Chapter 3

LOGARITHMS
UNIT OUTLINE:
3.1 Scientific Notation
3.2 Logarithm
3.3 Common and Natural logarithm
3.4 Laws of Logarithms
3.5 Application of Logarithm
Student Learning Outcomes:
After studying this unit, the student will be able to

 Express the number in standard form of Scientific notation and vice versa.
 Define logarithm of a number y to the base a as the power to which a must be raised to
give the number (i.e a x =y ↔log a y =x , a>0 ,a ≠ 1∧ y < 0¿ .
 Define a common logarithm, characteristic and mantissa of log of a number.
 Use tables to find the log of a number
 Give concept of antilog and use tables to find the antilog of a number.
 Differentiate between common and natural logarithm.
 Price the following law of logarithm
log a mn=log a m+ log a n

m
log a =log a m−log a n
n
n
log a m =n log a m
log a m ×log m n=log a n

 Apply law of logarithm to convert lengthy process of multiplication, division and

exponentiation into easier process of addition and subtraction etc.
Introduction:
The difficult and complicated calculations become easier by using logarithms.
Abu Muhammad Mus Al-Khwarizmi first gave the idea of logarithms. Later on, in the
seventeenth century ‘John Napier’ extended his work on logarithms prepared tables for
logarithm. He used “e” as the base the preparation of logarithm tables. ‘Professor Henry Briggs’
had a special interest in the Book of “John Napier”. He prepared logarithm tables with base 10.
Anti-logarithm table was prepared by “Jobst Burgi” in 1620 A.D.

Scientific Notation:

 Do you know why we need to write a number in scientific notation? 

There are so many numbers that we use in science and technical work that are either very small
and very large.
Example:
The distance from the Earth to the Sun is the 150, 000, 000 km approximately and a hydrogen
atom weight 0.000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 001 gram while writing these numbers in
ordinary notation (standard notation) there is always a chance of making an error by omitting a
zero or writing more than  actual number of zeros. To overcome this problem, scientist have
developed a concise, precise and convenient method to write very small or very large number,
that is called scientific notation expressing an ordinary number.
Definition of scientific notation:
“A number written in any form a ×10 n where 1≤ a <10 and n is an integer, is called the scientific
notation.
Example
NE express 150 000, 000 into scientific notation
150000 , 000 8
¿ 8
×10
10
150 000 , 000 8
¿ × 10
100 ,000 , 000
8
¿ 1.5 ×10
NE convert 0. 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 000, 001, 7 into scientific notation.
¿ 0.000 , 000 , 000 ,000 , 000 , 000 , 000 , 001, 7
0.000 , 000 , 000 , 000 , 000 ,000 , 000 , 001 ,7
¿
1 000 , 000 , 000 , 000 ,000 , 000 , 000 , 000 , 0
17
¿
1025
−25
¿ 17 ×10
17 −25
¿ ×10 ×10
10
 −25+1 m n m+n
¿ 1.7 ×10 ∴ a . a =a
−24
¿ 1.7 ×10
Example:
Express the following ordinary numbers in scientific notation
i)  30600
Solution:
4
30600 ×10
30600=
10 4

30600× 104
¿
10000

4
¿ 3.06 ×10
ii) 0.000058
Solution:
0.000058
¿
1000000
58
¿
106
−6
¿ 58 ×10
¿ 5.8 ×10−6+1
−5
¿ 5.8 ×10
Example 1 (2nd Method)
4
i ¿30600=3.06 ×10
−5
ii ¿ 0.000058=5.8 ×10

Observe that for expressing a number in scientific notation

(i)  Place the decimal point after the first non-zero digit of given number
(ii)  We multiply, the number obtained in Step (i), by 10n   if we shift the decimal point n places
to the left.
(iii) We multiply the number obtained in step (ii) by 10−n  if we shift the decimal point n places
to the right. 
On the other hand, if we want to change number from scientific notation to standard
notation, we simply reverse the process.
Example 2:
Change each of the following numbers from scientific notation to ordinary notation.
i ¿6.35 ×10 6
Solution:
6.35 ×106
To convert it in ordinary form we move decimal point six places to the right.
6350000

