MM Chapter 007 [197 – 232] Page 221 Tuesday, February 20, 2007 3:15 PM

Exponential and Logarithmic Functions – CHAPTER 7

7.4 THE ALGEBRA OF LOGARITHMS

The following logarithmic laws are a direct consequence of the definition of a logarithm and the
index laws already established.

First law: The logarithm of a product log a( x × y ) = log ax + log ay, x > 0, y > 0

Proof: Let M = log ax and N = log ay so that x = a M and y = a N .

Then, x × y = a M × a N
⇔ x × y = aM + N
⇔ log a( x × y ) = M + N
⇔ log a( x × y ) = log ax + log ay

EXAMPLE 7.14 Simplify the expression

(a) log 3x + log 3( 4x ) (b) log 2x + log 2( 4x )

S
o (a) log 3x + log 3( 4x ) = log 3( x × 4x )
l
u = log 34x 2
t (b) This time we note that because the base is ‘2’ and there is a ‘4’ in one of the logarithmic
i expressions, we could first try to ‘remove the ‘4’.
o log 2x + log 2( 4x ) = log 2x + ( log 24 + log 2x )
n
= log 2x + 2 + log 2x
= 2 log 2x + 2

EXAMPLE 7.15 Given that log a p = 0.70 and log aq = 2 , evaluate the following
(a) log a p2 (b) log a( p 2 q ) (c) log a( apq )

S
o (a) log a p 2 = log a( p × p ) = log a p + log a p
l
u = 2 log a p
t = 2 × 0.70
i = 1.40
o
n
(b) log a( p 2 q ) = log a p 2 + log aq
= 2 log a p + log aq
= 1.40 + 2
= 3.40

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MATHEMATICS Standard Level

(c) log a( apq ) = log aa + log a p + log aq

= 1 + 0.70 + 2
= 3.70

EXAMPLE 7.16 Find { x log 2x + log 2( x + 2 ) = 3 } .

S
o log 2x + log 2( x + 2 ) = 3 ⇔ log 2[ x × ( x + 2 ) ] = 3
l
⇔ x( x + 2 ) = 23
u
t ⇔ x 2 + 2x = 8
i ⇔ x 2 + 2x – 8 = 0
o
⇔ ( x + 4)( x – 2) = 0
n
⇔ x = – 4 or x = 2
Next, we must check our solutions.
When x = –4, substituting into the original equation, we have:
L.H.S = log 2( – 4 ) + log 2( – 4 + 2 ) – which cannot be evaluated (as the logarithm of a
negative number does not exist).
Therefore, x = –4, is not a possible solution.

When x = 2, substituting into the original equation, we have:

L.H.S = log 2( 2 ) + log 2( 2 + 2 )
= log 28
=3
= R.H.S

Therefore, { x log 2x + log 2( x + 2 ) = 3 } = { 2 } .

log a -- = log ax – log ay, x > 0, y > 0

x
Second law: The logarithm of a quotient
 y

Proof: Let M = log ax and N = log ay so that x = a M and y = a N .

x aM
Then, -- = ------
-
y aN
x
⇔ -- = a M – N
y

⇔ log a -- = M – N
x
 y

⇔ log a -- = log ax – log ay

x
 y

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Exponential and Logarithmic Functions – CHAPTER 7

EXAMPLE 7.17 Simplify

log 28x 3 – log 2x 2 + log 2 --

y
(a) log 10100x – log 10xy (b)
 x

S
o
log 10100x – log 10xy = log  ------------
100x
l (a) 10 xy 
u
= log  ---------
t 100
i 10 y 

o
Note: We could then express log  --------- as log 10100 – log 10y = 2 – log 10y .
100
n 10 y 

log 28x 3 – log 2x 2 + log 2 -- = log 2 -------

8x 3
- + log 2 --
y y
(b)
 x  x2   x

= log 28x + log 2 --

y
 x

= log  8x × --
y
2 x
= log 28y
Note: We could then express log 28y as log 28 + log 2y = 3 + log 2y .

