Introduction To

Logarithms
Why is logarithmic scale used to measure sound?
 Our firs t que s tion the n
mus t be :

Wha t is a loga rithm ?

 y
y=2 x 30

20

10

-4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5
x
-10

-20

-30

One one Function

 (3,8)
y=2 x 8
y
6

4
(2,4)
(1,2)
2 (8,3)
(-1,1/2) (4,2)
(2,1)
-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
(-2,1/4) (1/2,-1) x
-2

(-1/4,-2
-4
)
-6
Inverse of y=2 x

-8
The inverse of y = 2 is the function
x

y = log2 x
 (3,8)
y=2 x 8
y
6

4
(2,4)
(1,2) (8, log2 8)
2
(-1,1/2) ( 4, log2 4)
( 2, log2 2)
-8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
(-2,1/4) (1 / 2, log2 1 / 2) x
-2
(1 / 4, log2 1 / 4)
-4

-6

-8
y = log2 x
Domain of logarithmic function = Range of
exponential function =

Range of logarithmic function = Domain of

exponential function =
Properties of the Graph of a Logarithmic Function

1. The x-intercept of the graph is 1. There is

no y-intercept.
2. The y-axis is a vertical asymptote of the
graph.
3. A logarithmic function is decreasing if
0 < a < 1 and increasing if a > 1.
4. The graph contains the points (1,0) and
(a,1).
Logarithmic Abbreviations
 log10 x = log x (Common log)
 loge x = ln x (Natural log)
 e = 2.71828...
Of c ours e lo g arithm s have
a pre c is e m athe m atic al
de finitio n jus t like all te rm s
in m athe m atic s . S o le t ’s
s tart w ith that .
 De finition of Loga rithm

S uppos e b >0 a nd b≠1,

the re is a numbe r ‘p ’
s uch tha t:

logb n = p if and only if b = n p

 The firs t , and pe rhaps
the m o s t im po rtant
s te p , in unde rs tanding
lo g arithm s is to re alize
that the y alw ays re late
bac k to e xpo ne ntial
e quatio ns .
 Yo u m us t be able to
c o nve rt an e xpo ne ntial
e quatio n into lo g arithm ic
fo rm and vic e ve rs a .

S o le t ’s g e t a lo t o f prac tic e
w ith this !
 Exam ple 1 :

Write 2 = 8 in logarithmic form.

3

S o lutio n : log2 8 = 3

We re ad this as : ”the
lo g bas e 2 o f 8 is
e qual to 3 ”.
 Exam ple
1a:
Write 4 = 16 in logarithmic form.
2

S o lutio n : log4 16 = 2

Re ad as : “the
lo g bas e 4 o f 1 6
is e qual to 2 ”.
 Exam ple 1 b :

1
Write 2 = −3
in logarithmic form.
8
1
S o lutio n : log2 = − 3
8
1
Read as: "the log base 2 of is equal to -3".
8
 Okay , s o no w it ’s
tim e fo r yo u to try
s om e o n yo ur o w n .

1. Write 7 = 49 in logarithmic form.

2

Solution: log 7 49 = 2
2. Write 5 = 1 in logarithmic form.
0

S o lution : log5 1 = 0
 1
3. Write 10 −2
= in logarithmic form.
100

1
S o lutio n : log10 = −2
100
 1

4. Finally, write 16 = 4
2

in logarithmic form.

1
S o lutio n : log16 4 =
2
 It is a ls o ve ry importa nt to be
a ble to s ta rt with a loga rithmic
e xpre s s ion a nd cha nge this
into e xpone ntia l form .

This is s imply the re ve rs e of

wha t we jus t did .
 Exam ple 1 :

Write log3 81 = 4 in exp onential form

S o lutio n : 3 = 81
4
 Exam ple 2 :

1
Write log2 = − 3 in exp onential form.
8

1
S o lutio n : 2 −3
=
8
 Okay , no w yo u try
the s e ne xt thre e .
1. Write log10 100 = 2 in exp onential form.

1
2. Write log5 = − 3 in exp onential form.
125
1
3. Write log27 3 = in exp onential form.
3
1. Write log10 100 = 2 in exp onential form.

S o lutio n : 10 = 100
2
 1
2. Write log5 = − 3 in exp onential form.
125

−3 1
S o lutio n : 5 =
125
 1
3. Write log27 3 = in exp onential form.
3

S o lutio n : 27 = 3
3
We now know tha t a loga rithm is
pe rha ps be s t unde rs tood
a s be ing
clos e ly re la te d to a n
e xpone ntia l e qua tion .

In fa ct, whe ne ve r we ge t s tuck

in the proble ms tha t follow
we will re turn to
this one s imple ins ight.

We might e ve n s ta te a
s imple rule .
Whe n working with loga rithms ,
if e ve r you ge t “s tuck”, try
re writing the proble m in
e xpone ntia l form .