−4
ii ¿ 7.61× 10
Solution:
−4
7.61 ×10
To convert it in ordinary form we move decimal point four places to the left
−4
0.000761 ×10
Exercise 3.1
Express each of the following number in scientific notation
i ¿5700
Solution:
5700
3
5.7 ×10
Move decimal point 3 places to the left. Therefore exponent is positive.
ii ¿ 49 , 800 , 000
Solution:
49 , 800 , 000
¿ 4.9 × 107
Move decimal point seven places to the left so exponent of 10 with positive.
 iii ¿ 96 ,000 , 000

Solution:
96 , 000 , 000
¿ 9.6 ×10 7
Move decimal point seven places to the left so explained of 10 is negative.
iv ¿ 416.9
Solution:
416.9
2
¿ 4.16 × 10
Move the decimal point two places to the left so exponent of 10 is positive.
v ¿ 83,000
Solution:
83,000
4
¿ 8.3 ×10
Move the decimal point four places to the left so exponent of 10 is positive.
vi¿ 0.00643
Solution
0.00643
−3
6.43 ×10
Move the decimal point three places to the right so exponent of 10 is negative.
vii ¿ 0.0074
Solution:
0.0074
−3
¿ 7.4 ×10
Move the decimal point three places to the right so exponent of 10 is negative.
viii ¿ 60 , 000 , 000
Solution:
60 , 000 , 000
 7
¿ 6.0 ×10
Move the decimal point seven places to the left so exponent of 10 is positive.
Remember that
In which number there is no decimal point, the decimal point is after the last non-zero digit.

ix ¿ 0.00000000396
Solution:
0.00000000396
¿ 3.95 ×10−9
Move the decimal point nine digits to the right so exponent of 10 is negative.
275 , 000
x¿
0.0025
Solution:
275 ,000
0.0025
2.75× 105
¿
2.5 ×10−3
In numerator, the decimal point is moved five places to the left so exponent of 10 is positive.
In denumerator, the decimal point is moved three places to the left so exponent of 10 is
negative.
2) Express the following numbers in ordinary notation.
−4
i ¿6 × 10
¿ 0.0006
The exponent of 10 is negative so the decimal point is moved four places to the left.
10
ii ¿ 5.06 ×10
Solution:
10
5.06 ×10
¿ 50600000000
The exponent of 10 is positive so the decimal point is moved ten places to the right.
−6
iii ¿ 9.018 ×10
Solution:
 −6
9.018 ×10
¿ 0.000009018
The exponent of 10 is negative so the decimal point is moved six places to the left.
iv ¿ 7.865 ×108
Solution:
8
7.865 ×10
¿ 786500000
The exponent of 10 is positive so the decimal point is moved eight places to the right.

3.2 logarithm
Common logarithm
Logarithm with base 10 is called “common logarithm” or "briggesion logarithm".
Natural logarithm
The logarithm with base e is called “Natural logarithm” or "Napier’s logarithm" because John
Napier prepared the log table to base e.
Now we shall Define the logarithm with Base a>0 or a ≠ 1
Logarithm of a real number:
If a x = y , then x is called logarithm of y to the base ‘a’ and is written as log a y =xwhere a>0 or
a ≠ 1 and y>0
Differentiate b/w exponential form and logarithm form
Exponential form
The form a x = y is called exponential form.
Logarithm from
The form log a y =x is called logarithm form.
32=9 is equivalent to log 3 9=2
−1 1
2 = is equivalent to log 2
2 () 1
2
=−1

Similarly, log 2 27=3is equivalent to 27=32

Key point:
Logarithm of a –ve number is defined since the base is always taken to be positive.
Deduction from definition of logarithm:
 Since a 0=1, log a 1=0
 Since a 1=a, log a a=1

Definition of characteristic
The integral part of logarithm of a number is called characteristics.
Definition of mantissa
The decimal part of the logarithm of a number is called Mantissa. It is always positive
Characteristics and Mantissa of log of a number
Consider the following

103=1000 ↔ log 1000=3

2
10 =1 00 ↔ log1 00=2
1
10 =1 0 ↔ log 1 0=1
0
10 =1↔ log 1=0
−1
10 =0.1↔ log 0 .1=−1
−2
10 =0 .01↔ log 0 .01=−2
−3
10 =0 .001↔ log 0 .001=−3

Key point:
By convention, if only the common logarithm are used throughout a discussion, the base 10 is
not written.
Also consider the following table

For the numbers For logarithm

Between 1 and 10 a decimal
Between 10 and 100 1+ a decimal
Between 100 and 1000 2+ a decimal
Between 0.1 and 1 -1+ a decimal
Between 0.01 and 0.1 -2+ a decimal
Between 0.01 and 0.01 -3+ a decimal
 