EXAMPLE 7.18 Find { x log 10( x + 2 ) – log 10( x – 1 ) = 1 }

S
o
log 10( x + 2 ) – log 10( x – 1 ) = 1 ⇔ log  ------------ = 1
x+2
l  
10 x – 1
u
⇔  ------------ = 10 1
t x+2
i  x – 1
o ⇔ x + 2 = 10x – 10
n
⇔ 12 = 9x
4
⇔ x = ---
3
Next, we check our answer. Substituting into the original equation, we have:

L.H.S = log  --- + 2 – log  --- – 1 = log ------ – log --- = log  ------ ÷ ---
4 4 10 1 10 1

10 3
 
10 3
 10 3 103 
10 3 3
= log 1010
= 1 = R.H.S

4 
Therefore, { x log 10( x + 2 ) – log 10( x – 1 ) = 1 } =  --- 
3 

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MATHEMATICS Standard Level

Third law: The logarithm of a power log ax n = n log ax, x > 0

Proof: This follows from repeated use of the First Law or it can be shown as follows:
Let M = log ax ⇔ a M = x
⇔ ( aM )n = xn [Raising both sides to the power of n]
⇔ a nM = x n [Using the index laws]
⇔ nM = log a xn [Converting from exponential to log form]
⇔ n log ax = log ax n

EXAMPLE 7.19 Given that log ax = 0.2 and log ay = 0.5 , evaluate
x
(a) log ax 3 y 2 (b) log a ----4-
y

S
o (a) log ax 3 y 2 = log ax 3 + log ay 2
l
= 3 log ax + 2 log ay
u
t = 3 × 0.2 + 2 × 0.5
i = 1.6
o
x 1/2
log a ----4- = log  ----4- = --- log  ----4-
n (b) x 1 x
y a y  2 a y 
1
= --- [ log a( x ) – log ay 4 ]
2
1
= --- [ log ax – 4 log ay ]
2
1
= --- [ 0.2 – 4 × 0.5 ]
2
= – 0.9

log kb +
Fourth law: Change of base log ab = -------------, a, k ∈ \{1}
log ka

Proof: Let log ab = N so that a N = b

Taking the logarithms to base k of both sides of the equation we have:
log k( a N ) = log kb ⇔ N log ka = log kb
log kb
⇔ N = ------------
-
log ka
log kb
However, we have that log ab = N , therefore, log ab = ------------
-.
log ka

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Exponential and Logarithmic Functions – CHAPTER 7

Other observations include:

1. log aa = 1
2. log a1 = 0
3. log ax –1 = – log ax, x > 0
4. log 1 x = – log ax
---
a

5. a log ax = x, x > 0

MISCELLANEOUS EXAMPLES

EXAMPLE 7.20 Express y in terms of x if (a) 2 + log 10x = 4 log 10y

(b) log x = log ( a – by ) – log a

S
o (a) Given that 2 + log 10x = 4 log 10y then 2 = 4 log 10y – log 10x
l
u ⇔ 2 = log 10y 4 – log 10x
t
⇔ 2 = log  -----
y 4
i  
10 x
o
n y4
⇔ 10 2 = -----
x
⇔ y 4 = 100x
⇔y =
100x ( as y > 0 )
4

a – by
(b) Given that log x = log ( a – by ) – log a then log x = log ---------------
a
a – by
⇔ x = ---------------
a
⇔ ax = a – by
⇔ by = a – ax
a
⇔ y = --- ( 1 – x )
b

EXAMPLE 7.21 Find x if (a) log x64 = 3 (b) log 10x – log 10( x – 2 ) = 1

S
o (a) log x64 = 3 ⇔ x 3 = 64
l
u ⇔ x3 = 43
t ⇔x = 4
i
log 10x – log 10( x – 2 ) = 1 ⇔ log  ----------- = 1
x
o (b) 
10 x – 2
n

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MATHEMATICS Standard Level

x
⇔ ----------- = 10 1
x–2
⇔ x = 10x – 20
⇔ – 9x = – 20
20
⇔ x = ------
9
20
We still need to check our answer: substituting x = ------ into the original equation we have:
9

L.H.S = log ------ – log  ------ – 2 = log ------ – log  --- = log  ------ × ---
20 20 20 2 20 9
10 9 10
 9  10 9 10
 9 
10 9 2
= log 1010
= 1
= R.H.S
20
Therefore. solution is x = ------ .
9

EXAMPLE 7.22 Find { x 5 x = 2 x + 1 } . Give both an exact answer and one to 2 d.p.

