1.

5
Exponential and
Logarithmic
Functions
 Exponential Function

The function defined by

f ( x ) b x (b  0, b 1)

is called an exponential function with base b

and exponent x.
The domain of f is the set of all real numbers.

2
Laws of Exponents
Let a and b be positive numbers and let x and
y be real numbers. Then,

1. b x b y b x  y
bx x y
2. b
by

3. b 
x y
b xy

ab  a xb x
x
4.
x
a ax
5.    x
 b b
3
 Example
Let f(x) = 22x – 1. Find the value of x for which f(x) = 16.
Solution

4
 Example solution
Let f(x) = 22x – 1. Find the value of x for which f(x) = 16.
Solution
We want to solve the equation
22x – 1 = 16 = 24
But this equation holds if and only if
2x – 1 = 4
giving x = 5/2

5
 Example
Simplify :
3
4
a)  8
2
3 4
(2 y )
b)
10
4y

6
 Example
Sketch the graph of the exponential function f(x) = 2x.

7
 Example
Sketch the graph of the exponential function f(x) = (1/2)x.

8
 Example solution
Sketch the graph of the exponential function f(x) = (1/2)x.
Solution
Note the symmetry between the two functions:

y
4
f(x) = 2x

2
f(x) = (1/2)x
x
–2 2
9
Properties of Exponential Functions
The exponential function y = bx (b > 0, b ≠ 1) has the
following properties:
1. Its domain is (– , ).
2. Its range is (0, ).
3. Its graph passes through the point (0, 1)
4. It is continuous on (– , ).
5. It is increasing on (– , ) if b > 1 and
decreasing on (– , ) if b < 1.

10
 The Base e
Exponential functions to the base e, where e is an irrational
number whose value is 2.7182818…, play an important role
in both theoretical and applied problems.
It can be shown that
m
 1
e  lim  1  
m 
 m

11
 Example
Sketch the graph of the exponential function f(x) = ex.

12
 Example solution
Sketch the graph of the exponential function f(x) = e–x.

13
 Example
x
Sketch the graph of the exponential function f ( x) e

14
 Example solution
x
Sketch the graph of the exponential function f ( x) e
Solution
Sketching the graph:
y
5

3
–x f(x) = ex
f(x) = e

1 x
–3 –1 1 3
15
 Example
e x
Sketch the graph of the exponential function f ( x)  1 .
2

x
16
 Example
e x
Sketch the graph of the exponential function f ( x)  1 .
2

x
17
 Logarithmic Function

The function defined by

f ( x ) log b x (b  0, b 1)
is called the logarithmic function with base b.
The domain of f is the set of all positive numbers.

18
19
 Logarithms

We’ve discussed exponential equations of the form y = bx

(b > 0, b ≠ 1)
But what about solving the same equation for y?
You may recall that y is called the logarithm of x to the base
b, and is denoted logbx.

Logarithm of x to the base b

y = logbx if and only if x = by (x > 0)

20
 Example
compute log28

21
 Example solution

compute log28
Solution
Let y= log28
By definition, implies 8 = 2y.
23= 2y
Y=3

Log28=3

22
 Example
Solve log3x = 4 for x

23
 Example solution
Solve log3x = 4 for x:
Solution
By definition, log3x = 4 implies x = 34 = 81.

24
 Example
Solve log164 = x for x:

25
 Example solution
Solve log164 = x for x:
Solution
log164 = x is equivalent to 4 = 16x = (42)x = 42x, or 41 = 42x,
from which we deduce that
2 x 1
1
x
2

26
 Example
Solve logx8 = 3 for x:

27
 Example solution
Solve logx8 = 3 for x:
Solution
By definition, we see that logx8 = 3 is equivalent to

8 23  x 3
x 2

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 Logarithmic Notation

log x= log10 x Common logarithm

ln x= loge x Natural logarithm

29
 Laws of Logarithms
If m and n are positive numbers, then
log b mn log b m  log b n
1.
m
log b log b m  log b n
n
2.
log b m n n log b m
3.
log b 1 0
4.
log b b 1
5.
30
 Example
Given that log 2 ≈ 0.3010, log 3 ≈ 0.4771, and log 5 ≈ 0.6990,
use the laws of logarithms to find

log15

31
 Example solution
Given that log 2 ≈ 0.3010, log 3 ≈ 0.4771, and log 5 ≈ 0.6990,
use the laws of logarithms to find

log15 log 3 5
log 3  log 5
0.4771  0.6990
1.1761

32
 Example
Use the properties of logarithms to solve the equation for x:
log x  log(2 x  1) log 6

33
 Example solution
Use the properties of logarithms to solve the equation for x:
log x  log(2 x  1) log 6
log x  log(2 x  1)  log 6 0
x (2 x  1)
log 0 Laws 1
6
and 2
x (2 x  1) Definition
100 1
6 of
x (2 x  1) 6 logarithm
2 x 2  x  6 0 s

(2 x  3)( x  2) 0 3
x  is out of
2
x 2 the domain of log x ,
so it is discarded.34
Graph of Logarithmic Functions

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Properties of Logarithmic Functions
The logarithmic function
y = logbx (b > 0, b ≠ 1)
has the following properties:
1. Its domain is (0, ).
2. Its range is (– , ).
3. Its graph passes through the point (1, 0).
4. It is continuous on (0, ).
5. It is increasing on (0, ) if b > 1
and decreasing on (0, ) if b < 1.

