Bi
CHAPTER 27
Logarithms
INTRODUCTION
In earlier classes, we have learnt about indices. One of the results we have learnt is that, 2° = 2°, then x = 3
and if 4" = 47, then x = y ic., if two powers of the same base are equal and the base is not equal to -1, 0 or
1, then the indices are equal, But when 3* = 5*, just by using the knowledge of indices, we cannot find the
numerical value of x. The necessity of the concept of logarithms arises here. Logarithms are useful in long
calculations involving multiplication and division,
Definition
The logarithm of any positive number to a given base (a positive number not equal to 1) is the index of the
power of the base which is equal to that number. If N and a (¢ 1) are any two positive real numbers and for
some real x, a* = N, then x is said to be the logarithm of N to the base a. It is written as log, N = x, i.e., if a* =
N, then x = log, N.
© Examples
(@) 3°=81 > 4= log 81
(i) P = 343 = 3 = log,343
If in a particular relation, all the log expressions are to the same base, we normally do not specify
the base.
From the definition of logs, we get the following results
When a> 0,b>Oandb#1,
1, log, a!
©8- log, 6°
eg. 9 =5
614 Bi
Logarithms 615
System of logarithms
‘Though we can talk of the logarithm ofa number to any positive base as not equal to 1, there are two systems
of logarithms viz., natural logarithms and common logarithms, which are used most often.
@) Natural logarithms: These were discovered by Napier. They are calculated to the base ‘e’ which is
approximately equal to 2.7828. These are used in higher mathematics.
(i) Common logarithms: Logarithms to the base 10 are known as common logarithms. This system was
introduced by Briggs, a contemporary of Napier. In the rest of this chapter, we shall use the short form
‘Jog’ instead of ‘logarithm’,
Properties
(i) Logs are defined only for positive real numbers.
Gi) Logs are defined only for positive bases (other then 1)
(ii) In Jog, a neither a is negative nor b is negative but the value of log, a can be negative
@& Example As 10 = 0.01, log,,0.01
2
(iv) Logs of different numbers to the same base are different i.e., if a # b, then log, # log, b. In other
words, if log,a = log,b, then a = b.
@ Examples log,,2 #log,3
Jog,,2 = log,y = y =2
(7) Logs of the same number to different bases have different values, i, ifm # n, then log,a logza.
In other words, iflog,,a = log,a, then m = n.
© Examples log,16 + log,16
= log,16 > n=2
(vi) Log of 1 to any base is 0.
@ Example tog,1 = 0 (7 2°= 1)
(vii) Log of a number to the same base is 1
@ Example log,4= 1.
(vill) Log of 0 is not defined.
Laws
1.Jog,, (ab) = log, a + log,, b
(© Example 10g56 = log(7 x 8)
rf)
= logy a—log, b Bi
616 Logarithms
81
© Example tor(S¢} = log81 — 1og23
3. log a" = m loga
'@ Example 1og216 = logs? = Slog6
4, Joga log.b = log.a; (Chain Rule)
@ Example log,3 x log,2 x log,8 = log,3 x log,8 = log,3
5. loga = pee (Change of base Rule);
log, 25
“Tog,
In this relation, if we replace c by a, then we get the following result:
1
log,
& Example tog, 2
log,
Variation of log,x with x
For 1
logq.
& Example log,,2 < log,,3 and log, ,2 > log, 3
Bases which are greater than 1 are called strong bases and bases which are less than 1 are called
weak bases. Therefore, for strong bases, the log increases with the number and for weak bases, the log
decreases with the number.
Sign of log, x for different values of x and a
Strong bases (a> 1)
1. Ifx > 1, og x is positive
For example, log,8, log 81 are postive.
2. 10 1, then log.x is negative.
For example log, ,15 and log, ,16 are negative.
logi5 logi5
Consider log, ,15 =
og0.3. log3-logi0
Jog3 < logi0 (for any strong base)
logi5
eet _
Jog3 ~ log 0
2. If0 1) to strong bases and numbers (< 1) to weak bases are positive
To find the log of a number to the base 10
Consider the following numbers:
2, 20,200, 0.2 and 0.02.