S
o Taking the logarithm of base 10 of both sides 5 x = 2 x + 1 gives:
l
5 x = 2 x + 1 ⇔ log 105 x = log 102 x + 1
u
t ⇔ x log 105 = ( x + 1 ) log 102
i
⇔ x log 105 – x log 102 = log 102
o
n ⇔ x ( log 105 – log 102 ) = log 102
log 102
⇔ x = ------------------------------------
log 105 – log 102
And so, x = 0.75647… = 0.76 (to 2 d.p).

 log 102 
Exact answer =  ------------------------------------  , answer to 2 d.p = {0.76}
log
 10 5 – log 10 2

EXAMPLE 7.23 Find x, where 6e 2 x – 17 × e x + 12 = 0

S
o We first note that 6e 2 x – 17 × e x + 12 can be written as 6 × e 2 x – 17 × e x + 12 .
l
Which in turn can be expressed as 6 × ( e x ) 2 – 17 × e x + 12 .
u
t Therefore, making the substitution y = e x , we have that
i 6 × ( e x ) 2 – 17 × e x + 12 = 6y 2 – 17y + 12 (i.e., we have a ‘hidden’ quadratic)
o Solving for y, we have:
n 6y 2 – 17y + 12 = 0 ⇔ ( 2y – 3 ) ( 3y – 4 ) = 0

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Exponential and Logarithmic Functions – CHAPTER 7

3 4
So that y = --- or y = ---
2 3
However, we wish to solve for x, and so, we need to substitute back:
3 4
e x = --- or e x = ---
2 3
3 4
⇔ x = ln --- or x = ln ---
2 3

EXAMPLE 7.24 Solve for x, where 8

2x + 1
= 4
5–x

S
o 2x + 1 5–x
Taking logs of both sides of the equation 8 = 4 , we have
l
2x + 1 5–x
u log 8 = log 4 ⇔ ( 2x + 1 ) log 8 = ( 5 – x ) log 4
t 3
⇔ ( 2x + 1 ) log 2 = ( 5 – x ) log 2
2
i
o ⇔ 3 ( 2x + 1 ) log 2 = 2 ( 5 – x ) log 2
n
Therefore, we have that 6x + 3 = 10 – 2x ⇔ 8x = 7
7
∴ x = ---
8

EXERCISES 7.4
1. Without using a calculator, evaluate the following.

(a) log 28 + log 24 (b) log 618 + log 62 (c) log 52 + log 512.5
(d) log 318 – log 36 (e) log 220 – log 25 (f) log 210 – log 25

2. Write down an expresion for log a in terms of log b and log c for the following.

1
(a) a = bc (b) a = b2c (c) a = ----2-
c
b2
(d) a = b c (e) a = b3c4 (f) a = ------
c

3. Given that log ax = 0.09 , find

log  ---
1
(a) log ax 2 (b) log a x (c)
a x

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MATHEMATICS Standard Level

4. Express each of the following as an equation that does not involve a logarithm.

(a) log 2x = log 2y + log 2z (b) log 10y = 2 log 10x

(c) log 2( x + 1 ) = log 2y + log 2x (d) log 2x = y + 1
1
(e) log 2y = --- log 2x (f) 3 log 2( x + 1 ) = 2 log 2y
2

5. Solve the following equations

(a) log 2( x + 1 ) – log 2x = log 23

(b) log 10( x + 1 ) – log 10x = log 103
(c) log 2( x + 1 ) – log 2( x – 1 ) = 4
(d) log 10( x + 3 ) – log 10x = log 10x + log 102
(e) log 10( x 2 + 1 ) – 2 log 10x = 1
(f) log 2( 3x 2 + 28 ) – log 2( 3x – 2 ) = 1
(g) log 10( x 2 + 1 ) = 1 + log 10( x – 2 )
(h) log 2( x + 3 ) = 1 – log 2( x – 2 )
(i) log 6( x + 5 ) + log 6x = 2
(j) log 3( x – 2 ) + log 3( x – 4 ) = 2
(k) log 2x – log 2( x – 1 ) = 3 log 24
(l) log 10( x + 2 ) – log 10x = 2 log 104

6. Simplify the following

(a) log 3( 2x ) + log 3w (b) log 4x – log 4( 7y )

1
(c) 2 log ax + 3 log a( x + 1 ) (d) 5 log ax – --- log a( 2x – 3 ) + 3 log a( x + 1 )
2

2 log 2x – 4 log  --- – 3 log 2xy

1 1
(e) log 10x 3 + --- log x 3 y 6 – 5 log 10x (f)
3  
2 y

7. Solve the following

(a) log 2( x + 7 ) + log 2x = 3 (b) log 3( x + 3 ) + log 3( x + 5 ) = 1

(c) log 10( x + 7 ) + log 10( x – 2 ) = 1 (d) log 3x + log 3( x – 8 ) = 2
(e) log 2x + log 2x 3 = 4 (f) log 3 x + 3 log 3x = 7

8. Solve for x.

(a) log 2x 2 = ( log 2x ) 2 (b) log 3x 3 = ( log 3x ) 3

(c) log 4x 4 = ( log 4x ) 4 (d) log 5x 5 = ( log 5x ) 5
Investigate the solution to log nx n = ( log nx ) n