Key point:

 The logarithm of any number consists of two parts that are 

(i) Characteristics
(ii)  Mantissa

Rule for finding the characteristics of logarithm of a number

If the number before the decimal point (in integral part) is 1 or greater than 1,  then and we can
find characteristic by subtracting 1 from the number of digits before decimal point (in integral
part).  It is always positive
For example:
i ¿ log 2.407
Characteristics= 0 ∴number of digit in integral part =1
ii ¿ 37.497
Characteristics= 1∴number of digit in integral part =2
In other words, the characteristics of a logarithm of a number greater than 1 is always one less
than the number of digit in the integral part of the number. It is positive.

If the number in integral part (before the decimal point) is zero, then the characteristics can be
find by adding 1 in the number of zero immediately after the decimal point. It is negative

For example

i ¿ log 0.20 34
Characteristics= 1 ∴it has no zero immediately after decimal point.
ii ¿ 0 . 02034
Characteristics= 2 ∴ it has one zero immediately after decimal point.

Example 
Write the characteristic of the log of the log of following number by expressing them in
scientific notation and noting the power of 10.
0.872, 0.02, and 0.00345
Name Scientific Notation Characteristics of the
logarithm
−1
0.872 8.72 ×10 -1
−2
0.02 2 .0× 10 -2
−3
0.00345 3.45 ×10 -3

Remember that
When we express a number in scientific notation, we write the number in exponent of 10 and
place the decimal point after 1st non-zero digit. In the above, we move the decimal point to the
right side, therefore the exponent of 10 is negative.
Conclusion
From the above we conclude that, after expressing the number in scientific notation the
exponent of 10 is characteristics of log of that number
Key point
 When the number is less than 1, the characteristics of the its logarithm is written by a
convention 3 , 2 ,∨1 (respectively 3to is read as bar 3) to avoid the mantissa becoming
negative
 2 .3748does not mean -2.3748 in 2 .3748, 2 is negative but 0.3748 is positive ; whereas in
-2.3748 both 2 and .3748 are negative.

Finding the mantissa of the logarithm of a number

While the characteristics of the logarithm of a number is written merely by inspection, the
mantissa is found by making use of logarithmatic tables. These tables are constructed to obtain
logarithm 7 decimal places. For all practical purposes, a four-figure logarithm table will provide
sufficient accuracy.
A logarithmatic table is divided into three parts
(a)  The first part of table is extreme left column headed by a blank square.  This column
contains numbers from 10 to 99 corresponding to the first two digit of number whose
logarithm is required. 
(b)  The second part of table consist of 10 columns, headed by 1, 2, 3.... 9.  These heading
correspond to the third digit from the left of the number.  The numbers under these columns
record Mantissa of the logarithms with decimal points amitted for simplicity.
(c)  The third part of the table further consists of small columns known as mean difference
columns headed by 1, 2, 3.... 9. These headings correspond to the four-digit from the left of the
number. The readings of these columns are added to the mantissa recorded in the second part
(b) above.
Note:
When the four figure log table is used to find the mantissa of a number, the decimal point is
ignored and the number is rounded to four significant figures.
3.2.3 Using table to find log of a number
The method to find log of a number is explained in the following examples. In the first two
examples, we shall confine to
  Finding Mantissa only.
Example:
Find the mantissa of the logarithm of 43.254 
Solution
Rounding off 43.254 we consider only the four significant digits 4325.
(i)   We first locate the row corresponding to 43 in the log table
(ii)  Proceed horizontally till we reach the column corresponding to 2. The number at the
intersection is 6355.
(iii)  Again proceeding horizontally till the main difference column corresponding to 5 intercepts
this row, get the number five at the intersection.
(iv) Adding two numbers 6355 and 5 we get .6360 as the Mantissa of logarithm 43.25
Key point:
Place the decimal point (.) before the mantissa
Example 2:
Find the mantissa of the following of 0.002347
Solution
Rounding off, we consider only the four significant digit 2347.
i) We first locate the row corresponding to 23 in the log table.
ii) Proceed, horizontally till we reach the column corresponding to 4 at this
intersection is 3692.
iii) Again proceeding horizontally till the mean difference column to 7 intersect this row,
we get the number 7 at this intersection.
iv) Adding two numbers 3692 and 13 we get 3705. So the mantissa of log 0.002347 is
0.3705.