We see that 20 = 10(2) and 200 = 100(2)
J log 20 = 1 + log 2 and log 200 = 2 + log 2
Similarly, log 0.2 = -1 + log 2 and log 0.02 = -2 + log 2
From the tables, we see that log 2 = 0.3010. (Using the tables is explained in greater detail in later examples).
#. log 20 = 1.3010, log 200 = 2.3010, log 0.2 = -1 + 0.3010 and log 0.02 = -2 + 0.3010.
Nore:
1. Multiplying or dividing by a power of 10 changes only the integral part of the log, not the fractional part.
2. For numbers less than 1, (for example log 0.2) it is more convenient to leave the log value as -1 + 0.3010
instead of changing it to ~0.6090. We refer to the first form (in which the fraction is positive) as the
standard form and the second form as the normal form. Both the forms represent the same number.
For numbers less than 1, it is convenient to express the log in the standard form. As the negative sign refers
only to the integral part, itis written above the integral part, rather than in front. ie.,log 0.2 = 1.3010 and
not —1.3010.
The convenience of the standard form will be clear when we learn how to take the anti-log, which will
later be explained in detail.
Anti-log (0.6090) = Anti-log (-1 + 0.3010) = Anti-log 7.3010 = 0.2.
‘When the logs of numbers are expressed in the standard form (for numbers greater than 1, the standard
form of the log is the same as the normal form), the integral part is called the characteristic and the fractional
part (which is always positive) is called the mantissa,
© Example
Express 0.5229 in the standard form and locate it on the number line.
Solution oarn
0.5229 = -1 + 1-0.5229 = 1.4771 Bi
618 Logarithms
The rule to obtain the characteristic of log x
(A) Ifx > 1 and there are n digits in x, then the characteristic isn — 1
(B) fx <1 and there are m zeroes between the decimal point and the first non-zero digit of x, then the
characteristic is (-m + 1) more commonly written as (+1).
Nore: -4= 4 but-4.01 # 4.01
To find the log of a number from the log tables
1 Example
Find the values of 1og36, log3600 and log0.0036.
Solution
In log tables we find the number 36 in the first column, In this row in the next column (under zero),
‘we find .5563 (the decimal point is dropped in other columns). This gives 5563 as the mantissa for the
log of all numbers whose significant digits are 3 and 6.
Prefixing characteristic, we have log36 = 1.5563
Similarly log3600 = 3.5563 and log0.0036 = 3.5563
1 Example
Find the values of log3.74, 1og374000 and log0.3740.
Solution
In the log table we locate 37 in the first column. In this row, in the column under 4, we find 5729.As
in the earlier example, the same line as before gives the mantissa of logarithms of all numbers which
begin with 37. From this line, we select the mantissa which is located in the column number 4.This
gives 5729 as the mantissa for all numbers whose significant digits are 3,7 and 4.
log3.74 = 0.5729
1og374000 = 5.5729 and
Jog0.374
1.5729
"© Example
Find the values of log5.342 and log 0.05342.
Solution
As found in the above example, we can find the mantissa for the sequence of digits 534 as 7275. Since
there are four significant digits in 5342, in the same row where we found 7275 under the column 2 in
the mean difference column, we can find the number 2.
<. The mantissa of the logarithm of 5342 is 7275 + 2 = 7277
‘Thus log5.342 = 0.7277
Similarly, log0.05342 Bi
Logarithms 619
Anti-log
As log,8 = 3,8 is the as
In the above example we have seen that log5.342 = 0.7277
¢. Anti-log0.7277 = 5.342
logarithm of 3 to the base 2, i.c., Anti-log of b to base m is m’.
To find the anti-log
© Example
Find the anti-log of 2.421.
Solution
Step 1: In the anti-log table we find the number.42 in the first column, In that row in the column
under 1, we find 2636.
Step 2: As the characteristic is 2, we place the decimal after three digits from the left i.e., anti-
Jog2.421 = 263.6
Nore: If the characteristic is n(a non-negative integer), then we would place the decimal after (n+
1) digits from the left
1 Example
Find the anti-log of 1.4215.
