16

PTER
CHA

LOGARITHMS

logc a
DEFINITION (iv) logb a = [Change of base rule]
logc b

If x = am, then loga x = m, where 'a' and 'x' both are positive real For example,
numbers but 'a' not equal to 1 i.e., a, x > 0, but a ≠ 1.
log7 20
Here log is the short form of logarithm. log5 20 = = = ... etc.
log7 5

loga x is read as log of x to the base a.
For example, 1
(v) logb a =
(i) Since, 10 = 101, 100 = 102, 1000 = 103, etc. loga b
Hence, log1010 = 1, log10100 = 2, log101000 = 3, etc. For example,


(ii) Since, 8 = 23, 16 = 24, 32 = 25, etc. 1
log10 100 =
log100 10

Hence, log28 = 3, log216 = 4, log232 = 5, etc.

1 1 (vi) logb a . logc b = logc a [Chain Rule]

(iii) Since, = (2)–3, = (2)– 4, etc. In general,
8 16

 1  1 logb a . logc b . logd c...........logn m = logn a

Hence, log2   = – 3, log2  16  = – 4, etc. For example,
 8


log24 256 . log10 24 . log2 10 = log2 256
(iv) Since, 0.01 = (10)–2, 0.001 = (10)–3, etc.

Hence log10(0.01) = – 2, log10(0.001) = – 3, etc. Illustration 1: loga4 + loga16 + loga64 + loga256 = 10. Then
 
a=?
LAWS OF LOGARITHM (a) 4 (b) 2
(i) loga(m × n) = loga m + loga n (c) 8 (d) 5

In general, Solution: (a) The given expression is:
loga (4 × 16 × 64 × 256) = 10

loga (m × n × p × ....) = loga m + loga n + loga p + ....
i.e. loga410 = 10

For example:
Thus, a = 4.

log2 (4 × 5 × 6) = log2 4 + log2 5 + log2 6
Illustration 2: Find x if log x = log 1.5 + log 12

Note that
(a) 12 (b) 8

loga m + loga n ≠ loga (m + n)
(c) 18 (d) 15

 m Solution: (c) log x = log 18 ⇒ x = 18
(ii) loga   = loga m – loga n
 n

Illustration 3: Find x, if log (2x – 2) – log (11.66 – x) = 1 + log 3
For example: (a) 452/32 (b) 350/32

 8 (c) 11 (d) 11.33
log4   = log4 8 – log4 15 Solution: (c) log (2x – 2)/(11.66 – x) = log 30
 15 

Note that ⇒ (2x – 2)/(11.66 – x) = 30

loga m – loga n ≠ loga (m – n) 2x – 2 = 350 – 30x

(iii) loga(m)n = n loga m Hence, 32x = 352 ⇒ x = 11.

For example:

log3 (5)4 = 4 log3 5

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 l Logarithms

Illustration 4: Solve for x: (b) Since, 1 = a0, hence, loga 1 = 0

75 7 105 13 For example, log8 1 = 0
log + 2 log – log – log =0

35 5 x 25 Thus log of 1 to any base always equal to 0.

a( a ) = x
log x
(a) 90 (b) 65 (v)
(c) 13 (d) 45 For example,

20( 20 ) = 50
Solution: (c) (75/35) × (49/25) × (x/105) × (25/13) = 1 log 50
⇒ x = 13

(vi) (a) log of zero and negative numbers is not defined.
(b) Base of log is always positive but not equal to 1.
SOME IMPORTANT PROPERTIES Illustration 5: Find x, if 0.01x = 2
(i) x =am ⇒ loga x = m (a) log 2/2 (b) 2/log 2
and loga x = m ⇒ x = am (c) – 2/log 2 (d) – log 2/2

Here equation x = am is in exponential form and equation Solution: (d) x = log0.012 = – log 2/2.

