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11 Logarithms

This document discusses the concept and basic theory of logarithms. It defines a logarithm as the exponent that an input number must be raised to in order to equal the base number. For example, log2 8 = 3 because 23 = 8. The document then presents three key properties of logarithms: 1) the logarithm of a product is equal to the sum of the logarithms, 2) the logarithm of a quotient is equal to the difference of the logarithms, and 3) the logarithm of a number with an index k is k times the logarithm of the number. It concludes by discussing the common logarithmic bases of 10 and the irrational number e.

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64 views4 pages

11 Logarithms

This document discusses the concept and basic theory of logarithms. It defines a logarithm as the exponent that an input number must be raised to in order to equal the base number. For example, log2 8 = 3 because 23 = 8. The document then presents three key properties of logarithms: 1) the logarithm of a product is equal to the sum of the logarithms, 2) the logarithm of a quotient is equal to the difference of the logarithms, and 3) the logarithm of a number with an index k is k times the logarithm of the number. It concludes by discussing the common logarithmic bases of 10 and the irrational number e.

Uploaded by

tamleduc1810dn
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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11

Logarithms

Here we are concerned only with the basic theory of logarithms, not with computations using log tables. Our main results depend on the main results in Topic 4.

11.1

Concept of a Logarithm

If p = q r we may also express this as the logarithm of p to base q is r. We write: logq p = r i.e. p = q r logq p = r

Examples:

(a) 8 = 23 log2 8 = 3

(b) 9 = 32 log3 9 = 2

[ means gives]

Exercises 11.1 (i) 16 = 24 ?

(ii) 27 = 33 ?

(iii) 25 = 52 ?

(iv) 100 = 102 ? 111

Exercises 11.2 (i) log5 25 = ? (ii) log? 25 = 2 (iii) log3 81 = ? (iv) log2 ? = 5 (v) log? 16 = 2 (vi) log4 64 = ? (vii) log? 125 = 3 (viii) log7 ? = 2 (ix) log? 10 = 1 (x) log10 ? = 5

11.2

Basic Logarithm Theory

For any positive number a loga a = 1 loga 1 = 0 If u = am then loga u = m v = an then loga v = n . . . (i) . . . (ii) since a1 = a (Topic 2, Section 3) since a0 = 1 (Topic 1, Section 6)

uv = am+n i.e. loga uv = m + n . . . (iii) using Topic 4, Section 3 (i), (ii), (iii) give loga uv = loga u + loga v i.e. the logarithm of a product = the sum of the logarithms (all to the same base).

112

Similarly, from Topic 4, Section 4, we have loga u = loga u loga v v

i.e. the logarithm of a quotient = the dierence of the logarithms (same base).

Next, let w = uk = (am )k = a i.e. loga w


mk

from (i) by Topic 4, Section 5 by Section 1 above from (i)

= km = k loga u

loga uk = k loga u i.e. the logarithm of a number with index k is k times the logarithm of the number (same base). Further, suppose ac
1

a = bc i.e. logb a = c . . . (iv) 1 1 1 = b i.e. loga b = . . . (v) = (bc ) c = bc. c c Topic 4, Section 5
1 c

(iv), (v) give logb a loga b = c i.e.

=1

logb a loga b = 1 i.e. loga b =


1 logb a

The most widely used bases are 10 and e = 2.718 . . . irrational From tables, log10 e = log10 2.718.. = 0.4343 . . . loge 10 =
1 log10 e

1 0.4343..

= 2.3 . . .

113

11.3
11.1:

Answers to Exercises

(i) log2 16 = 4 11.2: (i) 2 (ii) 5 (iii) 4

(ii) log3 27 = 3

(iii) log5 25 = 2

(iv) log10 100 = 2

(iv) 32 (v) 4 (vi) 3

(vii) 5 (viii) 49 (ix) 10

(x) 100,000

114

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