5.

Logarithmic Functions
Tony U
University of Macau

Outline

1 Logarithms

2 Natural Logarithms

3 Summary

Logarithms

Logarithms

For a, b > 0 and b 6= 1, we have a = b x

In the above expression, x is defined as the logarithm of a to
the base b
For simplicity: we denote x = logb a where b 6= 1

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Logarithms

Example 1

Solve the following expressions

(a) log2 8 
(b) log3 91

(d) log2

(c) log0.15 (0.0225)

(f) loge (e 6 )

(e) log3 (1)

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Logarithms

Sol.: (a) log2 8 = log2 23 = 3

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Logarithms

Sol.: (a) log2 8 = log2 23 = 3

 
(b) log3 19 = log3 32 = 2

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Logarithms

Sol.: (a) log2 8 = log2 23 = 3

 
(b) log3 19 = log3 32 = 2
(c) log0.15 (0.0225) = log0.15 0.152 = 2

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Logarithms

Sol.: (a) log2 8 = log2 23 = 3

 
(b) log3 19 = log3 32 = 2
(c) log0.15 (0.0225) = log0.15 0.152 = 2
(d) log2

2 = log2 20.5 = 0.5

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Logarithms

Sol.: (a) log2 8 = log2 23 = 3

 
(b) log3 19 = log3 32 = 2
(c) log0.15 (0.0225) = log0.15 0.152 = 2
(d) log2

2 = log2 20.5 = 0.5

(e) log3 (1) = log3 30 = 0

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Logarithms

Sol.: (a) log2 8 = log2 23 = 3

 
(b) log3 19 = log3 32 = 2
(c) log0.15 (0.0225) = log0.15 0.152 = 2
(d) log2

2 = log2 20.5 = 0.5

(e) log3 (1) = log3 30 = 0

(f) loge (e 6 ) = 6.

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Natural Logarithms

Natural Logarithms

Natural logarithms: logarithm with base e

For simplicity, loge b is denoted as ln b
Law of logarithms is consistent in natural logarithms

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Natural Logarithms

Law of natural logarithms. Let x, y be positive real numbers.

(i) ln x + ln y = ln xy
x 
(ii) ln x ln y = ln
y
(iii) ln(x ) = ln x, can be any real number
(iv) x = y ln x = ln y
In particular, ln 1 = 0, ln e = 1, e ln x = x and logx y =

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ln y
ln x

Natural Logarithms

Natural logarithmic function: f (x) = ln x

Dom(f ) = {x R

and

x > 0}

Range(f ) = R
As x tends to zero, ln x is very negative

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Natural Logarithms

1.5
1
0.5

y=lnx

0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5

0.5

1.5

2
x

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2.5

3.5

Natural Logarithms

Example 2
Suppose the population of a developing country grows
exponentially at the rate of 5% p.a. How long will it take to
double the countrys present population?

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Natural Logarithms

Example 2
Suppose the population of a developing country grows
exponentially at the rate of 5% p.a. How long will it take to
double the countrys present population?
Sol.: Let the initial population be a then the population function
P(t) = ae 0.05t , Therefore the time that doubles the population is
P(t)/P(0) = 2
e 0.05t

= 2

0.05t

= ln 2

t = 13.86(years).

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Natural Logarithms

Example 3
A culture of bacteria E. coli is being grown in a medium consisting
of inorganic salts and glucose. The bacterium has an initial
population of 106 per millimeter and it grows at an exponential
rate with growth constant k = 0.7 per hour.
a. Determine the exponential growth function f (t), where t is in
hours.
b. What is the doubling time?
c. What is the tripling time?

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Natural Logarithms

(a) Determine the exponential growth function f (t), where t is in

hours.

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Natural Logarithms

(a) Determine the exponential growth function f (t), where t is in

hours.
Sol.: f (t) = 106 e 0.7t

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Natural Logarithms

(a) Determine the exponential growth function f (t), where t is in

hours.
Sol.: f (t) = 106 e 0.7t
(b) What is the doubling time?

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Natural Logarithms

(a) Determine the exponential growth function f (t), where t is in

hours.
Sol.: f (t) = 106 e 0.7t
(b) What is the doubling time?
Sol.: t =

ln 2
= 0.99(hr )
0.7

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Natural Logarithms

(a) Determine the exponential growth function f (t), where t is in

hours.
Sol.: f (t) = 106 e 0.7t
(b) What is the doubling time?
Sol.: t =

ln 2
= 0.99(hr )
0.7

(c) What is the tripling time?