loga x = m is in logarithmic form. 2
(ii) If base of log is not mentioned, then we assume the base  27  3
Illustration 6: If log 3 = .4771, find log (.81)2 × log  
as 10.  10 
÷ log 9.
\ log m = log10 m
(a) 2.689 (b) – 0.0552

log to the base 10 is called common log.
(c) 2.2402 (d) 2.702

(iii) Since, 10000 = (100)2 = (10)4
\ log100 10000 = 2, log10 10000 = 4 Solution: (b) 2 log (81/100) × 2/3 log (27/10) ÷ log 9

Thus value of log of a number on different bases is = 2 [log 34 – log 100] × 2/3 [(log 33 – log 10)] ÷ 2 log 3

different i.e., value of log of a number depends on its base. = 2 [log 34 – log 100] × 2/3 [(3log 3 – 1)] ÷ 2 log 3
(iv) (a) Since, a = a1, hence loga a = 1 Substitute log 3 = 0.4771 ⇒ – 0.0552.
For example, log5 5 = 1, log1010 = 1

 
Thus log of any number to the same base is always 1.

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 Logarithms l

Practice Exercise
Level - I
1. Find the value of log5 10 × log10 15 × log15 20 × log20 25. æmö
(a) 5/2 (b) 5 12. log a ç ÷ is equal to
ènø
æ5ö
(c) 2 (d) log ç ÷ (a) loga ( m - n ) (b) log a m - log a n
è2ø
2. If log3 a = 4, find value of a. ( loga m)
(c) (d) log a m ¸ log a n
(a) 27 (b) 3 n
(c) 9 (d) 81 13. If log5 ëélog3 ( log 2 x ) ûù = 1 then x is
9 27 3
3. Find the value of log - log + log (a) 2234 (b) 243
8 32 4
(c) 2243 (d) None of these
(a) 0 (b) 1
é 16 ù
The value of ê3log æç ö÷ + 5 log æç ö÷ + 7 log æç ö÷ ú is
(c) 3 (d) log (3/4) 81 25
14.
ë è 80 ø è 24 ø è 15 ø û
4. Evaluate : 32 - log3 5
(a) log 3 (b) log 5
9 (c) log 7 (d) log 2
(a) (b) 45
5
15. If log10 a + log10 b = c , then the value of a is
(c) 5/9 (d) 9 log35 c
(a) bc (b)
é 1 1 1 ù b
5. The value of ê + + ú
log
ë xy ( xyz ) log yz ( xyz ) log zx ( xyz ) û (10 )c 10b
(c) (d)
b c
is equal to
(a) 1 (b) 2 16. If log y x = 8 and log10 y 16 x = 4 , then find the value of y.
(c) 3 (d) 4 (a) 1 (b) 2
6. If log2 [ log3 (log2 x)] = 1, then x is equal to
(c) 3 (d) 5
(a) 512 (b) 128 17. log 0.0867 = ?
(c) 12 (d) 0 (a) log 8.67 + 2 (b) log 8.67 – 2
1 log 867
7. Find the value of log27 (c) (d) – 2 log 8.67
81 1000
(a) – 4/3 (b) – 3
18. Find x, if 0.01x = 2
(c) – 1 (d) – 1/3
(a) log 2/2 (b) 2/log 2
8 log 8 8 (c) – 2/log2 (d) – log 2/2
8. Find the value of
2 log 8 8 19. If 2x.32x = 100, then the value of x is
(a) 1 (b) 2 (log 2 = 0.3010, log 3 = 0.4771)
(c) 3 (d) 4 (a) 2.3 (b) 1.59
9. log3 (5 + x) + log8 8 = 22 (c) 1.8 (d) 1.41
(a) 22 (b) 33 20. If log10a = b, then find the value of 103b in terms of a.
(c) 11 (d) 44 (a) a3 (b) 3a
10. log 216 6 to the base 6 is equal to (a) a × 1000 (d) a × 100
(a) 3 (b) 3/2 2
æ 27 ö
(c) 7/2 (d) None of these 21. If log 3 = 0.4771, find log (0.81)2 × log ç ÷ 3 ¸ log 9.
11. If logk x log5 k = 3, then find the value of x. è 10 ø
(a) 2.689 (b) – 0.0552
(a) k5 (b) 5k3
(c) 2.2402 (d) 2.702
(c) 243 (d) 125

