Corporate Office: A-1/169, Main Najafgarh Road, Janakpuri

New Delhi-110058 Phone: 011-41024601-05

E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.targetpmt.in

LECTURE - 4
EXPONENTIAL AND LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS)

The functions in which the independent variable is in the exponent are known as exponential
functions, e.g.

x Exponent
y=a
Base

The exponential function with base a is defined for all real numbers x but a must be greater
than zero and a  1 because if a = 1, then y  1x will be a constant function i.e. y will remain 1
for any real number x.

The number e

n
 1
The number e is defined as the value that 1   approach as n becomes large. See the
 n
following table.

n
 1
n 1  
 n

1 2.00000
5 2.48832
10 2.59374
100 2.70481
1000 2.71692
10,000 2.71815
100,000 2.71827
1,000,000 2.71828

n
 1
It is clear from the table that for large values of n, the value of 1   is almost same and
 n
equal to 2.718. This value 2.718 is known as e.
2

In any exponential function, if the base selected is e, it is known as natural exponential function
and it is written as

y  ex

In Physics, for most of the applications the number e is the best possible base, so natural
exponential function is often referred as the exponential function.

Logarithmic Functions: The inverse functions of exponential function is known as logarithmic

functions.

Take the exponential function, y  a x , where a is the positive number and a  1

Then its inverse functions is called the logarithmic function with base a and is denoted by loga.

Exponential form Logarithmic form

x Exponent loga y = x Exponent

y=a

Base Base

 loga y is the exponent to which the base a must be raised to give y.

[loga y is pronounced as log of y to the base a]

Properties of Logarithm

1. As a0  1 [ any number raised to prove zero is equal to one]

 0  loga 1

 log of 1 to any base a is zero.

2. As a1  a

 1  loga a  log of any a to the same base a is 1.

Common Logarithm: The logarithm with base 10 is called the common logarithm and is
denoted by omitting the base.

log x  log10 x

 When base is not specified, it has to be understood that base is 10.

3

Natural Logarithm: The logarithm with base e is called the natural logarithm and is denoted
by ln.

ln x  loge x

If ln x  y  x  e y

Laws of Logarithms

Let a be a positive number, with a  1. Let A, B and C be any real numbers with A > 0 and
B > 0.

Law Description:

1. loga ( AB )  loga A  loga B The logarithm of a product of numbers is the sum of the
logarithms of the numbers.

 A
2. loga    loga A  loga B The logarithm of quotient of numbers is the difference of
B
the logarithms of the numbers.

3. loga ( AC )  C loga A The logarithm of a power of number is the exponent times

the logarithm of the number.


1 Assignment

Corporate Office: A-1/169, Main Najafgarh Road, Janakpuri

New Delhi-110058 Phone: 011-41024601-05
E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.targetpmt.in

PRACTICE ASSIGNMENT-3
EXPONENTIAL AND LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS

Evaluate the expression

1. (a) log33 (b) log31 (c) log332

2. (a) log554 (b) log464 (c) log39

3. (a) log636 (b) log981 (c) log7710

4. (a) log232 (b) log8817 (c) log61

 1 
5. (a) log3   (b) log10 10 (c) log50.2
 27 

6. (a) log5125 (b) log497 (c) log9 3

7. (a) 2log2 37 (b) 3log3 8 (c) eln 5

8. (a) eln  (b) 10log 5 (c) 10 log 87

9. (a) log80.25 (b) ln e4 (c) ln(1/e)

 1
10. (a) log4 2 (b) log4   (c) log48
2

Use the definition of the logarithmic function to find x.

11. (a) log2 x  5 (b) log2 16  x

12. (a) log5 x  4 (b) log10 0.1  x

13. (a) log3 243  x (b) log3 x  3

14. (a) log4 2  x (b) log4 x  2

2 Assignment

15. (a) log10 x  2 (b) log5 x  2

16. (a) logx 1000  3 (b) logx 25  2

3
17. (a) logx 16  4 (b) logx 8 
2

1 1
18. (a) log x 6  (b) logx 3 
2 3


3 Assignment

Corporate Office: A-1/169, Main Najafgarh Road, Janakpuri

New Delhi-110058 Phone: 011-41024601-05
E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.targetpmt.in

SOLUTIONS OF PRACTICE ASSIGNMENT-3

(EXPONENTIAL AND LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS)

