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Section 6.2 Page 323 To 330
Section 6.2 Page 323 To 330
2
Logarithms
Suppose a new Web site becomes very popular very
quickly. The number of visitors as a function of
time can be modelled using an exponential function.
What if you wanted to describe the time required
for the number of visitors to reach a certain value?
This type of functional relationship can be modelled
using the inverse of an exponential function.
y yb
x
yx
x by
0 x
Because each x-value in the inverse graph gives a unique y-value, the y y bx
inverse is also a function of x. In the inverse function, the y-value is the
exponent to which the base, b, must be raised to produce x, by x. In the yx
mathematics of functions, we usually prefer to express the y-coordinate
in terms of the x-coordinate, so we restate the relationship as y being the y logbx
0 x
logarithm of x to the base b. This relationship is written as y logb x.
23 8 ↔ log2 8 3
5 25
2
↔ log5 25 2
r t
s
↔ logr t s
Using this notation, the logarithm, y, is the exponent to which the base, b,
must be raised to give the value x. The logarithmic function is the inverse
of the exponential function with the same base. Therefore, any equation
x
of the form y b can be written in logarithmic form.
Solution
CONNECTIONS a) 16 24
4 log2 16 is read as “4 equals 4 log2 16
the logarithm of 16 to the base 2.” b) m n3
Notice that in both forms of the logn m 3
equation, the base is 2:
c) 1
32 _
16 24 4 log2 16 9
base ()1
log3 _ 2
9
Note that logarithms can produce negative results, as in part c) above, but
the base of a logarithm can never be negative, zero, or one. Why is this? A
negative base with a non-integer exponent is undefined, log0 0 has an infinite
number of solutions, and log1 x only has meaning for x 1, in which case it
has an infinite number of values.
b) log2 _()
1
8
c) log10 0.01
Solution
a) The logarithm is the exponent to which you must raise a base to produce
a given value.
Let y log3 81
Then, 3y 81
3y 34
y4
Solution
a) log4 64 3
The base is 4 and the exponent is 3. In exponential form, this equation is
43 64.
b) y log x
Because there is no base written, this function is understood to be the
y
common logarithm of x. In exponential form, this is 10 x.
Connecting Reflecting
Solution Communicating
a) log2 10
Method 2: Graphical
Analysis of y ⴝ 2x
Trace the graph of y 2x
and find the value of x
that produces y 10.
Graphing software
can be used to do this.
Later in this chapter, you will analyse a technique for evaluating logarithms
with any base, using a calculator.
exponential function.
exponential function
logarithmic function
0 x
()
d) _1 2 0.25
2
e) log2 8 3
x f) log5 625 4
e) 6 y
f) 105 100 000 g) 2 log _ ( )
1
100
g) _1 33 h) log7 x 2y
27
u
h) v b 5. Sketch a graph of each function. Then, sketch
For help with questions 2 and 3, refer to Example 2. a graph of the inverse of each function. Label
each graph with its equation.
2. Evaluate each logarithm.
a) y 2x
a) log2 64
b) y 4x
b) log3 27
For help with questions 6 to 8, refer to Example 4.
()
1
c) log2 _
4 6. Estimate the value of each logarithm, correct
( )
1 to one decimal place, using a graphical
d) log4 _
64 method.
e) log5 125 a) log2 6
f) log2 1024 b) log4 180
g) log6 363 c) log3 900
h) log3 81 d) log9 0.035
3. Evaluate each common logarithm. 7. Pick one part from question 6. Use a different
graphical method to verify your answer.
a) log 1000
( )
1 8. Evaluate, correct to two decimal places, using
b) log _ a calculator.
10
c) log 1 a) log 425
d) log 0.001 b) log 0.000 037
e) log 104 c) log 9
f) log 1 000 000 d) log 0.2
g) log _( )
1
100
e) log 17
f) log 99
h) log 10 000 g) log 183
h) log 1010