Properties

of
Logarithms
Since logs and exponentials of the same base are
inverse functions of each other they “undo” each other.

f ( x) = a x
f −1
( x ) = log a x
Remember that: f  f −1 = x and f −1  f = x
−1
This means that: ff =a log a x
=x
inverses
“undo” each f −1  f = log a a x = x
each other
7
2 log 2 5
=5 log 3 3 =7
 Properties of
Logarithms
CONDENSED = EXPANDED

log a ( MN ) = log a M + log a N

1.

2. M
log a = log a M − log a N
N
3. log a M r = r log a M
(these properties are based on rules of
exponents since logs = exponents)
 Using the log properties, write the expression as a
sum and/or difference of logs (expand).
 4
 ab 4
  ab 
log 6   = log 6  2 
3 2   3 
 c   c 
When working with logs, re-write any radicals as rational
exponents. 2

using the second property: log 6 ab 4 − log 6 c 3

M
log a = log a M − log a N 2
N
using the first property: log 6 a + log 6 b 4 − log 6 c 3

log a MN = log a M + log a N

2
using the third property: log 6 a + 4 log 6 b − log 6 c
log a M r = r log a M 3
 Using the log properties, write the expression as a
single logarithm (condense).

1
2 log 3 x − log 3 y
2
1
using the third property: log 3 x 2 − log 3 y 2
log a M r = r log a M
this direction

2
x
using the second property: log 3 1
M
log a
N
= log a M − log a N y 2

this direction
Use log53≈.683 and log57≈1.209
• Approximate:
•log521 =
• log53/7 =
•log5(3·7)=
• log53 – log57 ≈
•log53 + log57≈
• .683 – 1.209 = •.683 + 1.209 =
• -.526 •1.892
Use log53≈.683 and log57≈1.209
• Approximate:

• log549 =
• log57 =
2

• 2 log57 ≈
• 2(1.209)=
• 2.418
 Expanding Logarithms
• You can use the properties to expand logarithms.

• log2 7 x 3 =
y
• log2 7x 3
- log2y =
• log2 7 + log 2 x 3
– log2y =
• log27 + 3·log2x – log2y
• Expand:
Your turn!
• log 5mn =
• log 5 + log m + log n

• Expand:
• log58x = 3

• log58 + 3·log5x
 Condensing Logarithms
• log 6 + 2 log2 – log 3 =
• log 6 + log 22 – log 3 =
• log (6·22) – log 3 =

• log 6 ⋅ 2 2=
3
• log 8
Write the following expression as a single logarithm.
 Your turn again!
• Condense:
• log57 + 3·log5t =
• log 5 7t3

• Condense:
• 3log2x – (log24 + log2y)=
3
x
• log2 4 y
More Properties of
Logarithms
This one says if you have an equation, you can take
the log of both sides and the equality still holds.

If M = N , then log a M = log a N

If log a M = log a N , then M = N

This one says if you have an equation and each side

has a log of the same base, you know the "stuff" you
are taking the logs of are equal.
 There is an answer to this and it must
log 2 8 = 3 be more than 3 but less than 4, but
(2 to the what is 8?)
we can't do this one in our head.
Let's put it equal to x and we'll solve for x.
log 2 16 = 4 Change to
log 2 10 = x
exponential form.
(2 to the what is 16?)
use log property & take log of 2 = 10
x
log 2 10 =
≈ 3.32 both sides (we'll use common log)
If M = N , then log a M = log a N
(2 to the what is 10?)

