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Week 7 Lecture 1

The document covers logarithmic functions, their properties, and their graphs, emphasizing the relationship between logarithmic and exponential forms. It explains the concept of common and natural logarithms, including their applications in various contexts such as sound intensity. Additionally, it provides examples and illustrations to aid in understanding the material.

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Leo Ndebele
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
9 views35 pages

Week 7 Lecture 1

The document covers logarithmic functions, their properties, and their graphs, emphasizing the relationship between logarithmic and exponential forms. It explains the concept of common and natural logarithms, including their applications in various contexts such as sound intensity. Additionally, it provides examples and illustrations to aid in understanding the material.

Uploaded by

Leo Ndebele
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Exponential and Logarithmic

4 Functions

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.


4.3 Logarithmic Functions

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.


Objectives
■ Logarithmic Functions

■ Graphs of Logarithmic Functions

■ Common Logarithms

■ Natural Logarithms

3
Logarithmic Functions

4
Logarithmic Functions
Every exponential function f (x) = ax, with a > 0 and a  1,
is a one-to-one function by the Horizontal Line Test (see
Figure 1 for the case a > 1) and therefore has an inverse
function.

f (x) = ax is one-to-one.
Figure 1

5
Logarithmic Functions
The inverse function f –1 is called the logarithmic function
with base a and is denoted by loga. We know that f –1 is
defined by
f –1(x) = y f (y) = x

This leads to the following definition of the logarithmic


function.

6
Logarithmic Functions
When we use the definition of logarithms to switch back
and forth between the logarithmic form loga x = y and the
exponential form ay = x, it is helpful to notice that, in both
forms, the base is the same.

Logarithmic form Exponential form

loga x = y ay = x

7
Example 1 – Logarithmic and Exponential Forms

The logarithmic and exponential forms are equivalent


equations: If one is true, then so is the other.

So we can switch from one form to the other as in the


following illustrations.

8
Logarithmic Functions
It is important to understand that loga x is an exponent.

For example, the numbers in the


right-hand column of the table in
the margin are the logarithms
(base 10) of the numbers in the
left-hand column.

This is the case for all bases, as the next example


illustrates.
9
Example 2 – Evaluating Logarithms
(a) log10 1000 = 3 because 103 = 1000

(b) log2 32 = 5 because 25 = 32

(c) log10 0.1 = –1 because 10–1 = 0.1

(d) log16 4 = because 161/2 = 4

10
Logarithmic Functions
When we apply the Inverse Function Property to f (x) = ax
and f –1(x) = loga x, we get

loga (ax) = x x

x>0
We list these and other properties of logarithms discussed
in this section.

11
Example 3 – Applying Properties of Logarithms

We illustrate the properties of logarithms when the base is


5.

log5 1 = 0 Property 1 log5 5 = 1 Property 2

Property 3 Property 4
log5 58 = 8

12
Graphs of Logarithmic Functions

13
Graphs of Logarithmic Functions
We know that if a one-to-one function f has domain A and
range B, then its inverse function f –1 has domain B and
range A.

Since the exponential function f (x) = ax with a  1 has


domain and range (0, ), we conclude that its inverse
function, f –1(x) = loga x, has domain (0, ) and range .

The graph of f –1(x) = loga x is obtained by reflecting the


graph of f (x) = ax in the line y = x.

14
Graphs of Logarithmic Functions
Figure 2 shows the case a > 1.

Graph of the logarithmic


function f (x) = loga x

Figure 2

15
Graphs of Logarithmic Functions
The fact that y = ax (for a > 1) is a very rapidly increasing
function for x > 0 implies that y = loga x is a very slowly
increasing function for x > 1.

Since loga 1 = 0, the x-intercept of the function y = loga x is


1. The y-axis is a vertical asymptote of y = loga x because
loga x  as x  0+.

16
Example 4 – Graphing a Logarithmic Function by Plotting Points

Sketch the graph of f (x) = log2 x.

Solution:
To make a table of values, we choose the x-values to be
powers of 2 so that we can easily find their logarithms. We
plot these points and connect them with a smooth curve as
in Figure 3.

Figure 3 17
Graphs of Logarithmic Functions
Figure 4 shows the graphs of the family of logarithmic
functions with bases 2, 3, 5, and 10.

