NUMBER AND ALGEBRA 4 Logarithms and exponential functions The following may be checked by using a 4.1 Introduction to logarithms calculator: With the use of calculators firmly established, loga- Ig 10 = Lalsolgs + Ig2 rithmic tables are now rarely used for calculation. = 0.69897... 0301029... =1 However, the theory of logarithms is important, for there are several scientific and engineering laws that Hence Ig (5 x 2)= Ig 10= Ig5+ Ig2 involve the rules of logarithms, Gi) To divide two numbers: Ifa number y can be written in the form a’, then the index x is called the ‘logarithm of y to the base of vc (*) =e Ate ie ity =a" then x =log,y The following may be checked using a 5 calculator: Thus, since 1000 = 10%, then 3 = logy 1000. 5 Check this using the ‘log’ button on your wn(5) =Ina. 5 = 0.91629 calculator, 3 (2) Logarithms having a base of 10 are called com- Also In — In2 = 1.60943... -0.69314 ‘mon logarithms and log is usually abbrevi- = 0.91629 ated to Ig. The following Values may be checked 5 Ig 17.9 = 1.2528... lg 462.7 =2.6652... and (iy To raise a mumnber toa power: 1g 0.0173=— 1.7619 aot ber to a (b) Logarithms having a base of e (where ‘cis a : mathematical constant approximately equal to IgA" =nloga 2.7183) are called hyperbolic, Napierian or natural logarithms, and log, is usually abbrevi- ated to In, The following values may be checked The following may be checked using a by using a calculator: sis , = In =. a lg 5? =1g25 = 1.39794 Bods T Be T5885 aE Ateg 21g =2 x 0.69897 139798 Hence ig? =21g5 4.2. Laws of logarithms ‘There are three laws of logarithms, which apply to | Problem 1. Evaluate (a) log;9 () logig 10 any base: (©) logis. co) fo multiply two numbers: (@) Let x= log,9 then 3*=9 from the definition log +logB of a logarithm, ic. 3*=3°, from which x=2 Hence logs 9 logiA x BLOGARITHMS AND EXPONENTIAL FUNCTIONS. 25, 10 from the defin- 10!, from which (©) Let x= logig 10 then 10" ition of a logarithm, i. 10" x=l Hence logio 10= calculator) (which may be checked by , from the defini- 3 and (©) Let x= logyg8 then 16"= tion of a logarithm, ic. (24 =23, ie. 2" fromthe laws of indices, rom which, 4 Hence logis 8 Problem 2. Evaluate (a) Ig 0.001 (b) In e 1 © logs (@) Let ie. 10° = 10, from which x= Hence Ig 0.001 =—3 (which may be checked by a calculator) 1g0.001 = 1og;o 0.001 then 10* =0.001, (b) Let x= Ine= log,e then =e, ie. e*=e! log (2 x 3? x 5?) =log2 + log 3? + logs, by the first law of logarithms Jog 450 =og 2 +2 log 3 +2 log 5, by the third law of logarithms 8x Problem 5. Write log, in terms of log 2, log 3 and log 5 to any base. =log8 + log J —log81, by the fist and second laws of logarithms = log?? + log 54 — log 3*, by the laws of indices, from which x= 1. Hence Ine= I (which may ax be ehecked by a calculator) log ( “ ) =31og 2-44 log 54 tog 3, Go Latr= ogy then? stom by he hin aw of logartis wich v= : Problem 6 Evaluate Hence logs a 1og25 — log 125 + }1og625 Problem 3. Solve the following equations Blogs (a) lgx=3 (b) logy x=3 (¢) logs x = =2. (@) If Igx=3 then logigx=3 and x= 10°, ic. x= 1000 (b) Iflog, x =3 then x =2*=8 1 (¢) Ilogs x= —2 then x= 5-2 = (©) Ilogs.x = —2 then x=5 z z Problem 4. Write (a) log 30 (b) log 450 in terms of log 2, log 3 and log 5 to any base. (a) log30 og 2 x 15) = log (2 x 3 x 5) =log 2+ log 3 + log 5, by the first law of logarithms (b) log 450 =1og (2 x 225) = log (2 x 3 x 75) log 2 x 3x3 x25) log 125 +4 3logS log 25 log 625 logs? + Flog s* Blogs log 2log 5 3ogS + $ logs ~ Blogs _ Hogs 1 Togs = 3 Problem’7._ Solve the equation log (x= 1) + log (x + 1)=2log (x +2).25 NUMBER AND ALGEBRA, Jog (x — 1) + log (x + 1) =log (x — Dex + D, from the first aw of logarithms. =log (x? - 1) 2log (x + 2) =log(x + 27 Slog ix? +4844) Hence if log (x? — 1) Slog? 44x +4) then Pde id Now try the following exercise. Exercise 16 Further problems on the laws of logarithms In Problems 1 expression: 1, logig 10000 [4] to 8, evaluate the given 2. log, 16 [4] 3. logs 125 (31 4 logpy [3] shee [SJ stem i 2 [5] Bin? 2) In Problems 9 to 14 solve the equations: 7. log, 8 9. logyyx=4 [10000] logsx=2 el logy x= lex ogg x= In Problems 15 to 17 write the given expressions in terms of log 2, log 3 and log 5 to any base: 15. log 60 [2log2+ log3+ log 5] we ( #53) [410g2-+ 4 1og5 —310g3] *) llog2 ~3 log 3 +31og5] Simplify the expressions given in Problems 18 and 19: 18, log27— log9-+ log 81 19. log 64+ log 32 — log 128 {Slog 3] [410821 20, Evaluate 1 16 1 8 log 16— + tog 1 Tat a Tog4 Solve the equations given in Problems 21 and 22: 21, logx* — logx* = log Sx log 2x 2! as [r=8] 22, log 2H — logs = log 16+ loge 4.3 Indicial