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2.9 Logarithmic Expressions

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151 views4 pages

2.9 Logarithmic Expressions

Uploaded by

Insha Hadwani
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Lesson 9: Logarithmic Expressions

We know the logarithmic expression log 𝑏𝑏 𝑛𝑛 is equal to, or represents, the value that the base 𝑏𝑏 must
be exponentially raised to in order to obtain the value of 𝑛𝑛. That is, log 𝑏𝑏 𝑛𝑛 = 𝑝𝑝 if and only if 𝑏𝑏𝑝𝑝 = 𝑛𝑛,
where 𝑛𝑛 and 𝑝𝑝 are constants, 𝑏𝑏 > 0 and 𝑏𝑏 ≠ 1. Recall that when the base of a logarithmic expression
is not specified, it is understood as the common logarithm with a base of 10.

Basic Properties of Logarithms


(Note: These are also valid for base 10 and base e)
For 𝒃𝒃 > 𝟎𝟎, 𝒃𝒃 ≠ 𝟏𝟏, 𝒙𝒙 > 𝟎𝟎, and any real number 𝒚𝒚

log 𝑏𝑏 1 = 0 log 𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏 = 1 log 𝑏𝑏 𝑏𝑏 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑦𝑦 𝑏𝑏 log𝑏𝑏 𝑥𝑥 = 𝑥𝑥

ln 1 = 0 ln 𝑒𝑒 = 1 ln 𝑒𝑒 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑦𝑦 𝑒𝑒 ln 𝑥𝑥 = 𝑥𝑥

Evaluating Logarithmic and Exponential Expressions

EX #1: Give a reason for the following logarithmic expressions

A. log 2 8 = 3 because …

1
B. log3 3 = because …
2

1
C. log5 = −2 because …
25

D. log 10 = 1 because …

E. 6log6 11 = 11 because …

Converting from Exponential Form to Logarithmic Form

EX #2: Write the exponential form as a logarithmic equation.

A. 43 = 64 B. 93 = 729

−5 1 1
C. 2 = 32 D. 64 2 = 8

© 2023 Jean Adams Flamingo Math.com


Converting from Logarithmic Form to Exponential Form

EX #3: Write the logarithmic equation as an exponential equation.

A. log 5 125 = 3 1
B. log 625 5 = 4

C. log1/2 64 = −6 D. log 2
1
= −5
32

Common Logarithms, Base 10

Logarithms with base 10 are called common logarithms. The subscript 10 is often dropped, so a
logarithm statement with no specified base is understood to be base 10.

EX #4: Evaluate the following logarithms and exponential expressions.

A. log 100 B. log 10

1
C. log 1000 D. 10log6 6

EX #5: Evaluate these common logarithms with a calculator.

A. log 34.5 B. log 0.43 C. log(−3)

not possible

D. Using your answer to example 3c, can you make a general statement about logarithmic
functions?

logarithms are not defines for negative values of x.


Domain (0, )

© 2023 Jean Adams Flamingo Math.com


Evaluating Logarithmic Expressions

EX #6: Evaluate each logarithmic expression, if possible, without using a calculator.

A. log 2 32 B. log 49 7

C. log1/64 4 D. log 5 −25

not possible

EX #7: Use your calculator to evaluate each logarithmic expression, to four decimal places.

A. log3 15 B. log 4 58
2.4650 2.9290

C. log0.35 8.4 D. log 5 125


2
-2.0272
5.2694

Orders of Magnitude and Logarithmic Models

Use the Order of Magnitude to compare any like quantities.

1. Using a calculator, compute log(3 � 10), log(3 � 102 ), . . . , log(3 � 1010 )


1.47712 2.47713 10.47712

2. What is the pattern in the integer parts of these numbers?


1, 2, 3, ..., 10

3. What is the pattern of their decimal parts?


0.47713

4. How many orders of magnitude greater is 3 � 1010 than 3 � 10?


3 10 than 3 10
10 - 1 = 9

© 2023 Jean Adams Flamingo Math.com


Richter Scale

The intensity levels I of two earthquakes measured on a seismograph can be compared by the
𝐼𝐼
formula log 1 = 𝑀𝑀1 − 𝑀𝑀2 where 𝑀𝑀 is the magnitude given by the Richter Scale.
𝐼𝐼2

Comparing Earthquake Intensities

EX #8: How many times more severe was the 2001 earthquake in Gujarat, India (M1 = 7.9) than the
1999 earthquake in Athens, Greece (M2= 5.9) ?

Comparing Chemical Acidity with the pH Scale

pH Scale Model 𝑝𝑝𝑝𝑝 = − log 𝐻𝐻 + is a scale that measures how acidic or basic a substance ranks.
The scale ranges from 0 to 14, where 7 represents neutral and each whole pH value below 7 is ten
times more acidic than the next higher value.

EX #9: Balsamic vinegar has a pH of 2.4, and a box of baking soda has a pH of 8.4
A. What are their hydrogen-ion concentrations?

B. How many times greater is the hydrogen-ion concentration of the vinegar than the baking
soda? (orders of magnitude)

© 2023 Jean Adams Flamingo Math.com

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