Objectives :

•To know what log means

•To learn the laws of logs

•To simplify logarithmic expressions

•To solve equations of the type a =b

x

24 November 2023 F L1 MH
 We WILL meet the graph of y=a and x
will see that it represents growth or decay.

Say possibly growth of Bacteria if x>0

Say possibly decay of radioactivity if x<0

So we will need to be able to solve

equations of the type b = ax

24 November 2023 F L1 MH
e.g. How would you solve 10 x  1000 - - - - (1)

Ans: If we notice that 1000  10 3

then, (1) becomes
10 x  10 3
 x3
We can use the same method to solve

3 x  81 or 5 2 x  25
 3 x  34  52x  52
 x4  2x  2  x  1
Suppose we want to solve 10 x  75
We need to write 75 as a power ( or index ) of
10Tip:
. It’s useful to notice that, since 75 lies
This index is called a logarithm1 ( or log )2 and 10 is
between 10 and 100 ( or 10 and 10 ), x
the base.
lies between 1 and 2.
Our calculators give us the value of the logarithm
of 75 with a base of 10.
The button is marked
Log 75
The value is 1 875 ( 3 d.p.)
so,
10 x  10 1  875
 x  1 875
 Logarithm

log 3 19683  9
24 November 2023 F L1 MH
 logarithms

log264=6 because 26 = 64

log2(1/2)=-1 because 2-1 = ½

log21=0 because 20= 1

log2√2=1/2 because 21/2 = √2

24 November 2023 F L1 MH
 Logarithms to base 10
Any positive number can be written as a power of 10. Logarithms
to base 10 are used in such subjects as:

Chemistry pH value of a liquid

Physics power ratio – e.g. noise level –
decibel scale
Earthquake measurement - Richter scale

(Logarithmic scales are also used for example to measure

radioactive decay, pitch of musical notes, f-stops in
photography, particle size in geology and population growth)
 Log to base 10

Log10 10 = 1

Scientists only work with 2 specific bases (log, ln)

We do not write the 10 as Log means to base 10

Log10=1 Log 0.1 = -1 Log1=0

Log100=2 Log 0.01=-2
Log1000=3 Log0.001=-3
We can not take logs of negative numbers
24 November 2023 F L1 MH
 Log is an Inverse

Log is the inverse to 10 x

(last lesson)
(can show this when we learn the laws of
logarithms)

Ln is the inverse of ex, (we will see this later)

e is a very important irrational number in maths
and science, it has some very special properties!!

24 November 2023 F L1 MH
 So A logarithm is just an index

Solve the equation 10x = 4 giving the answer

correct to 3 significant figures.

“x is the logarithm of 4 with a base of 10”

index log
Log 4 = 0.602 (3 sig fig) – on calculator
24 November 2023 F L1 MH
 Laws of Logarithms

These are like the laws of indices (surprised NO!)

log a xy = log a x + log a y

log a x/y = log a x – log a y

log a x n
= n log a x

24 November 2023 F L1 MH
 Some Important Rules
Loga1=0 a0=1

log a a  1 a1=a

1
log a n
x  log a x 1n
 log a x
n
1
log a    log a x 1   log a x
 x
These are the
Laws of Logs
24 November 2023 F L1 MH
 Using these Rules- Simplify
log a 4  2 log a 3  log a 6

log a 4  log a 3 2  log a 6

log a 4  3 2  log a 6

 4  32 
log a   ~ Loga6
 6 

24 November 2023 F L1 MH
 3
Express x in terms of logax, logay, logaz
2
y z
3
x
Loga 2 = loga x3 – logay2z
y z
3
Loga x = loga x3 – (logay2 + logaz)
y 2z
3
x
Loga 2 = 3loga x – 2logay - logaz)
y z
24 November 2023 F L1 MH
 x
Solving a b
e.g.1 Solve 2x  5
( Notice that 2 < x < 3 since 2 2  4 and ) 2 3  8
Solution: 2x  5 We “take” logs
x
We don’t actually  log
log 10 2take the10
logs
5 anywhere: we put
them in, but the process is always called taking logs!
Using the “power to the front” law, we can simplify the
l.h.s.
 x log 10 2  log 10 5
We used logs with base log 10 10 5
because the values are on
x  any base could be used.
the calculator. However, log 10 2
You could check the result using the “ln” button
( which uses a base you  2 will ( 3 s.f.
 32 meet in A2) ).
 x
Solving a b
e.g.2 Solve the equation 1000  100 ( 3 ) x
Solution: We must change the equation into the
form b  a x before we take logs.
Divide by 100:
1000  100 ( 3 ) x  10  3 x
Take logs: log 10  log 3 x
Using the “power to the front” law:
log 10  x log 3
log 10
x
log 3
 x  2  10 ( 3 s.f. )
SUMMARY
 The Definition of a Logarithm

ax  b  x  log a b
 The “Power to the Front” law of logs:
k
log a x  k log a x
 Solving the equation na x  b
• Divide by n
• “Take” logs
• Use the power to the front law
• Rearrange to find x.
Exercises
1. Solve the following equations giving the answers
correct to 2 d.p.
(a) 3 x  14 (b) 12 2 x  15
(a) “Take” logs: log 10 3 x  log 1014
 x log 10 3  log 10 14
log 10 14
 x  2  40 ( 2 d.p. )
log 10 3
(b) “Take” logs: log 10 12 2 x  log 1015
 2 x log 10 12  log 10 15
log 10 15
 2x  1  0898
log 10 12
 x  0  54 ( 2 d.p. )
Exercises

2. Solve the equation 500  200 ( 2 ) x giving the answer

correct to 2 d.p.
Solution: Divide by 200:
500  200 ( 2 ) x  2  5  2 x
Take logs: log 2  5  log 2 x
Power to the front: log 2  5  x log 2
log 2  5
Rearrange: x
log 2
 x  1 32 ( 2 d.p. )