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22. log10 10 + log10 102 +……+ log 10 10n (a) 1

(a) n2 +1 (b) n2 –1 (b) 0
(c) – 1
æ n2 + n ö n2 + n (d) None of these
(c) (d)
èç 3 ÷ø 2 24. What is the value of x in the following expression
23. If a, b and c are distinct positive number (¹ 1) such that log3/4 log2 (x2 + 7) log1/4 (x2 + 7) – 1 = – 2 ?
(logb a logc a – loga a) + (loga b logc b – logb b) + (loga c (a) + 3 (b) – 3
logb c – logc c) = 0. What is the value of abc? (c) ±3 (d) None of these

Level- II
1. If log10 2 = 0.3010, then the value of log10 80 is : 10. If a, b, c are three consecutive integers, then log (ac + 1)
(a) 1.9030 (b) 1.6020 has the value
(c) 3.9030 (d) 2.9030 (a) log b (b) (log b)2
2. The value of log2 (1728) is (c) 2 log b (d) log 2b
3

( )
(a) 3 (b) 5 3 -2log 7 8
11. Find the value of 7
(c) 6 (d) 9
3. If log 2 = 0.30103, then the number of digits in 450 is
(a) 30 (b) 31 (a) 8-7 (b) 6-8
(c) 100 (d) 200 (c) 8-6 (d) None of these
4. If log7 log5 ( x + 5 + x ) = 0 , find the value of x. 12. If (log3 x)2 + log3 x < 2, then which one of the following is
(a) 1 (b) 0 correct ?
(c) 2 (d) None of these
1 1
5. If log3 [log3 [log3 x]] = log3 3, then what is the value of x? (a) 0 < x < (b) <x<3
9 9
(a) 3 (b) 27
(c) 3 9 (d) 327 1
(c) 3 < x < ¥ (d) £ x £ 3
9
æ ö æ 1 ö
6. What is log ç a + a 2 + 1 ÷ + log ç ÷ is equal to?
13. If log10 x – log10 x = 2 log x 10 , then a possible value of
è ø ç 2 ÷
è a + a +1 ø
x is given by
(a) 1 (b) 0 (a) 10 (b) 1/100
1 (c) 1/1000 (d) None of these
(c) 2 (d)
2
log 27 9 ´ log16 64
1 1 1 14. What is the value of ?
7. + + log 4 2
( log a bc ) + 1 ( log b ac ) + 1 ( log c ab ) + 1 is equal to
(a) 1 (b) 2 1 1
(a) (b)
(c) 0 (d) abc 6 4
8. If p = log35 and q = log1725, which one of the following is (c) 8 (d) 4
correct? 15. If (logx x) (log32x) (log2xy) = logxx2, then what is the
(a) p < q (b) p = q value of y ?
(c) p > q (d) can’t say (a) 9/2 (b) 9
9. If log10 x = a, log10 y = b and log10z = c, then antilog (c) 18 (d) 27
(pa + qb – rc) = ?
æ9ö æ 27 ö æ 3ö
pxqy 16. What is the value of log10 ç ÷ – log10 ç ÷ + log10 ç ÷ ?
(a) (b) px + qy – rz è8ø è 32 ø è 4ø
rz
(a) 3 (b) 2
x p yq p q r (c) 1 (d) 0
(c) (d) x y z
zr

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17. If log10 x, log10 y, log10 z are in AP then x, y, z are in 21. If log4 5 = a and log5 6 = b then what is the value of log3 2 ?
(a) AP (b) G P 1 1
(a) (b)
(c) HP (d) None of these 2a + 1 2b + 1
1
log 27 + log 8 - log 125 (c) 2ab + 1 (d)
2 ab - 1
18. Find the value of
log 6 - log 5 22. What is the value of x if

