Natural Exponential and

Natural Logarithmic Functions

Prepared by:
The DPSM Math Faculty – Math 18 group

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 PART 1:
EXPONENTIAL FUNCTIONS

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Exponential Function with Base 𝒂

If 𝑎 > 0 and 𝑎 ≠ 1, then the exponential

function with base 𝑎 is the function defined by
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑥.

The domain of the exponential function is ℝ

and the range is ℝ+ .

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Examples:

Sketch the graph of the following functions.

1. 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥

1 𝑥
2. 𝑓 𝑥 =
2

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Graphs of Exponential Functions

𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑎 𝑥 for 𝑎 > 1 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑎 𝑥 for 0 < 𝑎 < 1

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Properties of Exponential Functions

1. The function is positive for all values of 𝑥.

2. If 𝑎 > 1, the function is increasing, and if
𝑎 < 1, it is decreasing.
3. For all values of 𝑎, the function has value 1
when 𝑥 = 0.
4. There are no zeros of the function.

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Example:
Transformations of Exponential Functions
Use the graph of 𝑓 𝑥 = 2𝑥 sketch the graph of each
function. State the domain, range and asymptote.

1. 𝑔 𝑥 = 1 + 2𝑥

2. ℎ 𝑥 = −2𝑥

3. 𝑘 𝑥 = 2𝑥−1

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Example: 𝑔 𝑥 = 1 + 2𝑥
Domain: ℝ
Range: 1, +∞
Asymptote: 𝑦 = 1

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Example: ℎ 𝑥 = −2𝑥
Domain: ℝ
Range: −∞, 0
Asymptote: 𝑦 = 0

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Example: 𝑘 𝑥 = 2𝑥−1
Domain: ℝ
Range: 0, +∞
Asymptote: 𝑦 = 0

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The Number 𝒆

The number 𝑒 is defined

1 𝑛
as the value that 1 +
𝑛
approaches as 𝑛 becomes
large. The table shows the
values of the expression
1 𝑛
1+ for increasingly
𝑛
large values of 𝑛.

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The Number 𝒆

The number 𝑒 is an irrational number whose

value is approximately equal to 2.71828.

If the base of the exponential function is 𝑒, the

function defined by 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑒 𝑥 is called as the
natural exponential function.

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The Natural Exponential Function

The natural exponential function is the

exponential function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑒 𝑥 with base 𝑒.

The domain of the natural exponential function

is ℝ and the range is ℝ+ .

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The Natural Exponential Function
Since 2 < 𝑒 < 3, the graph of the natural exponential
function lies between the graphs of 𝑦 = 2𝑥 and 𝑦 = 3𝑥 .

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Example:
Transformations of Exponential Functions
Sketch the graph of each function. State the domain,
range and asymptote.

1. 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑒 −𝑥

2. 𝑔 𝑥 = 3𝑒 0.5𝑥

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Example: 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑒 −𝑥

Domain: ℝ
Range: 0, +∞
Asymptote: 𝑦 = 0

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 0.5𝑥
Example: 𝑔 𝑥 = 3𝑒

Domain: ℝ
Range: 0, +∞
Asymptote: 𝑦 = 0
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Properties of Natural Exponential Function

1. It is an increasing function.
2. As 𝑥 decreases, 𝑦 approaches to the value
of zero.
3. It has no zeros.

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 PART 2:
LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS

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Introduction
Every exponential
function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑎 𝑥 ,
with 𝑎 > 0 and 𝑎 ≠ 1,
is a one-to-one
function by the
Horizontal Line Test
and therefore has an
inverse function.

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Introduction
The inverse function 𝑓 −1 is called the logarithmic
function with base 𝒂 and is denoted by log 𝑎 .
Recall that 𝑓 −1 is defined by

𝑓 −1 𝑥 = 𝑦 ⟺ 𝑓 𝑦 =𝑥

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Definition: Logarithmic Function
Let 𝑎 be a positive number with 𝑎 ≠ 1. The
logarithmic function with base 𝒂, denoted by
log 𝑎 , is defined by

log 𝑎 𝑥 = 𝑦 ⟺ 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑦

So log 𝑎 𝑥 is the exponent to which the base 𝑎

must be raised to give 𝑥.

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Examples:
A. Express the equation in exponential form.

1. log 3 81 = 4

1
2. log 8 2 =
3

3. log10 0.01 = −2

4. log 3 5 = 𝑥

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Examples:
A. Express the equation in logarithmic form.
1. 104 = 10,000

−2 1
2. 5 =
25

3. 4𝑥 = 70

4. 35 = 𝑤

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Examples:
C. Evaluate the following logarithms.
1. log10 1000

2. log 2 32

3. log10 0.1

4. log16 4

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Properties of Logarithms

1. log 𝑎 1 = 0

2. log 𝑎 𝑎 = 1

3. log 𝑎 𝑎 𝑥 = 𝑥

4. 𝑎 log𝑎 𝑥 = 𝑥

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Examples:
Evaluate the following logarithms.
1. log 5 1

2. log 5 58

3. log 5 5

4. 5log5 12

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Graph of Logarithmic Function

Domain: 0, +∞
Range: ℝ
Asymptote: 𝑥 = 0

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 Common Logarithm
The logarithm with base 10 is called the common
logarithm and is denoted by omitting the base:
log 𝑥 = log10 𝑥

Example: Evaluate the following logarithms.

1. log 10
2. log 100

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Natural Logarithm
The logarithm with base 𝑒 is called the natural
logarithm and is denoted by 𝐥𝐧:
ln 𝑥 = log 𝑒 𝑥

The natural logarithmic function 𝑦 = ln 𝑥 is the

inverse function of the natural exponential
function 𝑦 = 𝑒 𝑥 .