36
Properties of Logarithmic Functions

The logarithmic function

Log10 x
Log b x 
Log10b

Is used when the base of the logarithmic function is not

equal to 10

37
 Example
Compute Log 3 8

Solution :
Log10 8 0.903
Log 3 8   1.893
Log10 3 0.477

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 Example
Sketch the graph of the function y = ln x and y = ex.

39
 Example solution
Sketch the graph of the function y = ln x.
Solution
We first sketch the graph of y = ex.
y y = ex
y=x

y = ln x
1
x
1

40
 Properties Relating Exponential and Logarithmic Functions

Properties relating ex and ln x:

eln x = x (x > 0)
ln ex = x (for any real number x)

41
 Example
Solve the equation 2ex + 2 = 5.

42
 Example solution
Solve the equation 2ex + 2 = 5.
Solution
Divide both sides of the equation by 2 to obtain:
x 2 5
e  2.5
2
Take the natural logarithm of each side of the equation and
solve:
ln e x 2 ln 2.5
( x  2) ln e ln 2.5
x  2 ln 2.5
x  2  ln 2.5
x  1.08
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 Example
Solve the equation 5 ln x + 3 = 0.

44
 Example solution
Solve the equation 5 ln x + 3 = 0.
Solution
Add – 3 to both sides of the equation and then divide both
sides of the equation by 5 to obtain:
5ln x  3
3
ln x   0.6
5
and so:

eln x e  0.6
x e  0.6
x 0.55

45
 Example
Solve the equation e 2 x  3e x  2 0

e   3e  2 0
x 2 x

e  1e  20
x x

e x  1 0 or e x  2
e x 1 or e x 2
x 2 or x ln 2

46
 Example solution
Solve the equation
2x x
e  3e  2 0
e   3e  2 0
x 2 x

e  1e  20
x x

x x
e  1 0 or e  2
x x
e 1 or e 2
x 2 or x ln 2
47
 Example
a) Express the given quantity as a single logarithm
1
3
1

ln( x  2) 3  ln x  ln( x 2  3 x  2) 2
2

b) Solve the equation
1
3
1
 
ln( x  2) 3  ln x  ln( x 2  3 x  2) 2 0
2

48
Example solution

49
 Example
a)

50
51
Example

a ) find f  1 ( x)
b) Find the domain and range of f  1 ( x)

52
Example

a ) find f  1 ( x)
b) Find the domain and range of f  1 ( x)

53
54
Hyperbolic Functions

55
Hyperbolic Functions
Certain even and odd combinations of the exponential
functions ex and e–x arise so frequently in mathematics and
its applications that they deserve to be given special
names.

In many ways they are analogous to the trigonometric

functions, and they have the same relationship to the
hyperbola that the trigonometric functions have to the
circle.

56
Hyperbolic Functions
For this reason they are collectively called hyperbolic
functions and individually called hyperbolic sine,
hyperbolic cosine, and so on.

57
Graphs of Hyperbolic Functions

58
Hyperbolic Functions
The hyperbolic functions satisfy a number of identities that
are similar to well-known trigonometric identities.

We list some of them here and leave most of the proofs to

the exercises.

59
Example
Prove (a) cosh2x – sinh2x = 1 and

(b) 1 – tanh2x = sech2x.

Solution:
(a) cosh2x – sinh2x =

=1
60
Example 1 – Solution cont’d

(b) We start with the identity proved in part (a):

cosh2x – sinh2x = 1

If we divide both sides by cosh2x, we get

or

61
Inverse Hyperbolic Functions

62
Inverse Hyperbolic Functions
The sinh and tanh are one-to-one functions and so they
have inverse functions denoted by sinh–1 and tanh–1. The
cosh is not one-to-one, but when restricted to the domain
[0, ) it becomes one-to-one.

The inverse hyperbolic cosine function is defined as the

inverse of this restricted function.

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Inverse Hyperbolic Functions
We can sketch the graphs of sinh–1, cosh–1, and tanh–1 in
Figures 8, 9, and 10.

domain = range = domain = [1, ) range = [0, )

Figure 8 Figure 9

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Inverse Hyperbolic Functions

domain = (–1, 1) range =

Figure 10

65
Inverse Hyperbolic Functions
Since the hyperbolic functions are defined in terms of
exponential functions, it’s not surprising to learn that the
inverse hyperbolic functions can be expressed in terms of
logarithms.

In particular, we have:

66
Example 3
Show that sinh–1x =
Solution:
Let y = sinh–1x. Then

so ey – 2x – e–y = 0

or, multiplying by ey,

e2y – 2xey – 1 = 0

67
Example 3 – Solution cont’d

This is really a quadratic equation in ey:

(ey)2 – 2x(ey) – 1 = 0

Solving by the quadratic formula, we get

Note that ey > 0, but

68
Example 3 – Solution cont’d

Thus the minus sign is inadmissible and we have

Therefore

This shows that

69
Example

70
Example – Solution

71