LOGARITHMS

CONTENTS

¡ Definition

¡ Laws of Logarithms

¡ Types of Logarithm

¡ Problem Solving
EXPONENT Exponent
Base
DEFINITION (integer)
(real number)
!
If 𝑎 is any real number and
𝑛 is a positive integer, then
𝑎
the product of 𝑛 numbers
is defined as Where 𝑛 is the index or exponent or power and 𝑎 is the base.
𝑎 ⋅ 𝑎 ⋅ 𝑎 ⋅⋅⋅ 𝑎 = 𝑎!
! "#$%&'(

EXAMPLE: 2!, 3"#, 𝑥 $, 𝑝"%𝑒𝑡𝑐.

LOGARITHMS 𝒃𝒙 = 𝑵 ⋯⋯ 1

Definition: 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑵 > 𝟎, 𝑏 > 0 & 𝑏 ≠ 1

Logarithm is the inverse
function to exponentiation 𝒙 = 𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒃 𝑵 ⋯⋯ 2

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑁 > 0, 𝑏 > 0 & 𝑏 ≠ 1

1 & 2 are equivalent

Example: If 2! = 8,
⇒ 𝑙𝑜𝑔" 8 = 3.
LAWS OF LOGARITHMS

Formula Example
𝑙𝑜𝑔! 𝑀𝑁 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔! 𝑀 + 𝑙𝑜𝑔! 𝑁 𝑙𝑜𝑔" 3 ⋅ 5 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔" 3 + 𝑙𝑜𝑔" 5

𝑀 17
𝑙𝑜𝑔! = 𝑙𝑜𝑔! 𝑀 − 𝑙𝑜𝑔! 𝑁 𝑙𝑜𝑔# = 𝑙𝑜𝑔# 1 7 − 𝑙𝑜𝑔# 2 4
𝑁 24

𝑙𝑜𝑔! 𝑀$ = 𝑃 𝑙𝑜𝑔! 𝑀 𝑙𝑜𝑔# 5% = 7 𝑙𝑜𝑔# 5

𝑙𝑜𝑔! 𝑏 = 1 𝑙𝑜𝑔" 2 = 1
TYPES OF LOGARITHM

Common Logarithms Natural Logarithms:

¡ The system of logarithms whose base is 10
is called the common logarithm system.
When the base is omitted, it is understood
that base 10 is to be used
¡ Thus, 𝑙𝑜𝑔 2 5 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔$% 2 5
¡ The system of logarithms whose base is the
Eulerian constant 𝑒 is called the natural
logarithm system. When we want to indicate
the base of a logarithm is 𝑒 we write 𝑙𝑛.
¡ Thus, 𝑙𝑛 2 5 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔& 2 5

NOTE: Since 10$.(!)) = 34.49 so 𝑙𝑜𝑔 3 4.49 = 1.5377. Here the digit 1 before decimal point is
called the characteristic and the digits . 5377 after decimal point is called the mantissa of the
log.
PROBLEM & SOLUTION

Express each of the following exponential form in logarithmic form:

1 2 3

" '"
1 '
" 1
4 = 16 3 = 8 # =
9 4

Using log of base 4 we get Using log of base 3 we get Using log of base 8 we get

1 "
'# 1
𝑙𝑜𝑔& 4" = 𝑙𝑜𝑔& 1 6 𝑙𝑜𝑔# 3'" = 𝑙𝑜𝑔# 𝑙𝑜𝑔( 8 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔(
9 4
1 2 1
𝑜𝑟, 2 𝑙𝑜𝑔& 4 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔& 1 6 𝑜𝑟, −2 𝑙𝑜𝑔# 3 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔# 𝑜𝑟, − 𝑙𝑜𝑔( 8 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔(
9 3 4
1 2 1
𝑜𝑟, 2 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔& 1 6 𝑜𝑟, −2 = 𝑙𝑜𝑔# 𝑜𝑟, − = 𝑙𝑜𝑔(
9 3 4
PROBLEM & SOLUTION CONT..

