Objectives

– Use common logarithms.

– Use natural logarithms.
– Evaluate logarithms.
Logarithmic Functions – Change from logarithmic to exponential form.
– Change from exponential to logarithmic form.
– Use basic logarithmic properties.

Flashback Inverse of y = 3x
Consider the graph of the exponential function
f (x) = 3x
y = f(x) = 3x.
y = 3x
x = 3y
• Is f(x) one-to-one?
• Does f(x) have an Now, solve for y.
inverse that is a
function? y= the power to which 3 must be raised in
order to obtain x.
• Find the inverse.

Symbolically, y = log 3 x

“The logarithm, base 3, of x.”

Common Logarithms Example

• Find each of the following common logarithms on a
calculator.
Logarithms, base 10, are called common
Round to four decimal places.
logarithms.
a) log 723,456
F o r a ll p o s it iv e n u m b e r s x ,
b) log (−4)
lo g x = lo g 1 0 x

Log button on your calculator

is the common log.

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 Natural logarithms Natural logarithms
• Logarithms, base e, are called natural • Logarithmic functions that involve base e are
logarithms. found throughout nature
• ln(x) represents the natural log of x, which • Calculators have a button “ln” which
has a base = e represents the natural log.
• What is e? If you plug large values into
x
⎛ 1 ⎞ you get closer and closer to e.
⎜1 + ⎟
log e x = ln( x)
⎝ x⎠

Example
Logarithm
• Find each of the following natural logarithms on a
calculator.
For all positive numbers b, where b ≠ 1,
Round to four decimal places. ≠
a) ln 723,456
b y =x is equivalent to y=logb x
b) ln (−4)
Logbx is an exponent to which the base b
must be raised to obtain x.

Domain Restrictions
for Logarithmic Functions Logarithmic Form Exponential Form
• Since a positive number raised to an exponent
(positive or negative) always results in a positive loga x = y → exponent exp onent
value, you can ONLY take the logarithm of a
POSITIVE NUMBER. ↓ ↑
• Remember, the question is: What POWER can I Argument
raise the base to, to get this value? base (always ay = x
• DOMAIN RESTRICTION: positive) ↓
y = log b x, x > 0 base
All a log is . . . is an exponent!

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 Example Example

• Convert each of the following to a logarithmic • Convert each of the following to an

equation. exponential equation.
a) 25 = 5x b) ew = 30
a) log7 343 = 3

b) logb R = 12

Rewrite the following exponential Finding Logarithms

expression as a logarithmic one. • Find each of the following logarithms.
a) log2 16
3( x + 2 ) = 7
b) log10 1000

c) log16 4

d) log10 0.001
1 1
= = 10−3.
1000 103

Example
Summary of Properties of Logarithms E valuate each exp ression w ithout using a calcula tor .

F o r a > 0 , a ¹1 ,a n d a n y re a l n u m b e r k , a.) log 6 6

1 . lo g a a = 1 , ln e = 1
b.) log11 11
2 . lo g a 1 = 0 , ln 1 = 0
c.) ln 1

A d d itio n a l L o g a rith m ic P ro p e rtie s

d.) log15 1
3 . lo g a a k = k

e.) lo g 4 4 6
4 . a lo g a k = k , k > 0