KEY CONCEPTS

THINGS TO REMEMBER :
1. LOGARITHM OF A NUMBER :
REMEMBER
The logarithm of the number N to the base 'a' is the exponent indicating
the power to which the base 'a' must be raised to obtain the number N. log102 = 0.3010
This number is designated as loga N. log103 = 0.4771
Hence : logaN = x  ax =N , a>0 , a1 & N>0 ln 2 = 0.693
If a = 10 , then we write log b rather than log10 b . ln 10 = 2.303
If a = e , we write ln b rather than loge b .
The existence and uniqueness of the number loga N follows from the properties of an experimental
functions .
From the definition of the logarithm of the number N to the base 'a' , we have an
log a N
identity : a =N , a>0 , a1 & N>0
This is known as the FUNDAMENTAL LOGARITHMIC IDENTITY .
NOTE :loga1 = 0 (a > 0 , a  1)
loga a = 1 (a > 0 , a  1) and
log1/a a = - 1 (a > 0 , a  1)
2. THE PRINCIPAL PROPERTIES OF LOGARITHMS :
Let M & N are arbitrary posiitive numbers , a > 0 , a  1 , b > 0 , b  1 and  is any real number
then ;
(i) loga (M . N) = loga M + loga N (ii) loga (M/N) = loga M  loga N
log a M
(iii) loga M = . loga M (iv) logb M =
log a b
NOTE :  logba . logab = 1  logba = 1/logab.  logba . logcb . logac = 1
x
ln a
 logy x . logz y . loga z = logax.  e = ax
3. PROPERTIES OF MONOTONOCITY OF LOGARITHM :
(i) For a > 1 the inequality 0 < x < y & loga x < loga y are equivalent.
(ii) For 0 < a < 1 the inequality 0 < x < y & loga x > loga y are equivalent.
(iii) If a > 1 then loga x < p  0 < x < ap
(iv) If a > 1 then logax > p  x > ap
(v) If 0 < a < 1 then loga x < p  x > ap
(vi) If 0 < a < 1 then logax > p  0 < x < ap

NOTE THAT :
 If the number & the base are on one side of the unity , then the logarithm is positive ; If the number &
the base are on different sides of unity, then the logarithm is negative.
 The base of the logarithm ‘a’ must not equal unity otherwise numbers not equal to unity will not have
a logarithm & any number will be the logarithm of unity.
n
 For a non negative number 'a' & n  2 , n  N a = a1/n.

Logarithm Maths
 EXERCISE–I
Q.1 Show that : 2 log (8/45) + 3 log (25/8)  4 log (5/6) = log 2.
log a N
Q.2 Prove that = 1 + logab & indicate the permissible values of the letters.
logab N
Q.3 (a) Given : log1034.56 = 1.5386, find log103.456 ; log100.3456 & log100.003456.
(b) Find the number of positive integers which have the characteristic 3, when the base of the
logarithm is 7.
(c) If log102 = 0.3010 & log103 = 0.4771, find the value of log10(2.25).
(d) Find the antilogarithm of 0.75, if the base of the logarithm is 2401.
Q.4 If log102 = 0.3010, log103 = 0.4771. Find the number of integers in :
(a) 5200 (b) 615 & (c) the number of zeros after the decimal in 3100.
Solve for x (Q.5 to Q.7):
Q.5 (a) If log10 (x2  12x + 36) = 2 (b) 91+logx  31+logx  210 = 0 ; where base of log is 3.

log b log b N 
log b a
Q.6 Simplify : (a) log1/3 4 729.3 9 1.27 4 / 3 ; (b) a

Q.7 (a) If log4 log3 log2 x = 0 ; (b) If loge log5 [ 2 x  2  3] = 0

Q.8 (a) Which is smaller? 2 or (log2 + log2 ). (b) Prove that log35 and log27 are both irrational.
Q.9 Let a and b be real numbers greater than 1 for which there exists a positive real number c, different
from 1, such that
2(logac + logbc) = 9logabc
Find the largest possible value of logab.
Q.10 Find the square of the sum of the roots of the equation
log3x · log4x · log5x = log3x · log4x + log4x · log5x + log5x · log3x.
2 3
Q.11 Find the value of the expression 6
 .
log 4 (2000) log 5 (2000) 6
Q.12 Find a rational number which is 50 times its own logarithm to the base 10.
5log 3 6 6log8  3 2 
Q.13 Calculate : (a) 7 log35 3log5 7 5log37 7 log53 (b) 4 4 2