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Exponential and Logarithmic Functions – CHAPTER 7

9. Solve the following, giving an exact answer and an answer to 2 d.p.

(a) 2 x = 14 (b) 10 x = 8 (c) 3 x = 125

1
(d) --------------x = 12 (e) 3 4 x + 1 = 10 (f) 0.8 x – 1 = 0.4
1–2
(g) 10 –2 x = 2 (h) 2.7 0.3 x = 9 (i) 0.2 –2 x = 20
2 2x 3x 1
(j) -------------------x = 5 (k) --------------x = 3 (l) -------------
- = ---
1 + 0.4 1–2 3x + 3 3

10. Solve for x

(a) ( log 2x ) 2 – log 2x – 2 = 0 (b) log 2( 2 x + 1 – 8 ) = x

(c) log 10( x 2 – 3x + 6 ) = 1 (d) ( log 10x ) 2 – 11 log 10x + 10 = 0
(e) log x( 3x 2 + 10x ) = 3 (f) log x + 2( 3x 2 + 4x – 14 ) = 2

11. Solve the following simultaneous equations

x y = 5x – 9 log 10x – log 10y = 1 xy = 2

(a) (b) (c)
log x11 = y x + y 2 = 200 2 log 2x – log 2y = 2

12. Express each of the following as an equation that does not involve a logarithm.

(a) log ex = log ey – log ez (b) 3 log ex = log ey (c) ln x = y – 1

13. Solve the following for x

(a) ln ( x + 1 ) – ln x = 4 (b) ln ( x + 1 ) – ln x = ln 4
(c) log e( x + 1 ) + log ex = 0 (d) log e( x + 1 ) – log ex = 0

14. Solve the following for x

(a) e x = 21 (b) ex – 2 = 8 (c) – 5 + e–x = 2

1
2 – --- x
(d) 200e –2 x = 50 (e) ---------------
- = 3 (f) 70e 2 + 15 = 60
1 – e–x
(g) ln x = 3 (h) 2 ln ( 3x ) = 4 (i) ln ( x 2 ) = 9
(j) ln x – ln ( x + 2 ) = 3 (k) ln x + 4 = 1 (l) ln ( x 3 ) = 9

15. Solve the following for x

(a) e 2 x – 3e x + 2 = 0 (b) e 2 x – 4e x – 5 = 0
(c) e 2 x – 5e x + 6 = 0 (d) e 2 x – 2e x + 1 = 0
(e) e2 x – 6e x +5 = 0 (f) e 2 x – 9e x – 10 = 0

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6. (a) 15 000˚C (b) i. 11 900˚C ii. 1500˚C (c) 3.01 million yrs (d) EXERCISE 7.4
T
150 000 1. (a) 5 (b) 2 (c) 2 (d) 1 (e) 2 (f) 1 2. (a) log a = log b + log c (b) log a = 2 log b + log c
(c) log a = – 2 log c (d) log a = log b + 0.5 log c (e) log a = 3 log b + 4 log c
Q
(f) log a = 2 log b – 0.5 log c 3. (a) 0.18 (b) 0.045 (c) –0.09 4. (a) x = yz (b) y = x 2
7. (a) 0.0151 (b) 12.50gm (c) 20 years (d) 200 t x+1 1 1 17 3 1
(c) y = ------------ (d) x = 2 y + 1 (e) y = x (f) y 2 = ( x + 1 ) 3 5. (a) --- (b) --- (c) ------ (d) --- (e) ---
x 2 2 15 2 3

t 33 – 1 64 2 x
(f) no real sol’n (g) 3,7 (h) ------------------- (i) 4 (j) 10 + 3 (k) ------ (l) ------ 6. (a) log 32wx (b) log ------
8. (a) $2 million (b) $1.589 mil (c) 30.1 years (d) V 2 63 15 47y
2 000 000 ( x5 )( x + 1 )3
(c) log a[ x 2 ( x + 1 ) 3 ] (d) log ----------------------------- (e) log  ----- (f) log  -- 7. (a) 1 (b) –2 (c) 3 (d) 9
y2 y
a
2x – 3  
10 x 2 x

