Logarithms

Outline
Definition
Properties of Logarithms
Change of base formula
Equations involving Logarithms
LOGARITHMS
March 15, 2021
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Outline
1 Definition
2 Properties of Logarithms
3 Change of base formula
4 Equations involving Logarithms
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Definition
The logarithm of a number N to a given base b is the exponent k

to which b must be raised to give N. Therefore, logb N = k if and
only if N = b k .
For example,
i. 32 = 25 if and only if log2 32 = 5
ii. 1000 = 103 if and only if log10 1000 = 3
1
iii. = 3−4 if and only if log3 81
1
= −4
81
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Let b, M and N be positive real numbers with b 6= 1 and let p be

a real number. Then
1. logb 1 = 0
2. logb b = 1
3. logb MN = logb M + logb N
4. logb ( M
N ) = logb M − logb N
5. logb M p = p logb M
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Proof
1. Let logb M = k. Then

M = bk (1.1)
When k = 0 in (1.1), we obtain
M = b0 = 1
Hence, we have
logb 1 = 0.
2. Put k = 1 in (1.1). Then M = b and so logb b = 1.
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Proof
3. Let logb M = x and logb N = y . Then
M = bx (1.2)
and
N = by (1.3)
Multiplying (1.2) and (1.3), we have
MN = b x · b y = b x+y
Therefore,
logb (MN) = x + y = logb M + logb N.
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Proof
4. Proceeding with the same notations as in (3) and dividing

equation (1.2) by equation (1.3), we have
M bx
= y = b x−y
N b
Therefore,
M
logb = x − y = logb M − logb N.
N
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Proof
5. Let logb M = x. Then

M = bx
and so M p = (b x )p = b xp Therefore,
logb M p = xp = px = p logb M.
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Remarks
1. Negative numbers and zero do not have logarithms.

2. For any positive real numbers N and M,
logb N = logb M if and only if N = M
3. Note that
logb M
6= logb M − logb N
logb N
and
logb (M + N) 6= logb M + logb N
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Remarks
4. The two most common bases used in logarithm are 10 and e

where e is a real number with numerical value of
2.7182818284....The logarithm of a number, x, to base e is
called the natural logarithm of x and it’s written as ln x. Thus
ln x = y if and only if x = e y
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Example 1
Evaluate each of the following expressions.

1. log4 2 + log4 32
2. log2 80 − log2 5
log3 128
3.
log3 16
Solution:
1. log4 2+log4 32 = log4 (2·32) = log4 64 = log4 43 = 3 log4 4 = 3
2. log2 80 − log2 5 = log2 ( 80 4
5 ) = log2 16 = log2 2 = 4 log2 2 = 4
log3 128 log3 27 7 log3 2 7
3. = 4
= = = 1.75
log3 16 log3 2 4 log3 2 4
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Example 2
Given that ln 2 = 0.6931, ln 3 = 1.0986 and ln 5 = 1.6094, evaluate

the following.
i. ln 108
ii. ln 7.5
Solution:
i. ln 108 = ln(2 × 2 × 3 × 3 × 3) = ln(22 × 33 ) = ln 22 + ln 33 =
2 ln 2 + 3 ln 3 = (2 × 0.6931) + (3 × 1.0986) = 4.682
ii. ln 7.5 = ln( 15
2 ) = ln 15 − ln 2 = ln(3 × 5) − ln 2 =
ln 3 + ln 5 − ln 2 = 1.0986 + 1.6094 − 0.6931 = 2.0149
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Let logb x = y . Then

x = by .
Taking the logarithm of both sides of this equation to base a, we
have
loga x = loga b y = y loga b.
Therefore,
loga x
y= .
loga b
Hence,
loga x
logb x = (Change of base formula)
loga b
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Example 3
1. Find the value of log8 32.