Check by
use 3rd log property log 2 = log 10
x

putting 23.32 in log a M r = r log a M

your calculator
(we rounded so
solve for x by
dividing by log 2
x log 2 = log 10
it won't be log 10
exact)
use calculator to x= ≈ 3.32
approximate log 2
Common and Natural Logarithms
 Change of Base Formula
• The 2 bases we are most able to calculate logarithms
for are base 10 and base e. These are the only bases
that our calculators have buttons for.
• For ease of computing a logarithm, we may want to
switch from one base to another.
log a M
log b M =
log a b
• The new base, a, can be any integer>1, but we often let
a=10 or a=e. (We know how to calculate common logs
and natural logs!)
 Common Logarithms
• A common logarithm has a base of 10.
• If there is no base given explicitly, it is
common.
• You can easily find common logs of powers
of ten.
• You can use your calculator to evaluate
common logs.
 Change of base formula:
• u, b, and c are positive numbers with b≠1 and c≠1. Then:

• logcu = log b u
log b c
• logcu = log u (base 10)
log c

• logcu = ln u (base e)
ln c
 Compute
• What is the log, base 5, of 29?

ln(29) 3.37
log 5 (29) = = = 2.09
ln(5) 1.61
• Does this answer make sense? What power would you
raise 5 to, to get 29? A little more than 2! (5 squared
is 25, so we would expect the answer to be slightly
more than 2.)
Use the Change-of-Base Formula and a calculator to
approximate the logarithm. Round your answer to three
decimal places.
log 3 16
Since 32 = 9 and 33 = 27, our answer of what exponent to
put on 3 to get it to equal 16 will be something between
2 and 3.

ln 16
log 3 16 = ≈ 2.524
ln 3
put in calculator
 Example
Find log6 8 using common logarithms.

Solution: First, we let a = 10, b = 6, and M = 8.

Then we substitute into the change-of-base
formula:

log a M log10 8
log b M = . log 6 8 =
log a b log10 6
≈ 1.1606
 Example
• We can also use base e for a conversion.

Find log6 8 using natural logarithms.

Solution: Substituting e for a, 6 for b and 8
for M, we have

log e 8
log 6 8 =
log e 6
ln 8
= ≈ 1.1606
ln 6
 Examples:
• Use the change of base to evaluate:
• log37 =
•(base e)
• (base 10)
•ln 7 ≈
• log 7 ≈
•ln 3
• log 3 •1.771
• 1.771
 Solving equations
• Use the properties we have learned about exponential &
logarithmic expressions to solve equations that have
these expressions in them.
• Find values of x that will make the logarithmic or
exponential equation true.
• For exponential equations, if the base is the same on
both sides of the equation, the exponents must also be
the same (equal!)

b M
=b ,M = N
N
 Sometimes it is easier to solve a logarithmic
equation than an exponential one
• Any exponential equation can be rewritten as a logarithmic
one, then you can apply the properties of logarithms
• Example: Solve:
52 x −1 = 99
log 5 (99) = 2 x − 1
ln(99)
= 2x −1
ln(5)
2.055 = 2 x − 1
x ≈ 1.93
 SOLVE
32 x −1 = 5 x +1
x +1
log 3 (5 ) = 2x −1
( x + 1) ⋅ log 3 5 = 2 x − 1
ln 5
( x + 1) ⋅ = 2x −1
ln 3
1.46 x + 1.46 = 2 x − 1
2.46 = .54 x
x ≈ 4.56
 SOLVE
log 4 ( x + 3) − log 4 (5 x − 1) = 3
 x+3 
log 4  =3
 5x − 1 
x+3
4 =
3
= 64
5x −1
x + 3 64(5 x − 1)
− =0
5x − 1 5x − 1
x + 3 − 320 x + 64
=0
5x − 1
− 319 x + 67
=0
5x − 1
67
x= ≈ .21
319
Acknowledgement

I wish to thank Shawna Haider from Salt Lake Community College, Utah
USA for her hard work in creating this PowerPoint.

www.slcc.edu

Shawna has kindly given permission for this resource to be downloaded

from www.mathxtc.com and for it to be modified to suit the Western
Australian Mathematics Curriculum.

Stephen Corcoran
Head of Mathematics
St Stephen’s School – Carramar
www.ststephens.wa.edu.au
 If we generalize the process we just did Example
we come up with the: for TI-83

Change-of-Base Formula
log b M log M
log a M = =
log b a log a
ln M
=
ln a
The base you change to can “common”
be any base so generally log base 10
we’ll want to change to a LOG
base so we can use our
calculator. That would be LN
either base 10 or base e. “natural” log
base e