430 MHR Chapter 7

Investigate & Inquire: Laws of Logarithms

1. a) Copy and complete the table.
b) Examine the results of each row. Make a conjecture about the product law for
logarithms.
c) Test your conjecture by evaluating log
6
(36 216), and make any necessary adjustments
to your original conjecture.
2. Make and test a conjecture about the power law of logarithms: log
a
p
c
= c log
a
p.
3. a) Copy and complete the table.
b) Examine the results of each row. Make a conjecture about the quotient law for
logarithms.
c) Test your conjecture by evaluating , and make any necessary adjustments to
your original conjecture.
log
3
243
27
Laws of Logarithms
With the properties of logarithms learned in Section 7.2, we can work with only a limited
number of logarithmic situations. There are other properties of logarithms that are useful
for solving exponential and logarithmic equations. Such equations arise in a variety of
contexts, such as investments and bacterial growth.
In the following investigation, you will explore three very important properties of
logarithms, dealing with products, powers, and quotients.
log
a
x log
a
y
log
a
x
y
log
2
32 = log
2
8 =
log
2
32
8
=
log
3
27 = log
3
9 =
log
3
27
9
=
log
2
32 = log
2
16 =
log
2
32
16
=
log
4
64 = log
4
16 =
log
4
64
16
=
log
5
25 = log
5
5 =
log
5
25
5
=
log
5
25 = log
5
5 = log
5
125 =
log
4
64 = log
4
16 = log
4
1024 =
log
2
16 = log
2
32 = log
2
512 =
log
3
9 = log
3
27 = log
3
243 =
log
2
4 =
log
a
x
log
2
8 =
log
a
y
log
2
32 =
log
a
(xy)
7.3 7.3
7.3 Laws of Logarithms MHR 431
d) Remember, log x means log
10
x.
log 2 + log 50 = log (2)(50) (product law)
= log 100
= log 10
2
= 2
The patterns in the investigation show three laws of logarithms.
Product law: log
a
(pq) = log
a
p + log
a
q
Power law: log
a
(p
c
) = clog
a
p
Quotient law: log
a
= log
a
p - log
a
q
Because logarithms can be written as exponents, the laws of exponents can be used to
justify corresponding laws of logarithms. To show the product law, we let log
a
p = X and
log
a
q = Y. Then, rewriting in exponential form,
log
a
p = X becomes a
X
= p and
log
a
q = Y becomes a
Y
= q
So,
log
a
(pq) = log
a
(a
X
a
Y
) (substitution)
= log
a
(a
X+Y
) (exponents law)
= X + Y (log
a
a
x
= x)
Substituting for X and Y,
log
a
(pq) = log
a
p + log
a
q.
In questions 13 and 14 on page 435, you will show how to derive the power law for
logarithms and the quotient law for logarithms.
Since logarithms with base 10 are very common, log
10
x is usually written as log x. As we
mentioned in Section 7.2, the key on a calculator determines logarithms to base 10.
Example 1 The Laws of Logarithms
Evaluate each expression using the laws of logarithms.
a) log
6
4 + log
6
9 b) 2 log
9
3 c) log
3
324 - log
3
4
d) log 2 + log 50 e) log
2
112 - log
2
7 f )
Solution
a) log
6
4 + log
6
9 = log
6
(4 9) (product law)
= log
6
36
= log
6
(6
2
)
= 2
c) log log log
log
3 3 3
3
324 4
324
4
81
4
- =
=
=
log
3
3
9
p
q
Web Connection
For a visual explanation of the product law
of logarithms, go to
www.mcgrawhill.ca/links/CAF12
and follow the link.
b) 2 log
9
3 = log
9
(3
2
) (power law)
= log
9
9
= 1
This expression can be evaluated
without using the power law.
2log
9
3 = 2log
9
=
= 1
2
1
2

