Index (Exponent) and Logarithm Laws

Logarithm
A logarithm is a quantity representing the index to which a fixed number (the base) must be raised to
produce a given power. That is, the logarithm is the index of a power (exponential).
power = baseindex log base (power) = index
power = baseexponent log base (power) = exponent

While calling logarithms indices would be convenient, the concept of a logarithm was derived 150 years
before the direct connection between logarithms and indices was identified and so the name stuck.

Evaluating Logarithms
To evaluate the logarithm log (𝑦) where 𝑦 = 𝑎 , ask yourself "what power of the base, 𝑎, is 𝑦?"
The answer is the 𝑥th power: therefore the logarithm (index) is 𝑥. That is, log (𝑦) = 𝑥, where 𝑦 = 𝑎 .

Example
log (8): What power of 2 is 8? The third power of 2, 2 = 8. Therefore, log 8 = 3.

Product of Powers is the Sum of Indices / Logarithms

𝑎 ×𝑎 =𝑎 log (𝑥) + log (𝑦) = log (𝑥𝑦)

Example Example
5 ×5 =5 = 5 = 3125 log (48) = log (16) + log (3) = 2 + log (3)

Quotient of Powers is the Difference of Indices / Logarithms

𝑎 𝑥
𝑎 ÷ 𝑎 = ⎯⎯⎯= 𝑎 log (𝑥) − log (𝑦) = log ⎯⎯
𝑎 𝑦

Example Example
7 9
⎯⎯ = 7 = 7 = 343 log ⎯⎯ = log (9) − log (4) = 2 − log (4)
7 4

Index / Logarithm is Zero - Power is One

𝑎 =1 log (1) = 0

Example Example
120 = 1 log (1) = 0

Power with Another Index is the Product of Indices / Logarithms

(𝑎 ) = 𝑎 ×
log (𝑥 ) = 𝑛 log (𝑥)

Example Example
2 =2 ×
= 2 = 64 log (9) = log 3 = 2 log (3)

Example Example
8 = 2 =2 ×
=2 = 32768 log (64) = log 2 = 6 log (2) = 6

Products and Quotients with Indices

Products and Quotients with Indices
(𝑎 × 𝑏) = 𝑎 × 𝑏 𝑎 𝑎
⎯⎯ = ⎯⎯⎯
𝑏 𝑏

Example Example Example Example

(3 × 5) = 3 × 5 22 = (2 × 11) = 2 × 11 2 2 4 24 24
= 27 × 125 = 3375 = 8 × 1331 = 10648 ⎯⎯ = ⎯⎯ = ⎯⎯ ⎯⎯⎯ = ⎯⎯⎯ = 2 = 16
3 3 9 12 12

Negative Indices / Logarithms are the Reciprocal of the Power

1 1 1 1 log (𝑥) = − log (𝑥)
𝑎 = ⎯⎯ 𝑎 = ⎯⎯⎯ ⎯⎯⎯⎯= 𝑎 log ⎯⎯ = log (𝑥 ) = − log (𝑥) ⎯⎯
𝑎 𝑎 𝑎 𝑥

Example Example Example Example

4 1 1 4 3 3 2 3 3 9
4 = ⎯⎯ = ⎯⎯ ⎯⎯ = ⎯⎯= 4 ⎯⎯⎯ = ⎯⎯= 3 × 4 = 12 ⎯⎯ = ⎯⎯ = ⎯⎯ = ⎯⎯
1 4 4 1 4 1 3 2 2 4
⎯⎯
4

Example Example Example

1 1 16 9
log ⎯⎯ = − log (5) −3 log (4) = log 4 = log ⎯⎯⎯ − log ⎯⎯⎯ = log ⎯⎯⎯
5 64 9 16

Fractional Indices / Logarithms are the Roots of the Power

⎯⎯⎯ ⎯⎯⎯ 𝑚 1
𝑎⎯⎯ = √⎯⎯
𝑎 𝑎⎯⎯ = √𝑎 = √⎯⎯
𝑎 log √𝑎 = log 𝑥
⎯⎯
= ⎯⎯ log (𝑎) = ⎯⎯
𝑛 𝑛

Example Example Example

Example Example
⎯⎯ ⎯⎯ ⎯⎯ ⎯⎯   ⎯⎯⎯ 3 1
9⎯⎯= 3 = 3 8⎯⎯= 2 = 2 8 = √8 = 2 = 32 log √27 = log 3⎯⎯ = ⎯⎯ log (3) = ⎯⎯
2 2

Change of Base
There are times where a particular base of an exponential or logarithm is needed.
You can change the base by manipulating the index and log laws.
Specifically, changing the log base to 10 or 𝑒 allows logs of any base to be evaluated on a scientific calculator.

𝑎 = 𝑏( ( )) log (𝑥)
log (𝑥) = ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
log (𝑎)

Example Example
2 = 10 ( )
≈ 10 . log (8192)
log (8192) = ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯
log (2)

Example
log (𝑏) log (𝑐) log (𝑎)
log (𝑏) × log (𝑐) × log (𝑎) = ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯× ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ × ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯= 1
log (𝑎) log (𝑏) log (𝑐)