Logarithms

The Essence of Logarithms

Logarithms have found its place in most scientific formulas and measures.
Units expressed in logarithmic scales reduce wide-varying quantities into
smaller scopes. For instance, sound pressures and voltage ratios can be
quantified using a logarithmic unit called decibels. Also, the pH value is a
logarithmic measure for the acidity of an aqueous solution. Moreover, it
can aid in forensic accounting, describes musical intervals, and appear in
the formula for estimating the number of prime numbers.

Brief History of Logarithms
In 1614, Scottish mathematician John Napier
published his discovery of logarithms. His main
intention was to assists the multiplication of
quantities that were called sines. The whole sine
was the value of the side of a rightangled triangle
with a large hypotenuse.

After some time, a London professor, Henry Briggs
(15611630) became interested in the logarithmic
tables prepared by Napier. Briggs traveled to
Scotland just to visit Napier and discussed the said
approach. They worked together in making
improvements such as the base 10 logarithms.
Later, Briggs developed a table of logarithms that
has remained in use until the advent of calculators
and computers. Common logarithms occasionally
called Briggsian logarithm.

The present notion of logarithm is based on the
work of Leonhard Euler, who made its connection
with exponential function during the 18
th
century.
Indeed, the natural logarithm has the Eulers
number e (2.716) as its base.







John Napier (15501617), the 7
th

Laird of Merchiston, on his text A
Description of the Admirable Table
of Logarithm.

By shortening the labors, the
invention of logarithms doubled
the life of the astronomers.
Pierre Laplace

The logarithm is an example of a transcendental function,
along with other functions such as the trigonometric functions,
hyperbolic functions, and their corresponding inverses.
Definition of Logarithm
The logarithmic function with base b is the inverse of the
exponential function with base b. Alternatively,
log
b
y x = if and only if
y
x b =

Note that the notation log
b
is use to denote the logarithm with base b.
Also, it is timely to compare the domain and range of the logarithmic
function with its inverse.

Exponential Function Logarithmic Function
Domain
0 x >
Range 0 y >



Properties of Logarithms
Given 0 and 1, b b > = then Example

1. log 1,
b
b =
5
log 5 1; = log 1
t
t =

2. log log ,
n
b b
a n a =
5
2 2
log 3 5log 3 =
log ,
n
b
b n =
3
2 2
log 8 log 2 3 = =

3. If 0 and 0, x y > > then
log log log ,
b b b
xy x y = +
2 2 2
log 5 3 log 5 log 3 = +

4. If 0 and 0, x y > > then
log log log ,
b b b
x
x y
y
=
2 2 2
7
log log 7 log 11
11
=

5. If 0 and 1, m m > = then
log
log ,
log
m
b
m
a
a
b
=
10
2
10
log 9
log 9
log 2
=

6. If 0 and 1 a a , > = then
log
a
x
a x, =
( )
5
log 3 2
5 3 2
x
x

=


The converse of each of the properties given above also holds true.
Math Drill: Logarithms 1


A. Express each of the following exponential functions in logarithmic form.

1.
5
12 x =


2.
4 7
3 9
y
=


3.
2 1
10
x
N

=



B. Express each of the following logarithmic functions in exponential form.

4.
2
3
log 9
m
=


5.
( )
2
6
log 3 2 y y =


6.
9
log 27 2 1 x =



C. Express the following logarithms in terms of the logarithms of the
variables x, y, and z, where the variables represent positive numbers.


7.
3
log 7 xyz =


8.
2
log
3
y
xz
| |
=
|
\ .



9.
2 3
5
6
4
log
x y
z
| |
=
|
\ .



10.
2 1
3 4
3
2
9
81
log
x y
z
| |
= |
|
\ .



D. Write the following logarithms in terms of a single logarithm, where
the variables represent positive numbers.

11. log 2 log 3log 5log
c c c c
x y z + + +

=



=





12.
3 1 2 1
6 6 6 6 2 3 4 5
log 2 log log log x y z +

=



=




13.
3 1
10 10 10 2 4
log 3log log 4 x y z +

=



=




E. Using the logarithms: = log2 0.3010, = log3 0.4771, = log7 0.8451,
determine the value of each of the following logarithms.

14. log15 =



=




15.
10
log 0.21 =



=



16.
5
10
2
49
log
36
=


=




=



Exercises: Logarithms 1



A. Change each of the following into logarithmic form.
1.
3
4
16 8 = 3.
3 5
4 32
x
=
2.
3
2 1
343
49

= 4. ( )
1
2
1 5 x =

B. Change each of the following into exponential form.
1.
2
125 3
log 25 = 3.
3
81 4
log 27 =
2.
( )
2
3
9
4
log 2 = 4.
( )
5 1
8 32 3
log =

C. Use the laws of logarithms, if applicable, to change each of the
expressions to sums and difference of multiples of logarithms.
1.
4 3
3
log 5 x z 3.
5
2 4
3
log
z
x y

2.
( )( )
2
7
1 3 2
log
5 1
x x
x x
+
+
4.
( )
( )
5 2
4 3
3 5
log
7 2 1
a
x x
x
+

D. Write each expression as a single logarithm.
1. ( ) ( ) log log
a a
x y x y + +
2.
2
2 2
2
2 5 3 3 1
log log
2 3 3 2 1
x x x
x x x
+ +
+
+

3.
2 2
8 8
2 2
2 5 3 6 7 2
log log
12 3 10 8
x x x x
x x x x
+ +

+ +

4.
5 6 3 7 2 3 5 2 4
3 3 3 3
2 3 4 2 5 6 7
log 2log 3log 4log
x y y z w x w y z
w z w x y z x
+

E. Given the following logarithms: =
a
log x 1.74787, =
a
log y 1.51314,
( ) + =
a
log x y 2, and ( ) =
a
log x y 1.23227. Evaluate the following
logarithms.
1.
( )
2 2
log
a
x y 3.
( )
1 1
log
a x y
+
2.
( )
log
y
x
a y x
+ 4.
( ) 2 2
1 1
log
a
x y