LESSON 9: LOGARITHMIC FUNCTION

Like other functions, the logarithmic function is a powerful tool in problem solving. Since
logarithmic functions and exponential functions are inverses, the properties of logarithm follow
directly from the laws of exponents

Think of the logarithm of to the base (denoted by ) as the exponent of that gives
.
For example, because . Some additional examples are given below.
(a) because
(b) because
(c) ( ) because

Example 1: Without using a calculator, find the value of the following logarithmic
expressions.
(a) (d)
(b)
(e)
(c)
(f)
√
Solution:
a. What exponent of will give Answer: 5
b. What exponent of will give Answer: 3
c. What exponent of will give Answer: 1
d. What exponent of will give Answer:
e. What exponent of will give Answer: 0
f. What exponent of will give Answer:
√

DEFINITION OF LOGARITHMS

Let 𝑎 and 𝑏 be positive real numbers such that 𝑏 ≠ . The logarithm of 𝒂 with base 𝒃, denoted by
𝐥𝐨𝐠𝒃 𝒂, is defined as the number such that 𝑏log𝑏𝑎 𝑎. That is 𝑏 𝑎 is the exponent that 𝑏 must be
raised to produce 𝑎.

The following table shows how the expressions in Example 1 are written using two equivalent forms.
The following table shows how the expressions in Example 1 are written using two equivalent forms.

Logarithmic Form Exponential Form

( )
 √ √

Exponential and Logarithmic Forms

Logarithmic Form:

Exponential Form:

 In both logarithmic and exponential forms, is the base.

 In the exponential form, is an exponent. But . This implies that the logarithm is actually
an exponent.
 In , cannot be negative. For example, is not defined since raised to any
exponent will never result to a negative number.
 The value of can be negative. For example, because .

Have you ever noticed the function in your calculator? What is the base of the logarithm here?
There is none. Why is there no base here?
Such logarithm is called common logarithm

Common logarithms are logarithms with base ; the base is usually omitted when writing common

Natural logarithms are logarithms with base (which is approximately ) denoted by In other
words, is another way of writing .

EXPANDING AND CONDENSING LOGARITHMS

When you are asked to expand logarithmic expressions, your goal is to express a single
logarithmic expression into many individual parts or components. This process is the exact
opposite of condensing logarithms because you compress a bunch of logarithmic expressions
into a simpler one.

The properties of logarithm are very useful in expanding and condensing logarithms.

PROPERTIES OF LOGARITHM
Property 1: Logarithm of Product
bM+ bN b MN
The logarithm of the product of numbers is the sum of logarithms of individual numbers.

Property 2: Logarithm of Quotient

𝑀
𝑏 𝑀 𝑏 𝑁 𝑏
𝑁
The logarithm of the quotient of numbers is the difference of the logarithm of individual numbers.

.
Property 3: Logarithm of Powers of Positive Real Number
𝑁
𝑏𝑀 𝑁 𝑏 𝑀
The logarithm of an exponential number is the exponent times the logarithm of the base.

Property 4: Logarithm of Identity

𝑏 𝑏
The logarithm of a number that is equal to its base is just . Since the number is also the base 𝑏, that
means < 𝑏 < .

Example 1: Use the properties of logarithm to expand the following expressions.

a.
Solution:

(logarithm of a quotient)
+ + (logarithm of a product)
+ +

b.
Solution:

(logarithm of a quotient)
+ (logarithm of a product)
+ (logarithm of a power of a positive real number)

c.
√
Solution:

√
√ (logarithm of a quotient)
+ (logarithm of a product )
+ (logarithm of a power of a positive real numbers)

Example 2: Use the properties of logarithm to condense the following expressions.

Solution:

a. +
+ (logarithm of a power of a positive real number)
√ +
√ (logarithm of a product)
b. + +
Solution:
+ + (logarithm of a power of a positive real number)

+ ( ) +
+ + (logarithm of a product)

c. +
Solution:
+ (logarithm of identity)
+ (logarithm of a quotient)
+ (logarithm of a product)