2 1 25
(a) (b) log3x + log9x + log27x + log81x = ?
3 3 4
(a) 9 (b) 27
3 (c) 81 (d) None of these
(c) (d) None of these
2 23. What is the value of log32 27 × log243 8?
19. Find the value of x and y respectively for
log 9 log 3
( )
log10 x 2 y 3 = 7 and log10 ( x / y ) = 1 (a)
log 4
(b) log 2
(a) x = 10, y = 100 (b) x = 100, y = 10 (c) log 27 (d) None of these
(c) x = 10, y = 20 (d) None of these
20. What is the value of log32. log43. log54....log1615? 24. log a n / b n + log bn / c n + log c n / a n
(a) 1/2 (b) 1/3 (a) 1 (b) n
(c) 2/3 (d) 1/4 (c) 0 (d) 2

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Hints & Solutions

Level-I 12. (b) log a æç ö÷ = log a m - log a n
m
1. (c) log5 10 × log10 15 × log15 20 × log20 25. ènø
= (log 10/log 5) × (log 15/log 10) × (log 20/log 15) 13. (c) log5 éëlog3 ( log 2 x ) ùû = 1 = log5 5
× (log 25/log 20)
Þ log 3 ( log 2 x ) = 5 = log 3 35
= log 25/log 5 = 2 log 5/log 5 = 2.
2. (d) Q log3 a = 4 \ 34 = a Þ a = 81 Þ log 2 x = 35 = 243

9 27 3 æ 9 27 ö 3 Þ 2243 = x
3. (a) Given log - log + log = log çè ¸ ÷ø + log
8 32 4 8 32 4 81 25 16
14. (d) 3log + 5 log + 7 log
æ 9 32 3 ö 80 24 15
= log çè ´ ´ ÷ø = log1 = 0 Q loga1 = 0
8 27 4
2 - log 5
éæ 81 ö3 æ 25 ö5 æ 16 ö7 ù
4. (a) Given : 32 -log3 5 = 3 .3 3 (Q am+n = am.an) = log êç ÷ ´ ç ÷ ´ ç ÷ ú
-1 9 êëè 80 ø è 24 ø è 15 ø úû
log 5
= 9.3 3 = 9 ´ 5 -1 =
5
5. (b) Given expression æ 312 ´ 510 ´ 228 ö
= logxyz (xy) + logxyz (yz) + logxyz (zx) = log ç ÷
ç 12 3 15 5 7 7 ÷
= logxyz (xy × yz × zx) = logxyz (xyz)2 è 2 ´5 ´ 2 ´3 ´3 ´5 ø
= 2 logxyz (xyz) = 2 × 1 = 2 = log 2
6. (a) log2 [ log3 (log2 x)] = 1 = log2 2 15. (c) log10 a + log10 b = c
Þ log3 (log2 x) = 2 Þ log10 ( ab ) = c
Þ log2 x = 32 = 9
Þ 10c = ab
Þ x = 29 = 512
æ 1ö (10 )c
7. (a) Let log27 ç ÷ = x Þ a=
è 81 ø b
1 16. (d) log y x = 8 Þ y8 = x ...(1)
\ (27)x =
81
log10 y 16 x = 4 Þ 104y4 = 16x ...(2)
4
\ 33x = 3– 4 Þ 3x = – 4 Þ x = - Dividing (2) by (1) 104y–4 = 16 Þ y = 5
3
8 ´1 8 17. (b) log 0.0867 = log (8.67/100) = log 8.67 – log 100
8 log8 8 8
8. (b) = = = =2 log 8.67 – 2
( )
2 4
2 log 8 8 2 log 8 8 4 log 8
8 18. (d) x = log0.01 2 = – log 2/2.
9. (a) log3 (5 + x) + log8 8 = 22 19. (b) 2 x.32 x = 100
log3 (5 + x) + 1 = 4 Þ x log 2 + 2x log 3 = log 100
log3 (5 + x) = 3 Þ x(0.3010 + 2 × 0.4771) = 2
33 = 5 + x 1
5 + x = 27 Þ x= = 1.59
1.2552
x = 27 – 5 = 22.
20. (a) log10a = b Þ 10b = a Þ By definition of logs.
3 1/ 2
10. (c) log 6 216 6 = log 6 (6) (6) = log 6 (6) 7 / 2 Thus 103b = (10b)3 = a3.
21. (b) 2 log (81/100) × 2/3 log (27/10) ¸ log 9
7 7
= log 6 6 = (Q log a a = 1) = 2 [log34 – log 100] × 2/3 [(log33 – log 10)] ¸ 2 log 3
2 2
11. (d) Given, log5 k logk x = 3 = 2 [log34 – log 100] × 2/3 [(3 log 3 – 1)] ¸ 2 log 3
Substitute log 3 = 0.4771 Þ – 0.0552
log k log x log x
. =3 Þ =3 22. (d) log1010 + log10102 + ......... + log1010n
log 5 log k log 5
n(n+1)
Þ log x = 3 log5 Þ log x = log 53 = 1 + 2 + 3 + ...... + n =
2
Þ x = 53 Þ x = 125