Solution
We have to locate.42 in the first column and scan along the horizontal line and pick out the number
in the column headed by 1.We see that the number is 2636. The mean difference for 5 in the same
line is 3.
<. The sum of these numbers is 2636 + 3 = 2639.
As the characteristic is 1, the required anti-log is 26.39.
© Example
7.211 x 0.084
16.52 x 0.016
Find the value of
Solution
log of numerator = (log of numerator) ~ (log of denominator)
log of numerator = log7.211 + log0.084 = 0.8580 + 2.9243 = 1.7823
log of denominator = log16.52 + log0.016 = 1.2180 + 2.2041= 1.4221
log of the given fraction = 1.7823 — 1.4221 = 0.3602
Value of the fraction = Anti-log (0.3602) = 2.292 (As the characteristic is 0, the decimal is kept after
one digit from the left) Bi
1 Example
Iflog,,4 = 0.6021 and log,,5 = 0.6990, then find the value of log,,1600.
Solution
Jog,,1600 = log,,(64 * 25) = log,,(4? x 5)
logy, 4? + logy, 5? >
= Blog, 4 + 2log,, 5
3(0.6021) + 2(0.6990)
1.8063 + 1.3980
log,,1600 = 3.2043,
1 Example
Find the value of ‘76.51 approximately.
Solution
LetP = VI651
logP = log(16.51)"
1
= 1) is positive, then the range of x is
10. If log27.91 = 1.4458, then log2.791 =
Jog 15 —log6
Jog 20 —log8
12, If log2 = 0.3010, then log5 =
13. The value of log,, V64 =
log?
14, 8216 _
logo
15. Iflog,3 = x, then logy; V64 =
16.1F we, (55)
17, 7h
5, then find the value of x.
18. If 3° = 2, then x
19. Iflog. x + log, y + log. 2 = log,p,then p =
20. If log,,4 + log,,m = 2, then m =
mplify: 3log,5 + log,10 — log, 625
22. Iflog(a + 1) + log(a ~ 1) = logl5, then a =
23. The value of log!0 + logi00 + logi000 + + log10000000000 =
24. If the number of zeroes between the decimal point and the first non-zero digit of a number is 2, then
the characteristic of logarithm of that number is
25. The value of log(tan10°) + log(tan20*) + log(tan45°) + log(tan70*) + log(tan80°)
Short answer type questions
3 45 15
26. Simplify: log { >] + log| = |—tog/ =
a “(3 (5 sli]
27. Show that
Tog, abe log, abe” log. abc
oun Bi
28. Solve for real value of x: log(x 1) + log(s? + x + 1) = log999.
29. If
«then find the value of a
30. 3xy, then show that 2log(x + y) = 2logS + logx + logy.
31.
0.4
1.3010 and log,,3 then find the value log,,135
32. and log,,3 = y,then find log,,21.6
33.
0.3010, then find the number of digits in (64)
1
34. Simplify —————_
log, log, log, 256
35. Prove that log,810 = 4 + log, 10.
Essay type questions
36, Solve: xi? 4 35 =18
‘ (p+
37. If’ + q? = L4pq, then prove that log,
[logp + loga].
2
a aus 1
38. Without using tables, find the value of 4log,,5+ 5log,,2 ~ —log,,4.
loga_logb_loge
39.16 | "SS then prove that a’ b' c= 1
40. Arrange the following numbers in the increasing order of their magnitude.
log, 9, log, ,16, log, 41, log, 10
CONCEPT APPLICATION
Concept Application Level—1 ¥]
1. fog, x = 25, then x =
(40 @) 256 @) 1024 4) None of these
2. If log5 = 0.699 and (1000)* = 5, then find the value of x
(1) 0.0699 2) 0.0233 @) 0.233 (4) 10
622 Bi
18 15) _
1th!) +22) #2)
(1) 0 GB) 2 (A) log, 15
4. If logsa + logya + logna = =, then a=
(27 @) 243 @) 81 (4) None of these
5. If log, (log, x) <0, then x belongs to
(1) (1, 8) (2) (-®, 8) @) B,%) (4) None of these
6.1f log, ~ 2log, 3x° = a - blog, x, then find the value of a + b.
