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Definition: The Logarithm of A Number N To A Base B Is The Power To Which B Must Be Raised To Obtain N. The Notation Is

This document discusses logarithms and their importance in mathematics and various sciences. Logarithms are closely related to exponents and allow for easier calculations of numbers raised to powers and division. They were extensively used before calculators to perform calculations but involved tedious lookups in logarithm tables. While calculators have made their direct use less necessary, logarithms still play an important role in mathematics and science problems. The definition provided states that the logarithm of a number N to a base b is the power to which b must be raised to obtain N.

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18 views1 page

Definition: The Logarithm of A Number N To A Base B Is The Power To Which B Must Be Raised To Obtain N. The Notation Is

This document discusses logarithms and their importance in mathematics and various sciences. Logarithms are closely related to exponents and allow for easier calculations of numbers raised to powers and division. They were extensively used before calculators to perform calculations but involved tedious lookups in logarithm tables. While calculators have made their direct use less necessary, logarithms still play an important role in mathematics and science problems. The definition provided states that the logarithm of a number N to a base b is the power to which b must be raised to obtain N.

Uploaded by

Mathias Mike
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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LOGARITHMS

A very important mathematical function is the logarithm, which is closely


connected to the theory of exponents. Logarithms play an inmportant part
in the physical sciences such as physics, engineering,statistics, chemistry
and mathematics. We will look at some of the properties of logarithms
and see how they may used in numerical calculations. Until the advent of
calculators in the mid-1970s, students usually divided numbers or raised a
number to a power with the aid of logarithms. This involveed tediously
looking up various logarithm tables, and it was certainly very easy to
make a mistake. Since that time, of course, this technique has become a
lost art. Such calculations are now performed by pressing a few calculator
buttons. Nevertheless, logarithms do play a prominent role in
mathematics, since they arise in a wide variety of scientific problems.
Studying and using logarithms can also give an insight into their
fundamental nature, which is of great use when encountering them in
more advanced subjects. This section provides a few simple examples of
how logarithms work, along with an understanding of the suffering
endured by students before the introduction of calculators. The theory of
logarithms is based on the laws of exponents. That is, there is a direct
relationship between the exponents and logarithms of numbers, as given
in the following definition:

DEFINITION :
The logarithm of a number N to a base b is the power to which b must be raised to
obtain N. The notation is :
log b N
N
That is, if x = log b , then N  b .
x

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