Lesson 6.3
Lesson 6.3
3
Logarithms and
Logarithmic Functions
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Warm-Up
8x = 1
4x =
Success Criteria:
• I can explain the meaning of a logarithm with base b.
• I can evaluate logarithmic expressions.
• I can graph logarithmic functions.
b. Use your results in part (a) to describe the relationship among the values of b, x, and y
logb y = x
in the equation shown.
RELATE
CONCEPTS
How can you use the
graph of an exponential
function to sketch the
graph of a logarithmic
function?
SOLUTION
Logarithmic Form Exponential Form
a. log2 16 4 24 16
b. log4 1 0 40 1
c. log12 12 1 121 12
4
d. log1/4 4 1
a. 5 25
2
b. 10 0.1
1 c. 8 2/3
4 d. 63
SOLUTION
a. 52 25
log5 25 2
b. 101 0.1
log10 0.1 1
c. 82/3 4 log8 4
d. 63 log6 3
1. log3 81 = 4 2. log7 7 = 1
3. log14 1 = 0 4. log1/2 32 = −5
5. 72 = 49 6. 500 = 1
7. 4−1 =
8. 2561/8 = 2
1.
Logarithm of 1 Logarithm of b with Base b
logb 1 = 0 because b0 = 1. logb b = 1 because b1 = b.
361/2 6, so log36 6 .
d. What power of 36 gives you 6?
Evaluate (a) log 8 and (b) ln 0.3 using technology. Round your answer to
three decimal places.
SOLUTION
Check
Rewrite each logarithm
in exponential form and
a. log 8 0.903
evaluate.
b. ln 0.3 1.204
In other words, exponential functions and logarithmic functions “undo” each other.
SOLUTION
a. 10log 4 = 4 blogb x = x
= 2x logb bx = x
ex = y + 3.
this is written as
Check a. f(f -1(x)) 6log6 x x ✓
f -1(f(x)) log6 6x x ✓
b. f(f -1(x)) ln(ex 3 3) ln ex x ✓
f -1(f(x)) e ln(x + 3) 3 x 3 3 x ✓
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Simplify the expression.
Graph of f(x) = logb x for b > 1 Graph of f(x) = logb x for 0 < b < 1
Note that the y-axis is a vertical asymptote of the graph of f(x) = logb x. The domain of
f(x) = logb x is (0, ∞), and the range is (−∞, ∞).