(1) 6 @ ~ @)0 3
7. The value of log,, 5 lies between
1a 1d 1
() Sand @ jands @) Sand (4) None of these
See aise ae eat
8.18 = logy 3 ows 5 Togs 08 th
(1) x>0 @ x<0 @ x=0 (4) x20
9. IF log, 729 = x then the value of logy, 256 is
4G-x) 4G +x) G+x) @-»
r Q 3) 4
“Gem ® -G-x) ® We-~ ® Gers
10. The solution set of the equation log(2x ~ 5) ~ log3 = log ~ log(x + 9) is
=19 19 19
1) 23 @ {3,2 @) {3,2 a) 3
w Pah @ {3 @ {2h ® 83
11. If log,,tan19° + log,,tan21° + log,,tan37° + log, tan45° + long,,tan69° + log,,tan71° + log,,tan53° =
log,,> sthen x=
og then x
ao Q1 @) 2
12. The solution set of the equation log(x + 6) — log8 = log — log(x + 7) is
(1) {-15, 2} Q 123 @) {-15, 0, 2}
13. Iflog,, 4 = x and log,, 5 = y
(i) 5
then express log,, 32 in terms of x and y.
+xty) @ S(l-x+y) G3) 5(1—x—y)
@
“
5(1+x-y)
7
623 624
14. Iflog,, 11 = p,then Yoru d ).
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
io
(1) (+ py" (2) (+p) GB) 1-p
I log. + Slogs4x! = p+ alga, then he value of og)
aa Q) -4 @) 3 (4) 2
Iflog x + log.x? + log,x* = 2 then log, 8 =
1 3
12 ot @) 3 a 3
(ly 2) 2 @) (4) 4
If logy. y( — y) = 7ythen the value of log.
2 7 1
(2) = (3) — =
(14 (2) Fl G3) 2 @) 4
‘The value oflog,3 ies between
1 1 1 1 1
—and — and — (3) —and lone of these
@ gands Read > 1 (4) Ne t
ir bo? +b) Moga logb),then 242 =
(1) 30, (2 31 (3) 32 (4) 34
1
If log, q = x, then log, (2) S
tha
Oe @ = @x @
If log, («+ y) = 5, then what isthe value of log,»_,- (&?- 2xy + v9?
at @ ot wo
‘The value of log, 1 + log, 2? + log 3° log, 1 + logy 2? + log, 3° (where a is a positive number and
ae lis
(1) 210 (2) 209 (@) 145 (4) 89
2 1
log: 3 log: 2 ‘The appropriate symbol in the blank is
(y> Q<
B= (4) Cannot be determined Bi
ayo @1 @2 (4) log, 4 ¥]
25. If log(x — 3) + log(x + 2) = log(x* + x — 6), then the real value of x, which satisfies the
above equation is
24. The value of log, [log, flog, (log,625+)}] is
(1) is any value of x is any value of x except x = 0
es
(3) is any values of x except x = 3 does not exist
Concept Application Level—2
26.1f bog. ce ( aVavavava ) = xlog,a, then x =
32 31 31 1
= Crs ® > Os
27. 1f T™ + x87 = 98, then logy, Vx then 5 te
(47 @ 51 @) 14 49
28. 1f 7 + x"*" = 98, then log,, vx =
1
wt @>
@) 2 (4) Cannot be determined
29. The value of log,a + log,.a? + logy.a® +... + logy.a® is
(yn Q) loga 6 mo Dog. (4) log.at
30. If (og, x) + log, log, x) = 2,then find log, 4
1
(1) 2 A>
@1 (4) Cannot be determined log,
31. If pqr = 1 then find the value of log, P+ logy a + logy, r
(1) 0 @-1 @ 3 “1
32. If log, flog. flog, log, 216")}] =0. then log,(3x) =
(1) log,12 Q 1 (3) 2 (4) log,6
33. Ifa, b* and ct are in G.P, then which of the following ivare true?
(@) a,b, cate in GP. (b) loga, logb, loge ate in G.P.
