“Teach A Level Maths”

Vol. 1: AS Core
Modules

48: More Laws of

Logarithms

© Christine Crisp
 The Laws of Logs

Module
C2

"Certain images and/or photos on this presentation are the copyrighted property of JupiterImages and are being used with
permission under license. These images and/or photos may not be copied or downloaded without permission from JupiterImages"
 The Laws of Logs

Log laws for Multiplying and

Dividing
We’ll develop the laws by writing an
example with the numbers in index
form.
 The Laws of Logs

42  26 1092
A log is just an index, so to write this in
index form we need the logs from the
calculator.
log 42 1623 and log 10 26 1 415
10
 42  26  10 1623  10 1415
 10 1 623  1 415
 10 3 038 ( 1092 )
 log 10 (42  26) 3 038
So, log 10 ( 42  26) 
 The Laws of Logs

42  26 1092
A log is just an index, so to write this in
index form we need the logs from the
calculator.
log 42 1623 and log 10 26 1 415
10
 42  26  10 1623  10 1415
 10 1 623  1 415
 10 3 038 ( 1092 )
 log 10 (42  26) 3 038
So, log 10 ( 42  26)  log 10 42 
 The Laws of Logs

42  26 1092
A log is just an index, so to write this in
index form we need the logs from the
calculator.
log 42 1623 and log 10 26 1 415
10
 42  26  10 1623  10 1415
 10 1 623  1 415
 10 3 038 ( 1092 )
 log 10 (42  26) 3 038
So, log 10 ( 42  26)  log 10 42  log 10 26
 The Laws of Logs

42  26 1092
A log is just an index, so to write this in
index form we need the logs from the
calculator.
log 42 1623 and log 10 26 1 415
10
 42  26  10 1623  10 1415
 10 1 623  1 415
 10 3 038 ( 1092 )
 log 10 (42  26) 3 038
So, log 10 ( 42  26)  log 10 42  log 10 26
In general, log 10 ( xy ) log 10 x  log 10 y
 The Laws of Logs

Any positive integer could be used as a base

instead of 10, so we get:

log a ( xy ) log a x  log a y

A similar rule holds for

dividing.
 x
log a   log a x  log a y
 y

If the base is missed out, you should assume

it could be any base log
e.g.2 might be base
10 or any other number.
 The Laws of Logs
SUMMAR
Y
The Laws of Logarithms are:
• 1. Multiplication log a xy log a x  log a y
law
x
• 2. Division law log a log a x  log a y
y
• 3. Power law log a x k  k log a x
 The definition of a logarithm:
ax b  x log a b

leads to 4. log a 1 0 5. log a a 1

k
6. log a a k
 The Laws of Logs

e.g. 1 Express the following in

terms of log 2, log 3 andlog 5
 1
(a) log 15 (b) log 16 (c) log 
 3
Solutio
n: (a) log 15 log 3 5 log 3  log 5 ( Law 1 )
(b) log 16 log 2 4 4 log 2 ( Law 3 )
 1
(c) log  log 1  log 3 ( Law 2 )
Either  3
0  log 3 ( Law 4 )
 log 3
 1
Or log  log 3  1
 3   log 3 ( Law 3 )
 The Laws of Logs

2
e.g. 2 Expresslog(a b ) in terms oflog a and log b

Solutio
n: We can’t use the power to the front law
directly!
( Why not? )
There is no bracket round the ab, so the
square ONLY refers to the b.
So, log(a b 2 )  log a  log b 2 ( Law
1)
 log a  2 log b ( Law
3)
 The Laws of Logs
e.g. 3 Express each of the following as a
single logarithm in its simplest form:
(a) log 5  log 2  log 3 (b) 2 log 10 4  1 log 10 25  1
2
 5 2 
Solutio (a) log 5  log 2  log 3 log 
n:  3 
 10 
log 
(b) 2 log 10 4  1 log 10 25  1  3 
2
1
log 10 4 2  log 10  log 10 10
25 2
 2  2
 4 10   16 10 
log 10  log 10   log 10 32
1 
 2   51 
 25 
5
This could be simplified log 10 2 5 log 10 2
to
 The Laws of Logs
Exercis
e Express the following in termslog
1. of2, log 3 andlog 5
1
(a) log 25 (b) log 6 (c) log
10
Ans (a) 2 log 5 (b)log 2  log 3 (c)  log 2  log 5
: 2
2. Express log a b in terms of log a and log b
Ans 2 log a  log b
:
3. Express the following as a single
logarithm in its simplest form:
(a) log 3  log 2  log 5 (b) 3 log 10 2  1 log 10 16  1
2
15 16
Ans: (a) log (b) log 10
2 5
The Laws of Logs
 The Laws of Logs

The following slides contain repeats

of information on earlier slides,
shown without colour, so that they
can be printed and photocopied.
For most purposes the slides can be
printed as “Handouts” with up to 6
slides per sheet.
 The Laws of Logs
SUMMAR
Y The Laws of Logarithms are:

• 1. Multiplication log a xy log a x  log a y

law
x
• 2. Division law log a log a x  log a y
y
• 3. Power law log a x k  k log a x
 The definition of a logarithm:
ax b  x log a b

leads to 4. log a 1 0 5. log a a 1

k
6. log a a k
 The Laws of Logs
e.g. 1 Express the following in
terms of log 2, log 3 andlog 5
(a)
 1
log 15 (b) log 16 (c) log 
 3
Solutio
n: (a) log 15 log 3 5 log 3  log 5 ( Law 1 )
(b) log 16 log 2 4 4 log 2 ( Law 3 )
 1
(c) log  log 1  log 3 ( Law 2 )
Either  3
0  log 3 ( Law 4 )
 log 3
 1
Or log  log 3  1
 3   log 3 ( Law 3 )
 The Laws of Logs
2
e.g. 2 Expresslog(a b ) in terms oflog a and log b

Solutio
n: We can’t use the power to the front law
directly!
( Why not? )
There is no bracket round the ab, so the
square ONLY refers to the b.
So, log(a b 2 )  log a  log b 2 ( Law
1)
 log a  2 log b ( Law
3)
 The Laws of Logs
e.g. 3 Express each of the following as a
single logarithm in its simplest form:
(a) log 5  log 2  log 3 (b) 2 log 10 4  1 log 10 25  1
2
 5 2 
Solutio (a) log 5  log 2  log 3 log 
n:  3 
 10 
log 
(b) 2 log 10 4  1 log 10 25  1  3 
2
1
log 10 4 2  log 10  log 10 10
25 2
 2  2
 4 10   16 10 
log 10  log 10   log 10 32
1 
 2   51 
 25 
5
This could be simplified log 10 2 5 log 10 2
to