Rules of Logarithms

Descriptions of Logarithm Rules

Rule 1: Product Rule

The logarithm of the product of numbers is the sum of logarithms of individual numbers.

Rule 2: Quotient Rule

The logarithm of the quotient of numbers is the difference of the logarithm of individual numbers.

Rule 3: Power Rule

The logarithm of an exponential number is the exponent times the logarithm of the base.

Rule 4: Zero Rule

The logarithm of 1 with b > 1 equals zero.

Rule 5: Identity Rule

The logarithm of a number that is equal to its base is just 1.

Rule 6: Log of Exponent Rule

The logarithm of an exponential number where its base is the same as the base of the log equals the
exponent.

Rule 7: Exponent of Log Rule

Raising the logarithm of a number by its base equals the number.

Examples of How to Apply the Log Rules

Example 1: Evaluate the expression below using Log Rules.

{\log _2}8 + {\log _2}4log28+log24

Express 8 and 4 as exponential numbers with base 2. Then, apply Power Rule followed by Identity Rule.
After doing so, you add the resulting values to get your final answer.

So the answer is 5.

Example 2: Evaluate the expression below using Log Rules.

{\log _3}162 - {\log _3}2log3162−log32

We can’t express 162 as an exponential number with base 3. It appears that we’re stuck since no rules
can be applied in a direct manner.

However, it’s okay to apply the Logarithm Rules in reverse! Notice that the log expression can be
expressed as one or single logarithmic number through the use of the Quotient Rule backward. Sounds
like a plan.

We did it! By applying the rules in reverse, we generated a single log expression that is easily solvable.
The final answer here is 4.

Example 3: Evaluate the expression below.

It looks like there are so many things going on at the same time. First, check if it is possible to simplify
each of the logarithmic number. If not, start thinking about some of the logarithmic rules that are obviously
applicable.

By observation, we see that there are two bases involved: 5 and 4. So why not put the expressions
together having the same base?  Let’s simplify them separately.

For log with base 5, apply the Power Rule first followed by Quotient Rule. For log with base 4, apply the
Product Rule immediately. Then get the final answer by adding the two values found.

Yep, the final answer is 7.

Example 4: Expand the logarithmic expression below.

{\log _3}\left( {27{x^2}{y^5}} \right)log3(27x2y5)

Inside the parenthesis is a product of factors. Apply the Product Rule to break them up as the sum of
individual log expressions. Make sure that you try your best to simplify numerical expressions into exact
value whenever possible. Use Rule 5 (Identity rule) as much as you can because it can make the
simplification process rather easy.

That’s right! The last line in the detailed solution as shown above is the final answer, although I must
admit that they look a bit “unfinished”.  As long as we know that we correctly applied the rules, it shouldn’t
worry us at all.

Example 5: Expand the logarithmic expression .

The approach is to apply the Quotient Rule first as the difference of two log expressions because they are
in fractional form. Then utilize the Product Rule to separate the product of factors as sum of logarithmic
expressions.
Example 6: Expand the logarithmic expression .

So this one has a radical expression in the denominator. Remember that the square root symbol is the
same as having a power of {1 \over 2}21. Express the radical denominator as {y^{{1 \over 2}}}y21. Just
like problem #5, apply the Quotient Rule for logs and then use the Product Rule.

Example 7: Expand the logarithmic expression .

Problem like this may cause you to doubt if indeed you arrived at the correct answer because the final
answer can still look “unfinished”.  However, as long as you applied the log rules properly in every step,
there’s nothing to worry about.

