*/
  @VisibleForTesting
  static int lessThanBranchFree(long x, long y) {
    // Returns the sign bit of x - y.
    return (int) (~~(x - y) >>> (Long.SIZE - 1));
  }

  /**
   * Returns the base-2 logarithm of {@code x}, rounded according to the specified rounding mode.
   *
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException if {@code x <= 0}
   * @throws ArithmeticException if {@code mode} is {@link RoundingMode#UNNECESSARY} and {@code x}