Inverse of the function y = b

x
EMCFG
Investigation: Determining the inverse
Function Type of function Inverse: Inverse:
interchange x and y make y the subject
y =
x
3
+ 10
y =
x
2
3
y = (10)
x
y =

1
3

x
Consider the exponential function
y = b
x
To determine the inverse of the exponential function, we interchange the x- and y-
variables:
x = b
y
For straight line functions and parabolic functions, we could easily manipulate the
inverse to make y the subject of the formula. For the inverse of an exponential function,
however, y is the index and we do not know a method of solving for the index.
To resolve this problem, mathematicians dened the logarithmic function. The loga-
rithmic function allows us to rewrite the expression x = b
y
with y as the subject of the
formula:
y = log
b
x
This means that x = b
y
is the same as y = log
b
x and both are the inverse of the
exponential function y = b
x
.
Logarithms EMCFH
DEFINITION: Logarithm
If x = b
y
, then y = log
b
(x), where b > 0, b = 1 and x > 0.
Note that the brackets around the number (x) are not compulsory, we use them to
avoid confusion.
The logarithm of a number (x) with a certain base (b) is equal to the exponent (y), the
value to which that certain base must be raised to equal the number (x).
71 Chapter 2. Functions