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Notes Topic 2.14 Logarithmic Modeling

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191 views2 pages

Notes Topic 2.14 Logarithmic Modeling

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venkasan002
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Notes: (Topic 2.

14) Logarithmic Function Context and Data Modeling


The average salary for a church pastor across the US increases as the size of
the church increases. The graph given shows the average pastor salaries for
various church sizes. From the graph we can see the data appears to be
logarithmic. Outside the salary data in the graph above, logarithmic patterns
are found in the way we measure earthquakes, sound, acidity, and many other
contexts. As a result we have a need to create logarithmic models for these
types of data.

The average salary for a church pastor across the US increases as the size of the church increases. The graph above shows
the average pastor salaries for various church sizes.
We can clearly see a pattern in the data, but the models we have used previously are not appropriate for this data. The
grow above displays a large rate of change initially, but as the church size increases, we see the rate of change gradually
decrease. The data above appears to be logarithmic.
Just as we have seen with other types of functions (linear, quadratic, exponential, …), many real-world scenarios follow a
logarithmic pattern. Outside the salary data in the graph above, logarithmic patterns are found in the way we measure
earthquakes, sound, acidity, and many other contexts. As a result, we have a need to create logarithmic models for these
types of data.

Logarithmic Function Models


b) Find the values of a and b.
For a given set of data, if the input-values appear to change proportionally over equal-length output-value
intervals, then a logarithmic model is appropriate.

A logarithmic function model has the form y = a + b ln x or y = a + b log x , where a and b are constants
and b  0 .

𝑥 𝐿(𝑥)
2 3
5 7

Example 1: Selected values of the logarithmic function 𝐿 are given in the table above, where 𝐿(𝑥 ) = 𝑎 + 𝑏 ln 𝑥.

a) Use the given data to write two equations that can be used to find the values for constants 𝑎 and 𝑏 in the expression for
𝐿 (𝑥 ) .

b) Find the values of 𝑎 and 𝑏.

Notes: Topic 2.14 Logarithmic Data Modeling Created by Bryan Passwater


Edited by Michelle Sparks
Example 3:

Church Size 75 120 250 300 450 650 900 1500 2500 5000
Avg. Salary
42 58 70 79 88 95 110 125 138 175
(in 1000’s of dollars)

Example 2: The table above gives the data from the graph at the beginning of the notes related church size and average
salaries for pastors in the United States.

a) Use the regression capabilities of your graphing calculator to find a logarithmic function model for the data above of
the form 𝑆(𝑝) = 𝑎 + 𝑏 ln 𝑝, where 𝑝 represents the church size and 𝑆 is the average pastor salary in thousands of dollars.

b) Using the model found in part a, what is the predicted annual salary, in thousands of dollars, for a pastor whose church
size is 500 people?

Example 3: The most common, and preferred, method to measure sound intensity levels is in decibels (dB). The sound
intensity level  (in decibels) of a sound having intensity I (in watts per meter squared) is modeled by the function

 ( I ) = a + b log ( I ) ,
Example 4:
where 𝑎 and 𝑏 are constants.

The sounds of noisy traffic has intensity 1 10 −5 watts per meter squared and corresponds to 70 decibels. A loud concert
has intensity of 1 and corresponds to 120 decibels.
a) Use the given data to write two equations that can be used to find the values for constants 𝑎 and 𝑏 in the expression for
 (I ) .
Fun Fact
The word decibel comes from two pieces:
1. deci- refers to the fact that the level of sound
found is multiplied by 10 as part of the formula.
b) Find the values of 𝑎 and 𝑏.
2. -bel references Alexander Graham Bell, the
inventor of the telephone and the person
decibels are named after.

c) The human eardrum can burst when sounds reach an intensity level of 1 10 4 watts per meter squared. According to
the model found above, what is the predicted number of decibels required to burst a human eardrum?

Notes: Topic 2.14 Logarithmic Data Modeling Created by Bryan Passwater


Edited by Michelle Sparks

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