(©) loga, log, loge are in A.P. @) a,b,c are in AP.
(1) and b @) aande () band d (4) only a
7
625 1 1
34. The value of + +
log, logyn logs
(1) og, 8! 2 og,:8 ® toe, (5) oy
= eed 108C then abe =
x-y¥
@ a @1 (4) All the above
Concept Application Level—3
36. The solution set for [1 =x] "(#9 1,35
(1) {0, 1,4} (2) {1,4} (3) {0, 4} (4) (0,2, 4}
37. The value of log 22/2... times + log 333.20 times is
m1 @2 @) logs ) logs
438. The least postive integral value of the expression 4log,, m ~ log,» 10s
ao Qa @) 2 1
39. The domain of log(3 — 5x) is
3 3
w (b») @ (0.2) % (=
40. If log,x + log.y 2 2, then the smallest posible integral value of x + y (given x # y) is
M7 @ 14 @) 15 () 20
Very short answer type questions 9. (1,0) . 0.4458.
1.2 2.0 11 12. 0.6990
. 3
3.16 4. 10) nd 14s
(
5. log. 6.5 3
_— a
7. 33.756 8.3 a 6
626 Bi
17.3
19. 10
21. log, 2.4
23. 55 24.3
28.0
Short answer type questions
26.0 28. x= 10
29. 107 31. 2.1303
32. 3x + y)-1
33. 19,
34. () log,2
Essay type questions
36. 16, 37.
38.4
40. log, 416, log, 9, log, 41, og, 10.
Very short answer type questions
1
16. (i) Express (5) as the power of 3
= a=> x= n' and find x.
Gi) Use, log,
21. Use log + log blog ¢ = log (2)
5
mloga = loga”.
Short answer type questions
26. Use, loga + logb ~ loge = log (2) and
¢
1
27. () bos a=
(i) Then, use log, a +log, b + log, ¢ =k
and simplify.
key points for
selected questions
(Gi) Cross multiply and proceed.
30. (i) Add 2xy on both sides of the given
equation,
(ii) Express LHS as a perfect square.
(iii) Apply logs on both sides and use the
and relavent laws to prove.
341. (i) Express 135 as multiples of 3 and $ and log,
10
5 as log | —
(2)
(Gi) Use the laws of logarithms and simplify
simplify
33. (i) Assume (64)" as x and apply log on both
sides.
(Gi) Express 64 as power of 2 and evaluate the
log, abe characteristic of logx and there by number
of digits of x.
28. (i) Express the LHS asa single logarithm by 34. (i) Simplify from the extreme right logarithm
using, log a + log b = log ab.
(ii) Eliminate logs on both sides and solve for x. log
29. (i) Take 1 aslog,3 and use
log, a+log, b= log, ab
i.e., expres 256 as the power of 2 and use
mloga.
35, Take 4 as 4 log, 3 and use log ab =
loga + logb.
627 Bi
Essay type questions
36. Use, al =bh* and solve for x.
37. (i) Add 2pq on both sides of the equation 39.
given and express LHS as a perfect square.
Gi). Use the laws of logarithms and prove the
requited result 40.
38.
(Use, m loga = log a
() Let the given equation to k and equate
each term to k and evaluate 2°, b* and c*
(i) Then, use log a + log b — log
(2) an omnis
(i) Take the product of a.bh.ct
T<9a=b"
2. Taking logarithms for 10% = 5 and
substituting in the given equation we get the
value of x
3. loga + logb — loge = log (2 } ana
log 1 = 0
4. log,, logy
5. If log, y < O,then 0 1
6. use loga — logb = log and loga
+ logb = logab,
7. consider 5? < 40 <
base 5.
ake logarithm with
8. log.a > O;when a> Land b <1
log,a <0 when a< and b> 1
log.a > O when a < and b <1 Bi
9. Find the values of log,.4, log,, 36 and using
logi.27 =x.
10. loga — logb = we(?)