1 3
log 9 log 3
81 3 
 7 
5 6 2
Q.14 Simplify : . log 25 7
125log 25 6 
409  

Q.15 Simplify : 5
 log
log1 / 5 12 4
log1 / 2
1
.
2 7 3 10 2 21

Q.16 Show that 10 2(1 / 2)log16 = 20, where the base of log is 10.
2 2
Q.17 Find 'x' satisfying the equation 4log10 x 1 – 6 log10 x – 2.3log10 x = 0.
Q.18 Express log4a + log8 (a)1/3 + [1/loga8] as a logarithm to the base 2.

Logarithm Maths
 1log 7 2   log 5 4
Q.19 Find the value of 49 +5 .
Q.20 Given that log2 3 = a , log3 5 = b, log7 2 = c, express the logarithm of the number 63 to the base
140 in terms of a, b & c.

log 2 24 log 2192

Q.21 Prove that  = 3.
log 96 2 log12 2

Q.22 Prove that ax – by = 0 where x = loga b & y = logb a , a > 0 , b > 0 & a , b  1.

loga N.log b N.logc N

Q.23 Prove the identity : loga N . logb N + logb N . logc N + logc N . loga N =
logabc N

log10 ( x 3)
1
Q.24 (a) Solve for x , log x 2 21  2
 
10
(b) log (log x) + log (log x3  2) = 0 ; where base of log is 10 everywhere.
(c) logx2 . log2x2 = log4x2 (d) 5logx + 5 xlog5 = 3 (a > 0) ; where base of log is a.
Q.25 Solve the system of equations :
log a x log a ( xyz)  48
log a y log a ( xyz)  12 , a > 0, a  1.
log a z log a ( xyz)  84

EXERCISE–II
Note : From Q.1 to Q.9, solve the equation for x :
log 4 x
Q.1 loga(x) = x where a = x .
Q.2 (1/12) (log10 x)2 = (1/3) – (1/4) (log10 x)
Q.3 xlogx+4 = 32, where base of logarithm is 2. Q.4 logx+1 (x² + x  6)2 = 4
Q.5 x + log10(1 + 2x) = x . log105 + log106.
Q.6 5logx – 3logx-1 = 3logx+1 – 5logx-1, where the base of logarithm is 10.

1  log 2 ( x  4)
Q.7 =1
log ( x  3  x  3)
2

Q.8 log5 120 + (x  3)  2 . log5 (1  5x-3) = log5(0.2  5x-4)

 1 
Q.9 log 4 + 1   log 3 = log
 2x 
x 3  27  .
Q.10 Prove that log710 is greater than log1113.
Q.11 Find the real solutions to the system of equations
log10(2000xy) – log10x · log10y = 4
log10(2yz) – log10y · log10z = 1
and log10(zx) – log10z · log10x = 0

Logarithm Maths
Q.12 If a = log1218 & b = log2454 then find the value of ab + 5 (a  b).
Q.13 If x = 1 + logabc , y = 1 + logbca, z = 1 + logcab, then prove that xyz = xy + yz + zx.
Q.14 If p = loga bc, q = logb ca, r = logc ab, then prove that pqr = p + q + r + 2.
Q.15 If logba . logca + logab . logcb + logac . logb c = 3 (Where a, b, c are different positive real numbers  1),
then find the value of abc.
Q.16 Given a2 + b2 = c2 & a > 0 ; b > 0 ; c > 0, c – b  1, c + b  1. Prove that :
logc+ba + logc-ba = 2 . logc+b a . logc-ba.
log a N log a N  log b N
Q.17 If  where N > 0 & N  1, a, b, c > 0 & not equal to 1, then
log c N log b N  log c N
prove that b2 = ac.
log x 2 log x 2 3
Q.18 Find all the solutions of the equation x  1  x  1 , where base of logarithm is 10.