equations ‘The laws of logarithms may be used to solve cer- tain equations involving powers—called indicial equations. For example, to solve, say, 3* =27, log- arithms to a base of 10 are taken of both sides, ie. logy) 3* =logyg 27 and xlogy3 =logjg 27, by the third law of logarithms Rearranging gives _ logig27 _ 1.43136 * = Togig3 OATTE which may be readily checked (= (i) nme)LOGARITHMS AND EXPONENTIAL FUNCTIONS 27 Solve the equation 2* = 3, correct ant figures. Now try the following exercise. Exercise 17 Indicial equations ‘Taking logarithms to base 10 of both sides of 2° = sives: Solve the following indicial equations forx,each correct to 4 significant figures: logy 2* =logi93 1 = 64 (1.690) ie ins? =lio3 2. 9 (3.170) SaETanEINE Elves 3, Bota gtel (0.2696) logiy3 _ 0.47712125 1s x OATT12125 4 ISS 1491 Togo? — 0.30102999 (6.058) sss, 4 ‘i fi 5. 25.28=4.2* [2.251] = 1.585, correct to 4 significant figures en 6. rt astt? [3.959] 7, x5 0,792 [2.542] Problem 9. Solve the equation 2°! = 32-5 correct to 2 decimal places 8, 0.027" =3.26 (-03272] 9, The decibel gain n of an amplifieris given by: ‘Taking logarithms to base 10 of both sides gives: Pa logio 2°*! =logyo 32-5 n= 101089 (2) ie. (+ I) logio? = 2x = 5)logio3 where Pi is the power input and P2 is the slogio2 + 10gio2 = 2x logi9 3 — Slogyo3 power output. Find the power gain 7 when (0.3010) + (0.3010) = 2x(0.4771) ~ 5(0.4771) n=25 decibels ‘ ie. 0.3010x + 0.3010 =0.9542x — 2.3855 162) Hence 2.3855 + 0.3010 =0.9542e - 0.30108 | + 586s _0e3 4.4 Graphs of logarithmic functions 2.6865 A graph of y= logig x is shown in Fig. 4. and a from whichx = 5755 = 4-11, correct to graph of y= log, x 18 shown in Fig. 4.2, Both are seen fo be of similar shape; infact, the same general 2 decimal places shape occurs for a logarithm to any base. Problem 10. Solve the equation x9? =41.15, correct to 4 significant figures. Taking logarithms to base 10 of both sides gives: logy x3? = logyg 41.15 3.2logi9 x =logio 41.15 “/ ok login 1-15, 32 ‘Thus x= antilog 0.50449 = 10°54? = 3,195. cor- rect to 4 significant figures Hence logigx = = 0.50449 19 Figure 4.128 NUMBER AND ALGEBRA, Figure 4.2 In general, with a logarithm to any base its noted that @ loge =0 Letlog, =, then a = | from the definition of the logarithm Ifa = then x =0 from the laws of indices. Hence log, =0. Inthe above graphs it is seen that logioi ~0 and log, 1 =0 (i) logea Letlog, ax then a =a from the definition of logarithm, Ifa" =athenx=1 Hence log, a= 1. (Check with a calculator that Jogi 10=1 and log, e= 1) Gi) logy + —20 Letlog, 0= x then a* =0 from the definition of a logarithm If a =0, and @ is a positive real number, then x must approach. minus infinity. (Por , check with a calculator, 2~? = 0.25, 9.54 x 1077, 2-8 =6.22 x 10°, and soon) Hence log, 0 > —00 4.5 The exponential function ‘An exponential function is one which contains e*, ¢ being a constant called the exponent and having an approximate value of 2.7183. The exponent arises from the natural laws of growth and decay and is used as a base for natural or Napicrian logarithms. ‘The value of e* may be determined by using: (@) a calculator, oF (b) the power series for e* (see Section 4.6), or (c) tables of exponential functions. ‘The most common method of evaluating an expo- ential function is by using a scientific notation ealculator, this now having replaced the use of tables, Most scientific notation calculators contain ane* function which enables all practical values of e* and e~* to be determined, correct to 8 or 9 significant figures. For example, ' 27182818 e = 1.023176 Lois 19829489 correct to 8 significant figures In practical situations the degree of accuracy given by acalculatoris often far greater than is appropriate. The accepted convention is that the final result is stated to one significant figure greater than the least significant measured value. Use your calculator to check the following values: eM? = 1.1275, correct to 5 significant figures e451 = 0.6499, correct to 4 decimal places 95? = 11159, comect to 5 significant figures Problem 11. Use a calculator to determine the following, each correct to 4 significant figures: (@) 3.720% (6) 53.20" (©) SS 12 (a) 3.72e18 = (3.72)(1.197217 ...) = 4.484, correct to 4 significant figures (b) 53.2674 = (53.2)(0.246596 ...) = 13. correct to 4 significant figures 5 5 (©) pe = plons.023 1...) = 4494, correct to 4 significant figures Problem 12. Evaluate the following correct to 4 decimal places, using a calculator: (a) 0,0256(¢5?! — e? (@) 0.0256(¢52! - e249) 0.0256(183.094058 ... — 12.0612761...) = 43784, correct w 4 decimal places .