M 1310

5.4

Math 1310
Section 5.4
Laws of Logarithms
The laws:
YOU MUST LEARN THESE!
If m, n and b are positive numbers, b 1 then
1. log b = 1
b
2. log 1 = 0
b
3. log (PQ) = log P + log Q
b
b
b
P
4. logb = logb P logb Q
Q

1
Note: logb = logb Q Why?
Q
5. log Pn = n log P
b
b
6. blogb P = P
7. log bP = P
b
8.

(Change of base formula)

logb x
loga x =
logb a
Note: this results in
ln x .
loga x =
ln a
Examples using these properties:

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Errors to avoid:

loga (x + y) loga x + loga y

loga x
loga x loga y
loga y
(loga x)3 3 loga x
Using the properties to simplify logarithms
Example 1: Simplify each logarithm

log2 (32)
log6 9 + log6 4
log4 ( 96 ) log4 (6)
1
log3
81

( )

log2 46

logb

( b)

( )

1
loga loga a2
a3

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Separating One Complicated Logarithmic Expression:

Example 2: Rewrite the expression in a form with no logarithm of a
product, power, or quotient.

log3 (x(x + 4))

Example 3: Rewrite the expression in a form with no logarithm of a

product, power, or quotient.
log

3
x

log ( 3x )

Example 4: Rewrite the expression in a form with no logarithm of a

product, power, or quotient.

ab3
ln

c2 d

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Example 5: Rewrite the expression in a form with no logarithm of a

product, power, or quotient.

x+5
log3

x2 4

Example 6: Rewrite the expression in a form with no logarithm of a

product, power, or quotient.

x2 ( x + 1 )

log10
4
( x 3 )( x + 7 )

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Example 7: Rewrite the expression in a form with no logarithm of a

product, power, or quotient.

x +1
log7
3
x

Example 8: Rewrite the following so that each logarithm contains a

prime number.

log2 35

log3 100

Combining a sum of logarithmic expressions:

Example 9: Rewrite as a single logarithm.
log3 x + log3 2

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Example 10: Rewrite as a single logarithm.

log x2 16 log ( x + 4 )

Example 11: Rewrite as a single logarithm.

2 ln x 5 ln(x + 1) + 1 ln(x 3)
2

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Example 12: Rewrite as a single logarithm.

3 log5 (x + 2) 2 log5 (x 1) 2 log5 (x 7 )

Example 13: Rewrite as a single logarithm.

( ) ( ) ( )

ln A5 + ln A3 ln A6

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The change of base formula:

Why? The change of base formula is typically used in three situations
- When an expression or equation involves logs in two or more
different bases
- When we want to evaluate a logarithm on a calculator and need
to convert a base to base 10 or base e to use our calculator.
- Many more advanced formulas in math are given in terms of
the natural logarithm, so if our equation is in a different base,
we need to change it to the natural logarithm to use the formula.
Example 14: Use the change of base formula to change log2 17 to
natural log.

Example 15: Use the change of base formula to change log7 12 to

base 10.