Evaluate the expression

1. (a) log33 = 1

(b) log31 = 0

(c) log332 = 2[log33] = 2[1] = 2

2. (a) log554 = 4[log55] = 4[1] = 4

(b) log464 = log443 = 3 log44 = 3(1) = 3

(c) log39 = log332 = 2 log33 = 2(1) = 2

3. (a) log636 = log662 = 2 log66 = 2(1) = 2

(b) log981 = log 992 = 2 log99 = 2(1) = 2

(c) log7710 = 10 log77 = 10 (1) = 10

4. (a) log232 = log225 = 5log22 = 5(1) = 5

(b) log8817 = 17log88 = 17(1) = 17

(c) log61 = 0

 1 
5. (a) log3   = log327–1 = log33–3 = –3log33 = –3(1) = –3
 27 

1 1 1 1
(b) log10 10 = log10 10 2 = log1010 = (1) =
2 2 2

1
(c) log50.2 = log5 = log55–1 = –1log55 = –1(1) = –1
5

6. (a) log5125 = log553 = 3 log55 = 3(1) = 3

4 Assignment

1
2
1 1 1
(b) log497 = log49 49 = log4949 = (1) =
2 2 2

1 1
1 1 1
(c) log9 3 = log9 3 2 = log9 9 4 = log99 = (1) =
4 4 4

7. (a) Evaluate 2log2 37

If log237 = y, Then we have to evaluate 2y

From log237 = y  37 = 2y [Definition of log]

So Ans : 37

(b) Evaluate 3log3 8

If log38 = y, Then we have to evaluate 3y.

& log38 = y  8 = 3y  Ans : 8

(c) eln 5
 eloge 5

If loge 5 = y, Then we have to evaluate ey

& loge 5 = y  5 = ey,  Ans = 5 .

8. (a) eln  = eloge 

If loge = y, Then we have to evaluate ey

& loge = y  = ey  Ans : 

(b) 10log 5  10log10 5 [When base is not mentioned, it is case of common log i.e. base is 10]
If log105 = y, Then we have to evaluate 10y.
& log105 = y  5 = 10y

 Ans : 5

(c) 10 log 87  10log1087

If log1087 = y, Then we have to evaluate 10y.
& log1087 = y  87 = 10y.
 Ans : 87
9. (a) Let log80.25 = y
y
 0.25 = 8
5 Assignment

y 1 y –1
8 = 8 = 4
4
3 y 2 –1
 [2 ] = [2 ]
3y –2
2 = 2
 3y = –2
2
y = 3

(b) ln e4 = logee4 = 4logee = 4(1) = 4

1
(c) ln( ) = logee–1 = –1logee = –1(1) = –1
e

1 1 1 1
10. (a) log4 2 = log4 2 2 =
log4 4 = 4 log44 = 4
4

1 1
 1  1 1
(b) log4   = log4  1  2 = log4 4 2 =  log 4 = 
2   2 4 2
4

1 3
3 3
(c) log48 = log4 64 2 = log4 4 2 = log44 =
2 2

Use the definition of the logarithmic function to find x.

11. (a) log2 x  5

5
 x=2

 x = 32

(b) log2 16  x

4
 log22 = x

 4 log22 = x  x = 4

12. (a) log5 x  4  x = 54  x = 625

(b) log10 0.1  x  log1010–1 = x  x = –1log 1010

 x = –1
6 Assignment

13. (a) log3 243  x

5
 log33 = x

 5 log33 = x  x = 5

(b) log3 x  3

3
x = 3

 x = 27

14. (a) log4 2  x

1
 log4 4 2 =x

1 1
x = log4 4 =
2 2

2
(b) log4 x  2  x = 4 = 16

15. (a) log10 x  2  x = 102 = 100

(b) log5 x  2  x = 52 = 25

16. (a) logx 1000  3

3
 1000 = x
3 3
 10 = x

 x = 10

(b) logx 25  2

2
 25 = x
2 2
x = 5  x = 5

17. (a) logx 16  4

4
 16 = x
7 Assignment

4 4
 2 =x

x = 2

3
(b) logx 8 
2

3
 8= x2

3 3 3
 64 = x  4 = x  x = 4

1
18. (a) log x 6 
2

1
6 = x2
2
 x = 6 = 36

1
(b) logx 3 
3

1
 3 = x3

3
 3 = x  x = 27