2. Given that log2 x 2 = log4 81
3. Simplify log4 ((x 2 + 1)2 − (x 2 − 1)2 ) − log2 2x
Solution:
1. Since 32 = 25 and 8 = 23 , we change the expression to base 2.
log2 32 log2 25 5 log2 2 5 2

log8 32 = = 3
= = =1
log2 8 log2 2 3 log2 2 3 3
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Solution
2. Changing the left hand side of the equation to base 4, we have
log4 x 2
= log4 81
log4 2
log4 x 2 4
1 = log4 3
log4 4 2
2 log4 x
1
= 4 log4 3
2 log4 4
4 log4 x = 4 log4 3
∴ x =3
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
3. Using the difference of two squares formula

a2 − b 2 = (a − b)(a + b), we obtain
log4 ((x 2 + 1)2 − (x 2 − 1)2 ) − log2 2x

log4 2x
= log4 [((x 2 + 1) − (x 2 − 1))((x 2 + 1) + (x 2 − 1))] −
log4 2
log4 2x
= log4 (2(2x 2 )) − 1
log4 4 2
log 2x
= log4 4x 2 − 1 4
2 log4 4
= log4 (2x)2 − 2 log4 2x
= 2 log4 2x − 2 log4 2x
=0
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Equations involving Logarithms:

Example 4
Solve the following equations:

i. log2 (3x − 1) = 5
ii. ln x + ln 4 = ln(x − 4)
iii. log5 (x + 6) + log5 (x + 2) = 1
iv. 23x−2 = 5
v. 5x−2 = 33x+2
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Solution
i.
log2 (3x − 1) = 5
3x − 1 = 25 = 32
3x = 32 + 1 = 33
x = 11
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Solution
ii.
ln x + ln 4 = ln(x + 4)
ln(x + 4) − ln x = ln 4
x +4
ln( ) = ln 4
x
x +4
=4
x
x + 4 = 4x
3x = 4
1
x =1
3
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Solution
iii.
log5 (x + 6) + log5 (x + 2) = 1
log5 [(x + 6)(x + 2)] = 1
(x + 6)(x + 2) = 51 = 5
x 2 + 8x + 12 = 5
x 2 + 8x + 7 = 0
(x + 7)(x + 1) = 0
x = −1 or − 7
When x = −7, log5 (x + 6) = log(−7 + 6) = log(−1) and

log5 (x + 2) = log(−7 + 2) = log(−5) are undefined. Hence,
x = −1 is the only solution.
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Solution
iv.
23x−2 = 5
23x · 2−2 = 5
1
23x · 2 = 5
2
23x = 20
ln 23x = ln 20
3x ln 2 = ln 20
ln 20
x= = 1.44
3 ln 2
LOGARITHMS
Outline
Definition
Solution
v.
5x−2 = 33x+2
ln 5x−2 = ln 33x+2
(x − 2) ln 5 = (3x + 2) ln 3
x ln 5 − 2 ln 5 = 3x ln 3 + 2 ln 3
x ln 5 − 3x ln 3 = 2 ln 3 + 2 ln 5
x(ln 5 − 3 ln 3) = 2 ln 3 + 2 ln 5
2 ln 3 + 2 ln 5
x= = −3.21 (to 3 sig. fig.)
ln 5 − 3 ln 3
LOGARITHMS

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Outline

March 15, 2021

3 Change of base formula

4 Equations involving Logarithms

The logarithm of a number N to a given base b is the exponent k

Let b, M and N be positive real numbers with b 6= 1 and let p be

1. Let logb M = k. Then

logb (MN) = x + y = logb M + logb N.

4. Proceeding with the same notations as in (3) and dividing

5. Let logb M = x. Then

1. Negative numbers and zero do not have logarithms.

logb N = logb M if and only if N = M

4. The two most common bases used in logarithm are 10 and e

Evaluate each of the following expressions.

Given that ln 2 = 0.6931, ln 3 = 1.0986 and ln 5 = 1.6094, evaluate

Change of base formula

Let logb x = y . Then

1. Find the value of log8 32.

log2 32 log2 25 5 log2 2 5 2

2. Changing the left hand side of the equation to base 4, we have

3. Using the difference of two squares formula

log4 ((x 2 + 1)2 − (x 2 − 1)2 ) − log2 2x

Equations involving Logarithms:

Solve the following equations:

When x = −7, log5 (x + 6) = log(−7 + 6) = log(−1) and

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