11. tan. tan (90-8) = 1
12. loga—logb = log~.
loga — logb = log
13. Express log, 32 interms of x and y.
1 -1
14. log — = loga slog mn =
Jog m + log n.and loga
15. loga + logb = logab
Joga — logb = loga/b.
16. logy a logy a
17. Adding“1’ on both sides and the ‘1’ on the left
side is expressed as log.,, x + y
ider the inequality and 3° < 35 < 3*
taking logarithm with base 3.
19. () Use,loga + logh = logab. remove the
logarithms on both sides and evaluate
G@ + by.
(i) Use m (loga + logh) = log(ab)"
(ii) Eliminate logarithms on both sides and
obtain equations in terms of a and b.
(iv) Divide both sides of the equation with
ab and obtain the required answer.
20. log,.a"= tog, a.
21. Adding'1’ on both sides, the ‘1’ on the left
side is expressed as log,., ¥~y
22. @) toga” =mlog,a and
n(ntt)
Zn= .
2
(i) log,1 = 0, log, 2 = 2, log, 3°
,and so on,
ii) The required answer is the sum of first
20 natural numbers except 1
23.
27.
28.
29.
30.
ae
Use a > b= loga > Landa
loga <1
Joga = mloga
Express 625 in terms of base 5 and
simplify from the extreme right logarithm.
+ logh = logab
Use, Jayara.....n terms =
then log,. a" = Mog, aand simplify
LHS.
Compare LHS and RHS and find the
value of x.
and
‘Use loga + logh = logab and remove
logarithms on both the sides and
evaluate (a= by’,
(i) Express RHS into single logarithm with
coefficient 1
(ii) Apply anti-iog and cancel the logarithms
on both sides.
(iv) Divide LHS and RHS by ab and obtain
the required value,
yr
) Tow = xl0?
(ii) Convert LHS into 7° (or) x” and
solve for x
@ log, a*
loga + log = logab.
(i) Each term of the given expression is
equal to log.a
‘There are n terms in the expression.
Use the above information and find the
required sum.
i)
(iv)
@
(ii)
Assume logyx = a then log, x = a/2
‘Take log, (log,x) as 2 log, (Jog,x) and
convert LHS into single logarithm.
Express the result in terms of log,x and
solve for log,x.
Find log,2 and then log.4.
Gi)
(iv)
@
Gi)
Use log, a= 1.
Replace rq = pyrp = qt and
pq =r in the given expression.
Simplify and eliminate logarithms.
Gi)
629 630
32.
33.
34.
35.
36.
Bi
() Remove logarithm one by one by using 37. ()
logs =b=>
(i) Now substitute the value of x in log,3x
and simplify.
(i) Verify from options. Gi)
(ji) Use ifa,b and c are in G.P, then b? = ac
ii) Substitute 2°, b* and c* in the above 38. @)
‘equation and simplify
Gv) Apply logarithm for the above result and.
proceed,
6) Lol 1 Gi)
eee Tog, b i)
(Gi) Take all the logarithms to the numerators
by using the formula = log,
Toga
(ii) Use, loga + logh +... + logn
= log(abe .....n) and simplify
(iv)
() Equate the given ratios to k and get the
values of loga, logb and loge
(i) Add loga, logb and loge and solve for
39. i)
abe. @
() Use a= Land "= 1 a
(i) Consider RHS i.c.,1 as | —x|" and
40. @)
‘equate the exponents.
(ii) Convert the logarithm in the
exponential form by using log,a
=N=>a=b%.
(iv) Solve the quadratic equation for x.
Gi)
ii)
Joga + logb = logab and log VxvXx..0
ala. 28
logab.
Use,
loga + logb
‘The least positive integral value of
es
2.
Let log,,10 = x then log,, 10
1
‘The given expression becomes
a+)
Ate
20" x
Now the least positive value is obtained
if x + Lis minimum,
log f(x) is defined only when f (x)
>0.
logarithms take only positive values.
acon
Solve the above inequation for x
Refer to hint 12 in ex 2(a)
For the smallest value of a + b,log,.a +
log,,b = 2.
Find the least value ofa such that ab
= 100