You might notice  that we need to apply the Quotient Rule first because the expression is in fractional
form.
Natural Logarithm - ln(x)
Natural logarithm is the logarithm to the base e of a number.
 Natural logarithm (ln) definition
 Natural logarithm (ln) rules & properties
o Derivative of natural logarithm (ln)
o Integral of natural logarithm (ln)
 Complex logarithm
 Graph of ln(x)
 Natural logarithms (ln) table
 Natural logarithm calculator

Definition of natural logarithm

When
 y
e  = x
Then base e logarithm of x is

ln(x) = loge(x) = y
 
The e constant or Euler's number is:
e ≈ 2.71828183

Ln as inverse function of exponential function

The natural logarithm function ln(x) is the inverse function of the exponential function e x.
For x>0,
-1 ln(x)
f (f  (x)) = e  = x
Or

f  -1(f (x)) = ln(ex) = x

Natural logarithm rules and properties
Rule
Rule Example
name

ln(3 ∙ 7) =
Product
rule ln(x ∙ y) = ln(x) + ln(y) ln(3) + ln(7
)

ln(3 / 7) =
Quotient
ln(x / y) = ln(x) - ln(y)
rule
ln(3) - ln(7)

ln(28) =
Power
ln(x  y) = y ∙ ln(x)
rule
8∙ ln(2)

ln
derivativ
e
f (x) = ln(x) ⇒ f ' (x) = 1 / x  

ln
integral ∫ ln(x)dx = x ∙ (ln(x) - 1) + C  

ln of
negative
number
ln(x) is undefined when x ≤ 0  

ln(0) is undefined  

ln of zero

ln of one ln(1) = 0  

ln of
infinity lim ln(x) = ∞ ,when x→∞  

Euler's
identity ln(-1) = iπ  

 
Logarithm product rule
The logarithm of the multiplication of x and y is the sum of logarithm of x and logarithm of y.
logb(x ∙ y) = logb(x) + logb(y)
For example:

log10(3 ∙ 7) = log10(3) + log10(7)
Logarithm quotient rule
The logarithm of the division of x and y is the difference of logarithm of x and logarithm of y.

logb(x / y) = logb(x) - logb(y)
For example:

log10(3 / 7) = log10(3) - log10(7)
Logarithm power rule
The logarithm of x raised to the power of y is y times the logarithm of x.
y
log (x  ) = y ∙ log (x)
b b
For example:

log10(28) = 8∙ log10(2)
Derivative of natural logarithm
The derivative of the natural logarithm function is the reciprocal function.
When

f (x) = ln(x)
The derivative of f(x) is:

f ' (x) = 1 / x
Integral of natural logarithm
The integral of the natural logarithm function is given by:
When

f (x) = ln(x)
The integral of f(x) is:

∫ f (x)dx = ∫ ln(x)dx = x ∙ (ln(x) - 1) + C

Ln of 0
The natural logarithm of zero is undefined:

ln(0) is undefined
The limit near 0 of the natural logarithm of x, when x approaches zero, is minus infinity:

Ln of 1
The natural logarithm of one is zero:

ln(1) = 0
Ln of infinity
The limit of natural logarithm of infinity, when x approaches infinity is equal to infinity:

lim ln(x) = ∞, when x→∞

Complex logarithm
For complex number z:
iθ
z = re  = x + iy
The complex logarithm will be (n = ...-2,-1,0,1,2,...):

Log z = ln(r) + i(θ+2nπ) = ln(√(x2+y2)) + i·arctan(y/x))

Graph of ln(x)
ln(x) is not defined for real non positive values of x:
Natural logarithms table
x ln x

0 undefined

0+ -∞

0.0001 -9.210340

0.001 -6.907755

0.01 -4.605170

0.1 -2.302585

1 0

2 0.693147

e ≈
1
2.7183

3 1.098612

4 1.386294

5 1.609438

6 1.791759

7 1.945910

8 2.079442

9 2.197225

10 2.302585

20 2.995732
 30 3.401197

40 3.688879

50 3.912023

60 4.094345

70 4.248495

80 4.382027

90 4.499810

100 4.605170

200 5.298317

300 5.703782

400 5.991465

500 6.214608

600 6.396930

700 6.551080

800 6.684612

900 6.802395

1000 6.907755

10000 9.210340