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23. (a) logb a log e a + log a b log a b + log a c logb c = 3 1

+
1
+
1
=
log a abc log b abc log c abc
( log a )2 +
( log b )2 +
( log c )2 =3 = log abc a + log abc b + log abc c
Þ
log b.log c log a log c log a log b
log abc abc = 1
( log a )3
+ ( log b ) + ( log c )
3 3 8. (c) q = log17(5)2 = 2 log175
Þ =3
log a.log b.log c 1 1
Þ = log 5 17
q 2
Þ ( log a )3 + ( log b )3 + ( log c )3 = 3log a.log b.log c
1 1
We know, x3 + y3 = z3 = 3xyz when x + y + z = 0 And = log 5 3 = ´ ( 2 log 5 3 )
p 2
log a + log b + log c = 0 Þ log abc = 0 Þ abc = 1.
1
24. (c) Go through the options. = ( log5 9 )
2
1 1
Level-II \ < Þ p>q
p q
1. (a) log10 80 = log10 (8 × 10) = log10 8 + log10 10 9. (c) (pa + qb – rc) = p log10x + q log10 y – r log10z
= log10 23 + 1
= (3 log10 2) + 1 = (3 × 0.3010) + 1 = 1.9030
p
( ) q
= log10 x + log10 y - log10 z
r
( ) ( )
2. (c) Let log2 3
(1728) = x. æ x p yq ö
= log10 çç r ÷÷
( )
x
Then, 2 3 = 1728 = (12)3 è z ø
3
é
( )
xù
( ) x p yq
6
= ê 2 3 ú = 2 3 . Þ antilog (pa + qb – rc) =
ë û zr
\ x = 6, i.e., log2 3 (1728) = 6. 10. (c) a, b, c are consecutive integers
3. (b) log 450 = 50 log 4 = 50 log 22 \ b = a + 1 and c = a + 2
= (50 × 2) log 2 = 100 × log 2 \ log (ac + 1) = log [a(a + 2) + 1]
= (100 × 0.30103) = 30.103 = log [(b – 1) (b – 1 + 2) + 1] [Q a = b - 1]
So the number of digits = 31.
= log b2 = 2 log b
4. (b) log7 log5 ( x + 5 + x ) = 0
( log7 8-6 )
use loga x = b
Þ ab = x
11. (c) (7 )3 -2 log7 8
=7 -6 log7 8
=7

