The Natural Logarithm Function You studied logarithms previously in either an algebra course or a precalculus course.

Depending on how the course was organized you were introduced to logarithms in one of two ways: 1. The logarithm of a quantity, Q, is the exponent which must be applied to a constant base in order to get the number, Q. This is often summarized in the following very compact statement: t bu u log b t In words (which are easier to remember than mathematical symbols) this says "the statement u equals the log base b of t is equivalent to the statement t equals b raised to the u power." A couple of examples with specific numbers would be 3 log 5 125 125 5 3 2 log 10 0. 01 0. 01 10
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In this last example the logarithm symbol, log 10 , could have been written just log, since it is understood, internationally, that log without a specified base is base ten. In calculus almost all logarithms are done in base e. You were introduced to e in that previous course. It is defined as x e lim 1 1 2. 718 x x Make sure you know how to find powers of e on your calculator using the e x built-in function. (If you have trouble doing this, post a question.) Logarithms in base e are called natural logarithms and are written with the symbol ln, i.e. ln x log e x. Find this on your calculator, too, probably on the same key you used for e x . It might seem rather strange to use a number like e as the base of anything, but it turns out that some calculus formulas are simpler using base e than in any other base. In other words, get used to it. 2. The second way that logarithms are introduced is by defining them as being the inverse (not reciprocal!) of the exponential function, y b x . Recalling that the inverse of a function "undoes" whatever the function "does" we can see this in the equivalence statement above. We put u in the exponential function, getting t. Then t was put into the logarithm function, producing the u, the number we started with. Thus the logarithm function "undid" the exponential function. Now these two methods of introducing the concept of logarithm are equivalent and both correct. Our calculus text uses yet another way to introduce the logarithm function, using an integral. x 1 dt, ln x where x 0. 1 t This may seem really strange, but dont lose sight of the fact that it is the same logarithm function you studied before. You are just learning more about it. So read about it, re-memorize its properties, and get ready to do calculus with logarithms, base e.