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Natural Logarithms

(a) Determine the exponential growth function f (t), where t is in

hours.
Sol.: f (t) = 106 e 0.7t
(b) What is the doubling time?
Sol.: t =

ln 2
= 0.99(hr )
0.7

(c) What is the tripling time?

Sol.: t =

ln 3
= 1.57(hrs)
0.7

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Natural Logarithms

Example 4
A yeast culture grows at an exponential rate. The population of
the culture doubles after 5 hours. Determine the growth constant
k. (Hint: Let V0 be the initial value).

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Natural Logarithms

Example 4
A yeast culture grows at an exponential rate. The population of
the culture doubles after 5 hours. Determine the growth constant
k. (Hint: Let V0 be the initial value).
Sol.: Let V0 be the initial value, then the value at time t is
V (t) = V0 e kt ,
e k5 = V (5)/V (0) = 2
ln 2
k =
5
k = 0.1386.

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Natural Logarithms

Example 5
A radioactive isotope used to check the thyroid gland has a decay
constant k = 0.150. If a tracer of 4 units of the isotope is
introduced into the bloodstream:
a. Determine the exponential decay function f (t), where t is in
days.
b. What amount of radioactivity is expected to be in the blood
after 8 days?
c. What is the half-life for the isotope?

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Natural Logarithms

(a) Determine the exponential decay function f (t), where t is in

days.

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Natural Logarithms

(a) Determine the exponential decay function f (t), where t is in

days.
Sol.: f (t) = 4e 0.15t

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Natural Logarithms

(a) Determine the exponential decay function f (t), where t is in

days.
Sol.: f (t) = 4e 0.15t
(b) What amount of radioactivity is expected to be in the blood
after 8 days?

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Natural Logarithms

(a) Determine the exponential decay function f (t), where t is in

days.
Sol.: f (t) = 4e 0.15t
(b) What amount of radioactivity is expected to be in the blood
after 8 days?
Sol.: The expected amount
f (8) = 4e 0.15(8) = 1.2(units)

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Natural Logarithms

(c) What is the half-life for the isotope?

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Natural Logarithms

(c) What is the half-life for the isotope?

Sol.: f (t) = 2/4 = 0.5,
= f (t)/f (0) = 0.5
ln 0.5
t =
0.15
t = 4.62(days).

e 0.15t

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Natural Logarithms

Example 6
Suppose that the worlds population (in billions) t years after 1960
40
, where C and k
is given by a logistic function P(t) =
1 + Ce kt
are positive constants.
a. Find the function of this form that is consistent with the fact
that the worlds population was approximately 3 billions in
1960 and 4 billions in 1975.
b. According to the model, what will the population be in the
year 2000?

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Natural Logarithms

(a) Find the function of this form that is consistent with the fact
that the worlds population was approximately 3 billions in 1960
and 4 billions in 1975.

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Natural Logarithms

(a) Find the function of this form that is consistent with the fact
that the worlds population was approximately 3 billions in 1960
and 4 billions in 1975.
Sol.: P(0) = 3 and P(15) = 4,
40
1 + Ce k(0)
40
1+C
C

= P(0) = 3
= 3
=

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37
,
3

Natural Logarithms

and
40
1+
4+

37 k(15)
3 e

= P(15) = 4

148 k(15)
e
= 40
3
e 15k

27
37

15k = ln

27
37

k = 0.021,

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Natural Logarithms

thus the population function

P(t) =

40
1+

37 0.021t
3 e

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Natural Logarithms

thus the population function

P(t) =

40
1+

37 0.021t
3 e

(b) According to the model, what will the population be in the

year 2000?

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Natural Logarithms

thus the population function

P(t) =

40
1+

37 0.021t
3 e

(b) According to the model, what will the population be in the

year 2000?
Sol.: The population in the year 2000
40

P(40) =

37 0.021(40)
3 e

1+
P(40) = 6.325(billions)

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Summary

Summary

Logarithmic function (logb a): inverse function of exponential

function, b 6= 1 is the base.
Natural logarithmic function [f (x) = ln x]: logarithmic
function with the base equals natural exponent e.
Law of natural logarithms
Domain of f is all positive real numbers.
Range of f is all real numbers

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