log 14 log 8
9. (b) 0.01761 (c) 199 230 (d) 22.6 years (e) 2 (f) 9 8. (a) 1,4 (b) 1, 3 ± (d) 1, 5 ±
3 3 4 4 5
t (c) 1, 4 9. (a) -------------- = 3.81 (b) -------------- = 0.90
log 2 log 10
10. (a) 20 cm2 (b) 19.72 cm2 (c) 100 days (d) 332 days
(c) ----------------- = 4.39 (d) ----------- × log  ------ – 2 = – 0.13 (e) ------------------------------- = 0.27 (f) 5.11
11. (a) 1 (b) i. 512170 ii. 517217 (c) 54.1 early 2014 log 125 1 11 log 10 – log 3
A
12. (a) i. $933.55 ii. $935.50 (b) 11.95 years (c) log 3 log 2  3 4 log 3
– log 2 log 3
700 (g) ----------------- = – 0.15 (h) 7.37 (i) 0.93 (j) no real solution (k) ----------- – 2 = – 0.42
2 log 10 log 2
13. (a) 99 (b) 99 × 2 0.1394t (c) 684 t log 1.5
(l) --------------- = 0.37 10. (a) 0.5,4 (b) 3 (c) –1,4 (d) 10,1010 (e) 5 (f) 3 11. (a) ( 4, log 411 )
T log 3
(5.03,1.85)
14. (a) (b) 38.85˚C at ~ midnight 1 1 5–1
(b) (100,10) (c) (2,1) 12. (a) y = xz (b) y = x 3 (c) x = e y – 1 13. (a) -------------
- (b) --- (c) ----------------
e4 – 1 3 2
(d) Ø 14. (a) ln 21 = 3.0445 (b) ln 10 = 2.3026 (c) – ln 7 = – 1.9459 (d) ln 2 = 0.6931
t
(e) ln 3 = 1.0986 (f) 2 ln  ------ = 0.8837 (g) e 3 = 20.0855 (h) --- e 2 = 2.4630
14 1
15. (a) 19 (b) 2.63 (c) 100  9 3
16. (a) 18 cm (b) 4 cm (c) 1.28 m (d) 36 m (e) i. 21.7yr ii. 27.6yr iii. 34.5yr (f) 36 (g)
17. (a) 5 mg/min (b) 13.51 min (c) i. 2.1, ii. 13.9 iii. 68min h (i) ± e 9 = ± 90.0171 (j) Ø (k) e 2 – 4 = 3.3891 (l) 3
e 9 = 20.0855 15. (a) 0, ln 2 (b) ln 5
(d) 19.6 mg (e) (f) No 36
98 (c) ln 2, ln 3 (d) 0 (e) 0, ln 5 (f) ln 10 16. (a) 4.5222 (b) 0.2643 (c) 0,0.2619 (d) –1,0.3219
A (e) –1.2925,0.6610 (f) 0,1.8928 (g) 0.25,2 (h) 1 (i) 121.5 (j) 2

R t EXERCISE 7.5
t 1. (a) 10 (b) 30 (c) 40 2. (a) 31.64 kg (b) 1.65 (c) W = 2.4 × 10 0.8h
18. (a) i. $499 ii. $496 iii. $467 (c) 15537 (d) i. $499k ii. $2.48mil iii. $4.67mil (f) 12358 (d) W h (e)
(g) $5.14mil (b), (e)
R
2.4
h 2.4 W
p
x
 6------------
– m
- L m
 2.5 
3. (a) 4.75 (b) L = L 0 × 10 (c) (d)
EXERCISE 7.3 L0 6
1. (a) 2 (b) 2 (c) 5 (d) 3 (e) –3 (f) –2 (g) 0 (h) 0 (i) –1 (j) –2 (k) 0.5 (l) –2 2. (a) log 1010000 = 4
6 m L0 L
(b) log 100.001 = – 3 (c) log 10( x + 1 ) = y (d) log 10 p = 7 (e) log 2( x – 1 ) = y
4. (a) [0,1[ (b) i. 2.22 ii. 1.11 iii. 0.74 yrs (c) As c increases, reliability reduces.
(f) log 2( y – 2 ) = 4x 3. (a) 29 = x (b) bx = y (c) b ax = t (d) 10 x 2 = z (e) 10 1 – x = y
(d) x = 1 – 10 –ct (e) y
y
1
1
(f) 2 y = ax – b 4. (a) 16 (b) 2 (c) 2 (d) 9 (e) 4 2 (f) 125 (g) 4 (h) 9 (i) 3 --- (j) 21 (k) 3 (l) 13
3
t
5. (a) 54.5982 (b) 1.3863 (c) 1.6487 (d) 7.3891 (e) 1.6487 (f) 0.3679 (g) 52.5982 (h) 4.7183
1 x
(i) 0.6065

ANSWERS – 30 ANSWERS – 31