Math 2

Exponential Functions

Day 5: Logarithms

1.

Are exponential functions one-to-one? Justify your answer.

2.

a.
b.
c.
d.

Create a table for the exponential function f ( x ) = 2 x .

Use this table to create a table for the inverse function of f(x), which well call L2 ( x ) .
What does this function look like when graphed?
Is L2 ( x ) a one-to-one function?

3.

Based on what you know about f ( x ) = 2 x , find the domain and range of the inverse

4.

Find each value either exactly (if its an integer) or to four decimal places (if its not).

function L2 ( x ) .

a.

L5 ( 25 )

b.

L7 (1)

c.

L11 (116 )

d.

L0.1 ( 0.001)

e.

1
L3
9

f.

L4 ( 5 )

g.

L4 ( 8 )

h.

L4 ( 40 )

i.

8
L4
5

Explain why its not possible to find L3 ( 1) .

5.

Definitions:
The logarithmic function log b x is the inverse function of the exponential function b x .

o If b k = M , then log b M = k
o The expression log x without a base generally refers to base 10. This is called the
common logarithm.
We can use logarithms to find solutions to exponential equations. If 2 x = 5 , then x = log 2 5 .
The base of a log can be changed into base 10 via the following rule (you will prove this
soon): log x y =

log y
log x
1
4

6.

Put the following in order from least to greatest: log11 10, log 7 8, log 5 1, log 3 10, log 2

7.

Explain why log b 0 does not exist for any base b and why log b b = 1 for any base b.

8.

Find the value of 3log 3 75 .

9.

Arielle puts $500 in an investment account. She earns 9% annual interest. How many years
will it take for her to double her investment?

10.

Carbon-14, a radioactive isotope of carbon, is often used to date organic matter. 14 C has a
half-life of 5730 years. A wooden tool is found in a dig site that has 8.8% of the amount of
14
C that a corresponding living tree contains. Determine its approximate age.