Express each of the following logarithmic form in exponential form:

4 5 6

1
log ) 25 = 2 log " 64 =6 log + =2
& 16

By the definition of log, we get By the definition of log, we get By the definition of log, we get

"
1 1
25 = 5" 64 = 2* =
16 4
PROBLEM & SOLUTION CONT..

7. Find the logarithms of 1728 to the base 𝟐 𝟑

We have 1728

After factorization by prime number, we get

1728 = 2* . 3#
*
𝑜𝑟, 2* . 3 = 1728
*
𝑜𝑟, 2 3 = 1728
According to definition of log we get
6 = log " # 1728

∴ log " # 1728 =6

PROBLEM & SOLUTION CONT..

𝟏
8. Find 𝑥 if log 𝟏𝟎 𝟏𝟏 + 𝟒 𝟕 = log 𝟏𝟎 (𝟐 + 𝒙)
𝟐
Given that,
( ) = -4± ( )
1
2
( )
log10 11 + 4 7 = log10 ( 2 + x ) \ x =
- 4 ± 42 - 4 × 1 × - 7 + 4 7
2 ×1
16 + 4 7 + 4 7
2

- 4 ± 16 + 28 + 16 7 - 4 ± 44 + 16 7
or, log10 11 + 4 7 = log10 ( 2 + x ) =
2
=
2

or , 11 + 4 7 = 2 + x - 4 ± 2 11 + 4 7
=
2

( )
2 2
or , 11 + 4 7 = ( 2 + x) \ x = - 2 ± 11 + 4 7

or, 11 + 4 7 = x2 + 4 x + 4 x = - 2 + 11 + 4 7 , - 2 - 11 + 4 7

or , x2 + 4 x - 7 = 4 7 As - 2 - 11 + 4 7 < -2 so x ¹ - 2 - 11 + 4 7

(
or , x 2 + 4 x - 7 + 4 7 = 0 ) \ x = - 2 + 11 + 4 7
PROBLEM & SOLUTION CONT..

9. Prove that 2 log 𝑥 + 2 log 𝑥 " + 2 log 𝑥 # + ⋯ + ⋯ + 2 log 𝑥 / = 𝑛(𝑛 + 1) log 𝑥

L.H.S. = 2 log 𝑥 + 2 log 𝑥 " + 2 log 𝑥 # + ⋯ + 2 log 𝑥 /

= 2 log 𝑥 + 4 log 𝑥 + 6 log 𝑥 + ⋯ + 2𝑛 log 𝑥
= 1 + 2 + 3 + ⋯ + 𝑛 2log 𝑥
𝑛(𝑛 + 1)
= . 2 log 𝑥
2
= 𝑛 𝑛 + 1 log 𝑥
= R. H. S.
∴ 2 log 𝑥 + 2 log 𝑥 " + 2 log 𝑥 # + ⋯ + 2 log 𝑥 / = 𝑛 𝑛 + 1 log 𝑥
(Proved)
EXERCISE

𝒂𝟑
10. Express the logarithm of 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒐𝒇 log 𝒂 log 𝒃 𝒂𝒏𝒅 log 𝒄
𝒄𝟓 𝒃 𝟐

11. F𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝒙 from of equation 𝒂𝒙 . 𝒄'𝟐𝒙 = 𝒃𝟑𝒙5𝟏

a3
5 2
c b

12. Solve log 𝟏𝟎 𝟑𝒙 + 𝟐 + log 𝟏𝟎 𝒙 − 𝟏 = 𝟏

𝒆𝒙 '𝟏
13. Solve the equation = −𝟑
𝒆%𝒙 '𝟏

14. Calculate the value of 𝑷 from log 𝟏𝟎 𝟒 + 𝟐log 𝟏𝟎 𝑷 = 𝟐