9
1
2
432 MHR Chapter 7
e)
Example 2 Using the Laws of Logarithms
Express as a single logarithm.
a) log
7
30 - log
7
10 b) c) log
3
(x
2
- 1) - log (x + 1)
Solution
a)
b) Remember, log x means log
10
x.
c)
Example 3 Using the Laws of Logarithms
Expand.
a) log
6
(x
2
y
3
) b)
Solution
a) log
6
(x
2
y
3
) = log
6
x
2
+ log
6
y
3
= 2 log
6
x + 3 log
6
y
Recall Example 4 in Section 7.2 (page 426), which we could solve only by graphing because
the calculator key determines logarithms only to base 10. With a simple formula, we
can change the base of the logarithm, and use the calculator to evaluate it. For example,
log
2
4
a
bc
log ( ) log ( ) log
( )
log
( )( )
log (
3
2
3 3
2
3
3
1 1
1
1
1 1
1
x x
x
x
x x
x
+ =

+
=
+
+
= xx x > 1 1 ),
log log log log log log
log
( )( )
12
1
2
7 2 12 7 2
12 7
2
1
2
+ - = + -
=
(power law)
product and quotient laws) (
log = 6 7
log log log
log
7 7 7
7
30 10
30
10
3
- =
=
(quotient law)
log log log 12
1
2
7 2 +
log log log
log
2 2 2
2
112 7
112
7
16
4
- =
=
=
(quotient law) f ) log log (
log
3
3
3
1
3
3
9 9
1
3
9
2
3
=
=
=
)
(power law)
b) log log log ( )
log (log log )
log log
2
4
2
4
2
2
1
4
2 2
2
1
4
a
bc
a bc
a b c
a
=
= +
=
22 2
b c log
7.3 Laws of Logarithms MHR 433
suppose we want to evaluate log
2
11 on a calculator. To change the base to 10, we start
with y = log
2
11 and proceed as follows.
y = log
2
11
Write in exponential form. 2
y
= 11
Take the logarithm to base 10 of each side of the equation. log
10
(2
y
) = log
10
11
Use the power law. y log
10
2 = log
10
11
Solve for y.
Thus, .
We can now evaluate the logarithm on a calculator.
The general formula for converting a logarithm from one base to another, called the
change of base formula, is
Example 4 Using the Change of Base Formula
Write each logarithm with base 10, and then evaluate it on a calculator. Round your results
to four decimal places.
a) log
5
14 b)
Solution
a) b)
Example 5 Doubling Time for an Investment
How long does it take for an investment of $500 to double at 7% interest, compounded
annually?
Solution
The amount, A, in dollars, of an investment of $500 at 7% interest, compounded annually,
for t years, is A = 500(1.07)
t
. For the investment to double, A = $1000. Thus,
1000 = 500(1.07)
t
2 = (1.07)
t
t = log
1.07
2
Use the change of base formula to change to base 10.
It takes approximately 10 years and 3 months for an investment of $500 to double at 7%
interest, compounded annually.
t =
log
log .
.
2
1 07
10 2448 B
log
log
log
.
1
3
10
10
7
7
1
3
1 7712
=
- B
log
log
log
.
5
10
10
14
14
5
1 6397
=
B
log
1
3
7
log
log
log
.
b
a
a
x
x
b
=
log
log
log
2
10
10
11
11
2
=
y =
log
log
10
10
11
2
434 MHR Chapter 7
Key Concepts
For a (1, ), p, q (0, ), c (-, ),
a) Product Law: log
a
(pq) = log
a
p + log
a
q
b) Quotient Law:
c) Power Law: log
a
(p
c
) = c log
a
p.
log x means log
10
x.
To change the base of a logarithm from b to a, use the change of base formula
.
Communicate Your Understanding
1. Is it possible to use the quotient law of logarithms to evaluate ? Explain.
2. Is it possible to use the product law of logarithms to evaluate log
2
7 + log
3
8? Explain.
3. Explain why the base must be changed to evaluate log
5
11 using a calculator.
4. Is there more than one way to evaluate log
3
9 + log
3
3? Explain.
5. Is log
3
5 equal to log
5
3? Explain.
log
-7
4
log
log
log
b
a
a
x
x
b
=
log log log
a a a
p
q
p q = -
Practise
1. Copy and complete the table.
2. Rewrite each expression using the power law.
a) b) log
6
9
3
c) d) log
2
7
-5
e) f )
3. Express as a single logarithm.
a) log
3
5 + log
3
8 + log
3
15
b) log
4
8 - log
4
10 + log
4
3
