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LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the lesson, students
should be able to:

( a ) Define logarithm.

( b) state and prove the laws of

logarithms such as
i) loga MN = loga M + loga N,

ii) loga = loga M - loga N

iii) loga MN = N loga M

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Definition:
If a, n ∈ R+ and n = a x, then log a n = x
where a  0.

If a=10, log 10 n = x “common

logarithm”
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NOTES

lo g 10 n = lo g
n

log b b  1

log b n  x  n  b x
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Example 1
Index Logarithm
100 = 10 2
log 10 100 = 2
y5 x
log 5 y  x
1 log b a  1
a
b
 m
m  2(5 ) n log 5   n
 2
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NOTES
2  8  log 2 8  3
3

3
2  8  log 2 8  3
2  3  log 2 (3)  x
x

Does not exist or no solution because 2 0

x

Log of a negative numb. does not exist

Log of a positive numb. can have negative
value
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Laws of logarithm

If a, M, N ∈ R+ and p ∈ R, then
a) log a MN = log a M + log a N

M
b) log a  log a M  log a N
N
p
c) log a M = p log a M
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(a) log a MN = log a M + log a N

Let logaM = x and logaN = y

Then M = ax and N = ay
M X N = ax X ay
MN = ax+y
logaMN = x + y

logaMN = logaM + logaN

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M
(b) log a  log a M  log a N
N
Let logaM = x and logaN = y
Then M = ax and N = ay
M ÷N = a ÷a x y

M x −y
=a
N
M
log a =x−y
N
M
log a = logaM - logaN
N
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p
(c) log a M = p log a M

Let logaM = x
Then M = ax
MP = (ax)P
MP = aPx
logaMP = Px

logaMP = P logaM
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CAUTION!

log a ( M  N )  log a M + log a N

log a M
 log a M  log a N
log a N
(log a M )  p log a M
p
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Example 2
Simplify the following
logarithm:
1
a) log 16 + log 32
2
b) log 21  log 7  log 3

c)  log 81  log 2 32
 log 9  d)
  log 2 4
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Solution
1
a) log 16  log 32 b )log 21  log 7  log 3
2 1
 log 21  ( log 7  log 3)
 log 16  log 32
2

 log 21  log(7  3)
 log 4  log 32
 log( 4  32) 0
 log 128
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Solution
 log 81  log 2 32
c)  d)
 log 2 4
 log 9 
5
 log 9  2 log 2 2
 
 log 2 2 2
 log 9 
5
 2 log 9  
  2
 log 9 
2
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Example 3
Without using calculator, find the
values of:

Answer :
a ) x  log 2 64 a) x  6
 1
b) x  log 3   b) x  4
 81 
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Example 4
Find the values of a given that

a) log a 125  3
 1 
b) log a    2
 25 
1
c) log a 25 
2
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Solution:

a ) log a 125  3
log a 5  33

3 log a 5  3
log a 5  1
a 5
1
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1 
b) log a    2
 25 
log a 251  2

5 
1
log a 2
 2
log a 52  2
 2 log a 5  2
log a 5 1
a 1
5
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1
c ) log a 25 
2
1
log a 52 
2
1
2 log a 5 
2
1
log a 5 
4
1
a 4
5
a  54
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Laws of logarithm

If a, M, N ∈ R+ and p ∈ R, then

a)log a MN  log a M  log a N

M
b ) log a  log a M  log a N
N
c) log a M  p log a M
p