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Properties of Natural Logarithms

1. ln 1 = 0

2. ln 𝑒 = 1

3. ln 𝑒 𝑥 = 𝑥

4. 𝑒 ln 𝑥 = 𝑥

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Examples:
Evaluate the following logarithms.
1. ln 𝑒 8

1
2. ln
𝑒2

3. ln 5

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Laws of Logarithms
Let 𝑎 be a positive number, with 𝑎 ≠ 1. Let
𝐴, 𝐵, and 𝐶 be any real numbers with 𝐴 > 0
and 𝐵 > 0.

1. log 𝑎 𝐴𝐵 = log 𝑎 𝐴 + log 𝑎 𝐵

𝐴
2. log 𝑎 = log 𝑎 𝐴 − log 𝑎 𝐵
𝐵
3. log 𝑎 𝐴𝐶 = 𝐶log 𝑎 𝐴

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Examples:
Evaluate each expression.

1. log 4 2 + log 4 32

2. log 2 80 − log 2 5

1
3. − log 8
3

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Examples:
Use the Laws of Logarithms to expand each
expression.

1. log 2 6𝑥

2. log 5 𝑥 3 𝑦 6

𝑎𝑏
3. ln 3
𝑐

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Examples:
Use the Laws of Logarithms to combine each
expression into a single logarithm.
1
1. 3 log 𝑥 + log 𝑥+1
2

1
2. 3 ln 𝑠 + ln 𝑡 − 4 ln 𝑡 2 + 1
2

𝑎𝑏
3. ln 3
𝑐
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Warning:
1. There is no corresponding rule for the logarithm of
a sum or a difference.

2. Don’t improperly simplify quotients or powers of

logarithms.

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 PART 3:
MODELING WITH EXPONENTIAL
FUNCTIONS

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Exponential Growth (Doubling Time)
If the initial size of a population is 𝑛0 and the
doubling time is 𝑎, then the size of the
population at time 𝑡 is
𝑛 𝑡 = 𝑛0 2𝑡Τ𝑎
where 𝑎 and 𝑡 are measured in the same time
units (minutes, hours, days, years, and so on).

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Example 1:
Under ideal conditions a certain bacteria population
doubles every three hours. Initially, there are 1000
bacteria in a colony.

a) Find a model for the bacteria population after 𝑡 hours.

b) How many bacteria are in the colony after 15 hours?

c) After how many hours will the bacteria count reach

100,000?

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Example 2:
A certain breed of rabbit was introduced onto a small
island 8 months ago. The current rabbit population on the
island is estimated to be 4100 and doubling every
3 months.

a) What was the initial size of the rabbit population?

b) Estimate the population 1 year after the rabbits were

introduced to the island.

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Exponential Growth (Relative Growth Rate)
A population that experiences exponential growth
increases according to the model

𝑛 𝑡 = 𝑛0 𝑒 𝑟𝑡

where 𝑛 𝑡 = population at time t

𝑛0 = initial size of the population
𝑟 = relative rate of growth (expressed as a
proportion of the population)
𝑡 = time
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Example 3:
The initial bacterium count in a culture is 500. A biologist
later makes a sample count of bacteria in the culture and
finds that the relative rate of growth is 40% per hour.

a) Find a function that models the number of bacteria

after 𝑡 hours.
b) What is the estimated count after 10 hours?
c) After how many hours will the bacteria count reach
80,000?

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Example 4:
In 2000 the population of the world was 6.1 billion, and
the relative rate of growth was 1.4% per year. It is claimed
that a rate of 1.0% per year would make a significant
difference in the total population in just a few decades.
Test this claim by estimating the population of the world
in the year 2050 using a relative rate of growth of
a) 1.4% per year

b) 1.0% per year

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Example 5:
A culture starts with 10,000 bacteria, and the
number doubles every 40 minutes.
a) Find a function 𝑛 𝑡 = 𝑛0 2𝑡Τ𝑎 that models the
number of bacteria after 𝑡 hours.
b) Find a function 𝑛 𝑡 = 𝑛0 𝑒 𝑟𝑡 that models the
number of bacteria after 𝑡 hours.

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Radioactive Decay Model
If 𝑚0 is the initial mass of a radioactive substance
with half-life ℎ, then the mass remaining at time 𝑡
is modeled by the function

𝑚 𝑡 = 𝑚0 𝑒 −𝑟𝑡
ln 2
where 𝑟 = is the relative decay rate.
ℎ

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Example 6:
Polonium-210 has a half-life of 140 days. Suppose a
sample of this substance has a mass of 300 mg.

a) Find a function 𝑚 𝑡 = 𝑚0 2−𝑡/ℎ that models the

mass remaining after 𝑡 days.
b) Find a function 𝑚 𝑡 = 𝑚0 𝑒 −𝑟𝑡 that models the
mass remaining after 𝑡 days.
c) Find the mass remaining after one year.
d) How long will it take for the sample to decay to a
mass of 200 mg?
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Newton’s Law of Cooling
If 𝐷0 is the initial temperature difference between
an object and its surroundings, and if its
surroundings have temperature 𝑇𝑠 , then the
temperature of the object at time 𝑡 is modeled by
the function
𝑇 𝑡 = 𝑇𝑠 + 𝐷0 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡
where 𝑘 is a positive constant that depends on
the type of object.
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Example 7:
A cup of coffee has a temperature of 200°F and is
placed in a room that has a temperature of 70°F. After
10 min the temperature of the coffee is 150°F.

a) Find a function that models the temperature of the

coffee at time 𝑡.
b) Find the temperature of the coffee after 15 min.
c) After how long will the coffee have cooled to 100°F?

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