log 2005 x
Q.19 Find the product of the positive roots of the equation (2005) ( x )  x2 .
Q.20 If (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) are the solution of the system of equation
log225(x) + log64(y) = 4
logx(225) – logy(64) = 1,
then show that the value of log30(x1y1x2y2) = 12.

 4  4  2 2 
Q.21 Find x satisfying the equation log 2 1    log 2 1    2 log   1 .
 x  x4  x 1 

Q.22 Solve : log3  x  

x  1 = log9 4 x  3  4 x 1 
 
 log 4 ab  log 4 ab  log 4 b  log 4 a . log b
 a b a a b b a  2 if ba 1
Q.23 Prove that : 2  =  loga b
2 if 1ba

 1  1
Q.24 Solve for x : log2 (4  x) + log (4  x) . log  x    2 log2  x   = 0.
 2  2
Q.25 If P is the number of integers whose logarithms to the base 10 have the characteristic p , and
Q the number of integers the logarithms of whose reciprocals to the base 10 have the characteristic  q,
then compute the value of log10 P  log10 Q in terms of p and q.

EXERCISE–III
1
Q.1 Solve the following equations for x & y : log100x + y=
2
log10 y  log10x= log100 4. [REE ’96, 6]
Q.2 Find all real numbers x which satisfy the equation,

2 log2 log2 x + log1/2 log2 2 2 x = 1.  [ REE '99, 6 ]

Q.3 log3/4log8 (x2 + 7) + log1/2 log1/4 (x2 + 7)1 =  2. [ REE 2000, 5 out of 100]

Q.4 Number of solutions of log4(x – 1) = log2(x – 3) is

(A) 3 (B) 1 (C) 2 (D) 0 [JEE 2001 (Screening)]

Logarithm Maths
 ANSWER KEY
EXERCISE–I
Q 2. a > 0 , a  1 , N > 0 , N  1 , b > 0 , b  1/a
Q 3. (a) 0.5386 ; 1.5386 ; 3.5386 (b) 2058 (c) 0.3522 (d) 343
Q 4. (a) 140 (b) 12 (c) 47
Q 5. (a) x = 16 or x =  4 (b) x = 5 Q 6. (a)  1 (b) logb N
Q 7. (a) 8 (b) x = 3 Q 8. (a) 2 Q.9 2
1
Q.10 3721 Q.11
6
Q 12. N = 100
Q 13. (a) 0 (b) 9 Q 14. 1 Q.15 6

1 17
Q 17. x = Q 18. . log2 a
100 18

25 1  2a c
Q19. Q 20. 2 c  a b c  1
2

Q 24. (a) x = 5 (b) x = 10 (c) x = 2 2

or 2  2
(d) x = 2-loga where base of log is 5 .

 1 1 1 
Q 25. (a4, a, a7) or  4 , , 7 
a a a 

EXERCISE–II
1
Q 1. x = 2 Q 2. x = 10 or 104 Q 3. x = 2 or
32
Q 4. x = 1 Q 5. x = 1 Q 6. x = 100
Q 7. x = 5 Q 8. x = 1 Q 9. x  
Q.11 x = 1, y = 5, z = 1 or x = 100, y = 20, z = 100 Q 12. 1
1
Q 15. abc = 1 Q 18. x = 2 or or 1000 Q 19. (2005)2
10

 
Q 21. x  2 or 6 Q22. [0, 1]  {4} Q 24. 0 , 7 , 3  24 
 4 2 
Q.25 p q + 1

EXERCISE–III

Q.1 {10, 20}, {10/3, 20/3} Q.2 x = 8 Q.3 x = 3 or  3

Q.4 B

Logarithm Maths