\ log5 ( x + 5 + x ) = 7 0 = 1 -6 1
=8 = 6
x + 5 + x = 51 = 5 Þ 2 x = 0 \ x = 0 8
5. (d) Consider log3 [log3[log3 x]] = log3 3 12. (b) Given equation is (log3 x)2 + log3 x < 2
Þ log3 [log3 x] = 3 Þ (log3 x)2 + (log3 x) – 2 < 0
Þ log3 x = 33 Þ (log3 x + 2) (log3 x – 1) < 0
Þ log3x = 27 Þ x = 327 Þ – 2 < log3 x < 1
Þ log3 3–2 < log3 x < log3 3
æ 1 ö
6. (b) Let log (a + a 2 + 1 ) + log ç ÷ 1
è a + a2 + 1 ø Þ < x<3
9
= log (a + a 2 + 1 ) + log 1 – log (a + a2 + 1 ) 13. (b) Let log10 x - log10 x = 2log x 10
= log (a + a 2 + 1 ) – log (a + a 2 + 1 ) 1
Þ log10 x = 2log x 10 Þ log10 x = log x 104
=0 2
1 1 1
7. (a) ( log bc ) + 1 + log ac + 1 + log ab + 1 log10 x 2
a ( b ) ( c ) Þ = 4 Þ (log10 x ) = 4
log x 10
1 1 1 Þ log10 x = ± 2
= + +
log a bc + log a a log b ac + log b b log c ab + log c c Þ x = 102 or 10–2

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14. (d) The given logarithm expression 19. (b) Best way is to go through options
log 27 9 log16 64 Alternatively: log10 x 2 y 3 = 7
log 4 2
Þ x 2 y 3 = 107 …(1)
is simplified as :
log 9 log 64 log 4 æxö
´ ´ and log10 ç ÷ = 1
log 27 log16 log 2 èyø

2 log 3 6 log 2 2 log 2 x

= ´ ´ Þ = 10 ...(2)
3log 3 4 log 2 1 y
log 2
2 6 2
= ´ ´4= 4 x2 y3 107
3 4 \ 2
= 2
Þ y 5 = 105
15. (b) (logx x) (log3 2x) (log2x y) = logx x2 ( x / y) (10 )
Þ 1 (log3 2x) (log2x y) = 2 (Q log x x2 ) = 2 log x x) Þ y = 10 \ x = 100
20. (d) log32, log43. log54....log1615
æ log 2 x ö æ log y ö
Þç ÷ç ÷=2 log 2 log 3 log 4 log15 log 2 log 2
è log 3 ø è log 2 x ø = log 3 . log 4 . log 5 ...... log16 = log16 =
log 24
log y
Þ = 2 Þ log y = 2 log 3
log 3 log 2 1
= 4 log 2 = 4
Þ log y = log32 Þ y = 32 Þ y = 9
9 27 3 21. (d) log 4 5 = a and log5 6 = b
16. (d) Consider, log - log + log
8 32 4
Þ log 4 5 ´ log 5 6 = ab
æ 9 32 ö 3 1
= log ç ´ ÷ + log Þ log 4 6 = ab Þ log 2 6 = ab
è 8 27 ø 4 2
æ 4ö 3 æ 4 3ö Þ (1 + log 2 3) = 2ab
= log ç ÷ + log = log ç ´ ÷ = log 1 = 0
è 3ø 4 è 3 4ø
25
17. (b) log10x, log10y, log10z are in AP 22. (b) log3x + log9x + log27x + log81x =
4
\ 2log10 y = log10 x + log10 z
1 1 1 25
Þ log10 y 2 = log10 ( xz ) Þ log3x + log3x + log3x + log3x =
2 3 4 4
Þ y 2 = xz Þ log3x [1 + 1 / 2 + 1 / 3 + 1 / 4 ] = 25
Þ x, y, z are in GP 4
log 27 + log 8 - log 125 25 25
18. (c) Þ ´ log 3 x =
log 6 - log 5 2 4
Þ log3x = 3 Þ x = 27

=
( )
log 33/2 ´ 23/2 - log ( 5 )
3/2
3
23. (d) log 32 27 ´ log 243 8 = log 25 3 ´ log 35 2
3

log 6 - log 5
3 3
= log 2 3 ´ log 3 2
log 63/2 - log 53/2 5 5
=
log 6 - log 5 2
æ3ö 9
= ç ÷ log 2 3 ´ log3 2 =
3 æ6ö è5ø 25
log ç ÷
2 è5ø = 3
=
æ6ö
log ç ÷
2
24. (c) ( )
log a n bn c n / a n b n c n = log1 = 0

è5ø