c) log
2
19 + log
2
4 - log
2
31
d)
e) log (a + b) + log (a
3
)
f ) log (x + y) - log (x - y)
g) 4 log x - 3 log y
h) log
3
ab + log
3
bc
4. Rewrite each expression with no logarithms
of products, quotients, or powers.
a) log
7
(5x) b) log
2
(m
3
n
2
)
c) log
3
(abc) d)
e) f ) log
6
(xy)
5
g) h)
5. Evaluate.
a) log
8
32 + log
8
2 b) log
2
72 - log
2
9
c) log
4
192 - log
4
3 d) log
12
9 + log
12
16
e) log
2
6 + log
2
8 - log
2
3 f ) log
3
108 - log
3
4
g) log
8
6 - log
8
3 + log
8
4 h) log
2
80 - log
2
5
i) log1.25 + log80 j) log
2
8
27
log
3
1
jk
log
4
2
a b
c
log
8
4
m
n
log ( )
9
2 3
y y +
1
2
17 5 log log -
log
9
1
13
log
6
22
1
5
18
8
log
1
2
5
4
log
log log
12 12
5
3
4 +
Single Logarithm
Sum or Difference of
Logarithms
log
2
(12 5)
log
4
2 + log
4
11
log
6
(kg)
log
8
14 - log
8
3
log
13
2
h
f
log
3
- log
3
5
log
10
1- log
10
7
2 log
11
x + 6 log
11
x
A
7.3 Laws of Logarithms MHR 435
6. Evaluate to four decimal places using a
calculator.
a) log
5
12 b) log
2
13 c) log
7
9
d) log
6
15 e) log
9
8 f ) log
3
6
g) log
4
7 h) log
8
4
Apply, Solve, Communicate
7. Application Driving in fog at night greatly
reduces the intensity of light from an
approaching car. The relationship between the
distance, d, in metres, that your car is from the
approaching car and the intensity of light, I(d),
in lumens (lm), at distance d, is given by
a) Solve the equation for I(d).
b) How far away from you is an approaching
car if I(d) = 40 lm?
8. Inquiry/Problem Solving Energy is needed to
transport a substance from outside a living cell
to inside the cell. This energy is measured in
kilocalories per gram molecule, and is given by
the relationship , where C
1
represents the concentration of the substance
outside the cell, and C
2
represents the
concentration inside the cell.
a) Find the energy needed to transport the
exterior substance into the cell if the
concentration of the substance inside the cell is
i) double the concentration outside the cell
ii) triple the concentration outside the cell
b) What is the sign of E if C
1
< C
2
? Explain
what this means in terms of the cell.
9. Communication Which is greater, log
6
7 or
log
8
9? Explain.
10. The formula for the gain in voltage of an
electronic device is A
v
= 20(log V
o
- log V
i
),
where V
o
is the output voltage and V
i
is the
input voltage.
a) Rewrite the formula as a single logarithm.
b) Verify the gain in voltage for V
o
= 22.8 and
V
i
= 14 using both versions of the formula.
11. When a rope is wrapped around a fixed
circular object, the relationship between the
larger tension T
L
and the smaller tension T
S
is
modelled by , where is the
friction coefficient and is the wrap angle in
radians.
a) Rewrite the formula using the laws of
logarithms.
b) If the wrap angle is (in radians), and a
200 N force is balancing a 250 N force, what
is the friction coefficient?
c) If the rope is wrapped around the object
2.5 times, what force is now needed to balance
the 250 N force?
12. Show that if log
b
a = c and log
y
b = c, then
log
a
y = c
-2
.
13. Use the product law of logarithms to prove
the quotient law of logarithms,
where a (1, ), p, q (0, ).
14. Use the product and quotient laws of
logarithms to prove the power law of logarithms
log
a
(p
c
) = c log
a
p, where a (1, ), p,
q (0, ), c (-, ).
15. Derive the change of base formula,
.
16. Find the error in the following calculation.
log
3
0.1 < 2 log
3
0.1
= log
3
(0.1)
2
= log
3
0.01
log
3
0.1 < log
3
0.01
Thus, 0.1 < 0.01.
log
log
log
a
b
b
x
x
a
=
log log log
a a a
p
q
p q = -

T
L
T
S
0 434 . log =
T
T
L
S
E
C
C
= 1 4
1
2
. log
d
I d
B -166 67
125
. log
( )
B
C