X IS BETWEEN 80 AND 159
Y = 32

ETC...


Anyone can help by doing a simple algorithm ? You can use any functions you want or whatever. Thanks a lot !

EDIT: It is possible to change the interval between X but it need to start low and be higher then Y and has to give similar results.

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"Algorithm", or "formula"? –  Arturo Magidin Jan 25 '12 at 22:23
Something that I can run on a computer. I'm really no expert. Like X + 2 or f(x) = 2(x-2) - 1. etc... you can use function or whatever you need. –  David Bélanger Jan 25 '12 at 22:24

Divide $x$ by 10, multiply by 4, take the base-2 logarithm, round down to an integer $n$, then $y=2^n$. This doesn't work for $x$ between 0 and 5, so just define $y$ to be 2 in that range.
Here's is what I did : log(($X / 10) * 4, 2) ^ 2 Right ? The , 2 will use base 2 of log – David Bélanger Jan 25 '12 at 22:32 @david: you probably mean two to the power of the thing rather than the thing to the power of 2. – opt Jan 25 '12 at 22:33 Yeah so N = log2((X / 10) * 4) so .. Y = 2^N... Ok it is working but only problem is I get a base 2 higher then what I wanted but... I just devide by 2 at the end. Working like a charm. Thanks a lot all of you ! – David Bélanger Jan 25 '12 at 22:35 Final PHP Code : $Y = ceil( pow(2, log((\$X / 10) * 4, 2)) / 2);` –  David Bélanger Jan 25 '12 at 22:41