Conve rs e ly, whe n working

with e xpone ntia l e xpre s s ions ,
if e ve r you ge t “s tuck”, try
re writing the proble m
in loga rithmic form .
 Le t’s s e e if this s imple
rule
ca n he lp us s olve s ome
of the following
proble ms .
Example 1
Solve for x: log 6 x = 2

S o lutio n :
Le t ’s re w rite the
pro ble m in
e xpo ne ntial fo rm .
6 =x
2

We ’re finis he d !
 Example 2
1
Solve for y: log 5 =y
25

S o lutio n : Re w rite the

pro ble m in
e xpoyne ntial
1 fo 1rm .
5 = Since  = 5− 2 
 25 
25
5y = 5− 2

y = −2
 Exam ple 3

Evaluate log3 27.

S o lutio n :
Try s e tting this up like
this :
log3 27 = y N ow re w rite in e xpone ntial
form .
3 = 27
y

3 =3
y 3

y=3
 The s e ne xt tw o
pro ble m s te nd to be
s o m e o f the tric kie s t
to e valuate .

Ac tually , the y are

m e re ly ide ntitie s and
the us e o f o ur
s im ple
rule
w ill s ho w this .
 Exam ple
4
2
Evaluate: log7 7

S o lutio n :
log7 7 = Firs
2
y t, w e w rite the pro ble m w ith a variable .

7 =7
y 2
N o w take it o ut o f the lo g arithm ic
fo rm
y=2 and w rite it in e xpo ne ntial form .
 Exam ple
5
log 4 16
Evaluate: 4

S o lutio n :
4 log 4 16
= Firs
y t, w e w rite the pro ble m w ith a variable .

log4 y = log4 16 N o w take it o ut o f the e xpone ntial

fo rm
2 =in8 lo 8 = 3.
3
andJust
w rite
like it g arithm
converts to ic
log2form
y = 16
 As k yo ur
te ac he r abo ut
the las t tw o
e xam ple s .

The y m ay s ho w
yo u a nic e
s ho rtc ut .
 Fina lly, we wa nt to ta ke a look a t
the P rope rty of Equa lity for
Loga rithmic Functions .

Suppose b > 0 and b ≠ 1.

Then logb x1 = logb x 2 if and only if x1 = x 2

Ba s ica lly, with loga rithmic functions ,

if the ba s e s ma tch on both s ide s of the e qua l
s ign , the n s imply s e t the a rgume nts e qua l.
Logarithmic Equations
 Exam ple
1
Solve: log3 (4x +10) = log3 (x +1)

S o lutio n :
S inc e the bas e s are both ‘3 ’ w e
s im ply s e t the arg um e nts e qual .
4x +10 = x +1
3x +10 = 1
3x = − 9
x=−3
 Exam ple
2

log8 (x −14) = log8 (5x)

2
Solve:

S o lutio n :
S inc e the bas e s are bo th ‘8 ’ w e s im ply s e t the
arg um e nts e qual .
x −14 = 5x
2

x − 5x −14 = 0
2
Fac tor
(x − 7)(x + 2) = 0
(x − 7) = 0 or (x + 2) = 0
x = 7 or x = −2 c o ntinue d o n the ne xt
pag e
 Exam ple 2
c o ntinue d

log8 (x −14) = log8 (5x)

2
Solve:

S o lutio n :
x = 7 or x = −2
It appe ars that w e have 2 s olutions
he re .
If w e take a c los e r look at the
de finitio n of a log arithm how e ve r ,
w e w ill s e e that not only m us t w e
us e po s itive bas e s , but als o w e s e e
that the arg um e nts m us t be
po s itive as w e ll . The re fore -2 is not
a s olution .
 Our fina l conce rn the n is to
de te rmine why loga rithms like
the one be low a re unde fine d .

log 2 (−8)
Ca n a nyone give
us a n e xpla na tion ?
 log 2 (−8) = undefined WHY?

One e as y e xplanation is to s im ply

re w rite this log arithm in
e xpone ntial form .
We ’ll the n s e e w hy a ne g ative
value is not pe rm itte d .
log 2 (−8) = yFirs t , w e w rite the pro ble m w ith a variable .

2 = −8
y
N o w take it o ut o f the lo g arithm ic
fo rm
and w rite it in e xpo ne ntial form .
What po w e r o f 2 w ould g ive s us -8 ?
1
2 = 8 and 2 =
3 −3

8
He nc e e xpre s s ions of this type are
unde fine d .
 Tha t conclude s our introduction
to loga rithms . In the le s s ons to
follow we will le a rn s ome importa nt
prope rtie s of loga rithms .

One of the s e prope rtie s will give

us a ve ry importa nt tool
which
we ne e d to s olve e xpone ntia l
e qua tions . Until the n le t’s
pra ctice with the ba s ic the me s
of this le s s on .
That’s All Folks !