Logarithm Cheat Sheet

log
a
b = c is equivalent to a
c
= b --- fundamental concept!!!

1. log
a
a = 1 Rewritten as an exponential expression
a
1
= a therefore a = a !

2. log
a
1 = 0 Rewritten as an exponential expression
a
0
= 1 (assuming a " 0) therefore 1 = 1 !

3. log
a
a
b
= b Rewritten as an exponential expression
a
b
= a
b
!

4. a
loga b
= b Rewritten as an exponential expression
log
a
b = log
a
b!

5. log
a
b + log
a
c = log
a
(bc) Rewritten as an exponential expression
a
loga b + loga c
= bc
a
loga b
a
loga c
= bc


b c

= bc !

6. log
a
b - log
a
c = log
a
Rewritten as an exponential expression
a
log
a
b - log
a
c
=
a
log
a
b
a
log
a
c
=


b c

=
= !
7. log
c
a
b
= b log
c
a Rewritten as an exponential expression
c
b log
c
a
= a
b

(c
b
)
log
c
a
= a
b
or (c
log
c
a
)
b
= a
b

using the second one allows us to state
(a)
b
= a
b
!

8. log
a
b = Recalling that a
log
a
b
= b, we can rewrite
log
c
b = log
c
a
log
a
b
-by substituting the above value for b

log
c
b = log
a
b log
c
a -by using rule #7


= log
a
b ! -by dividing both sides by logc a

x
x
x