A family of logarithmic functions


Figure 4

18
Graphs of Logarithmic Functions
These graphs are drawn by reflecting the graphs of y = 2x,
y = 3x, y = 5x, and y = 10x in the line y = x.

We can also plot points as an aid to sketching these


graphs, as illustrated in Example 4.

19
Example 5 – Reflecting Graphs of Logarithmic Functions

Sketch the graph of each function. State the domain,


range, and asymptote.

(a) g(x) = –log2 x

(b) h (x) = log2(–x)

Solution:
(a) We start with the graph of
f (x) = log2 x and reflect in the
x-axis to get the graph of
g(x) = –log2 x in Figure 5(a). Figure 5(a)
20
Example 5 – Solution cont’d

From the graph we see that the domain of g is (0, ),


the range is the set of all real numbers, and the line
x = 0 is a vertical asymptote.

(b) We start with the graph of f (x) = log2 x and reflect in the
y-axis to get the graph of h(x) = log2(–x) in Figure 5(b).

Figure 5(b)
21
Example 5 – Solution cont’d

From the graph we see that the domain of h is ( , 0),


the range is the set of all real numbers, and the line
x = 0 is a vertical asymptote.

22
Common Logarithms

23
Common Logarithms
We now study logarithms with base 10.

From the definition of logarithms we can easily find that

log 10 = 1 and log 100 = 2

But how do we find log 50? We need to find the exponent y


such that 10y = 50.
24
Common Logarithms
Clearly, 1 is too small and 2 is too large. So

1 < log 50 < 2

To get a better approximation, we can experiment to find a


power of 10 closer to 50.

Fortunately, scientific calculators are equipped with a


key that directly gives values of common logarithms.

25
Example 7 – Evaluating Common Logarithms

Use a calculator to find appropriate values of f (x) = log x,


and use the values to sketch the graph.

Solution:
We make a table of values, using a calculator to evaluate
the function at those values of x that are not powers of 10.
We plot those points and connect them by a smooth curve
as in Figure 8.

Figure 8 26
Common Logarithms
Scientists model human response to stimuli (such as
sound, light, or pressure) using logarithmic functions.

For example, the intensity of a sound must be increased


manyfold before we “feel” that the loudness has simply
doubled. The psychologist Gustav Fechner formulated the
law as

where S is the subjective intensity of the stimulus, I is the


physical intensity of the stimulus, I0 stands for the threshold
physical intensity, and k is a constant that is different for
each sensory stimulus. 27
Example 8 – Common Logarithms and Sound

The perception of the loudness B (in decibels, dB) of a


sound with physical intensity I (in W/m2) is given by

where I0 is the physical intensity of a barely audible sound.


Find the decibel level (loudness) of a sound whose physical
intensity I is 100 times that of I0.

Solution:
We find the decibel level B by using the fact that I = 100I0.

Definition of B
28
Example 8 – Solution cont’d

I = 100I0

= 10 log 100 Cancel I0

= 10  2 = 20 Definition of log

The loudness of the sound is 20 dB.

29
Natural Logarithms

30
Natural Logarithms
Of all possible bases a for logarithms, it turns out that the
most convenient choice for the purposes of calculus is the
number e,

The natural logarithmic function y = ln x is the inverse


function of the natural exponential function y = ex.

31
Natural Logarithms
Both functions are graphed in Figure 9.

Graph of the natural logarithmic function

Figure 9

By the definition of inverse functions we have

32
Natural Logarithms
If we substitute a = e and write “ln” for “loge” in the
properties of logarithms mentioned earlier, we obtain the
following properties of natural logarithms.

Calculators are equipped with an key that directly gives


the values of natural logarithms.
33
Example 9 – Evaluating the Natural Logarithm Function

(a) ln e8 = 8 Definition of natural logarithm

(b) ln = ln e–2 = –2 Definition of natural logarithm

(c) ln 5  1.609 Use key on calculator

34
Example 10 – Finding the Domain of a Logarithmic Function

Find the domain of the function f (x) = ln(4 – x2).

Solution:
As with any logarithmic function, ln x is defined when x > 0.
Thus the domain of f is

{x | 4 – x2 > 0} = {x | x2 < 4}

= {x | |x| < 2}

= {x | –2 < x < 2}

= (–2, 2)
35

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