Logarithms

 If 𝑎 𝑥 = N, then 𝑥 = log 𝑎 𝑁 where 𝑎 ≠ 1; 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎, 𝑥, 𝑁 are real numbers; 𝑎 is called base.

23 = 8, log 2 8 = 3 45 = 1024, log 4 1024 = 5 10−2 = 0.01, log10 0.01 = −2
 Two mostly used systems of Logarithm are Natural Logarithm and Common Logarithm
1. Natural Logarithm 𝐥𝐧 𝑵, discovered by Napier, uses base e, where 𝑒 ≅ 2.71
2. Common Logarithm, introduced by Briggs, uses base 10; e.g., 𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝟏𝟎 𝑵
Properties of Logarithm
1. Log of 1 to any base is 0; log 𝑎 1 = 0;
2. Log 0 is undefined;
3. Log of a number to the same base is 1; i.e., log 𝑎 𝑎 = 1;
4. Logs of same number to different bases have different values (log 2 8 = 3, log10 8 = 0.903)
5. Logs of different numbers to the same base are different (log10 2 = 0.3010, log10 8 = 0.903)
6. If all the log expressions are to the same base, no need to specify the base.
Logarithmic Laws
1. log 𝑚 (𝑎𝑏) = log 𝑚 𝑎 + log 𝑚 𝑏
𝑎
2. log 𝑚 (𝑏 ) = log 𝑚 𝑎 − log 𝑚 𝑏

3. log 𝑎𝑚 = 𝑚 log 𝑎 Also note that log = log x1/y = (1/y )log x
4. log 𝑏 𝑎 log 𝑐 𝑏 = log 𝑐 𝑎
log𝑐 𝑎 log10 8
5. log 𝑏 𝑎 = E.g., log 2 8 =
log𝑐 𝑏 log10 2
1
6. log 𝑏 𝑎 = log𝑎 𝑏
by applying law 5 when c = a

7. log 𝑦 𝑥 log 𝑧 𝑦 log 𝑥 𝑧 = 1 by applying law 4 and law 6;

8. log 𝑎 𝑎𝑛 = 𝑛 log 𝑎 𝑎 = 𝑛 E.g., log 5 53 = 3 log 5 5 = 3; applying law 3
9. When 𝑎 > 0, 𝑏 > 0, 𝑏 ≠ 1, then 𝑎log𝑎 𝑏 = 𝑏
E.g., 2log2 16 = 16; 𝑎𝑠 16 = 24 and log 2 16 = 4 log 2 2 = 4
Strong Bases
Bases > 1 are strong bases; Log value for strong bases increases with the numbers;
For 𝑎 > 1, 𝑝 > 𝑞, log 𝑎 𝑝 > log 𝑎 𝑞
If 𝑥 > 1, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 log 𝑎 𝑥 is positive; If 0 > 𝑥 > 1, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 log 𝑎 𝑥 is negative;
log10 2 − log10 10
For example log 3 0.2 = log10 3
is negative as log 2 < log 10

Weak Bases
Bases < 1 are weak bases; Log value for weak bases decreases with the numbers;
For 𝑎 > 1, 𝑝 > 𝑞, log 𝑎 𝑝 < log 𝑎 𝑞
If 𝑥 > 1, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 log 𝑎 𝑥 is negative; If 0 > 𝑥 > 1, 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 log 𝑎 𝑥 is positive;
log10 3
For example log 0.5 3 = is positive as log 5 > log 10
log10 5 − log10 10
Finding Logs from Log Table
Consider 2, 20, 200, 2000, 0.2, 0.02
2=2 log 2 = 0.3010 Standard Form
20 = 101 × 2 log 20 = 1 + log 2 = 1.3010 𝑎𝑠 log10 10 = 1
200 = 102 × 2 log 200 = 2 + log 2 = 2.3010 𝑎𝑠 log10 102 = 2
2000 = 103 × 2 log 2000 = 3 + log 2 = 3.3010 𝑎𝑠 log10 103 = 3
0.2 = 10−1 × 2 log 0.2 = −1 + log 2 = 1̅. 3010 = −0.6090
0.02 = 10−2 × 2 log 0.2 = −2 + log 2 = 2̅. 3010 = −1.6090

In standard form, the integral part (which can be positive or negative) is called Characteristics and
the fractional part (always kept positive) is called mantissa. Using standard form – where the
fraction is always positive – is convenient (for finding antilogs).

The characteristic of the logarithm of a number whose integral part consists of n digits is n - 1

If 𝑥 > 1 log in standard form and normal form are same.

If 𝑥 < 1 log in standard form has negative characteristic and positive mantissa, whereas the normal
form has negative value. (1̅. 4771 in standard form = -0.5229 in normal form)

Relation between Natural Logs and Base-10 Logs.

Natural logarithms use e = 2.7183... as their base and use the symbol Ln instead of Log.
𝑒 3.4012 = 2.71833.4012 = 30; so ln 30 = 3.4012

The relationship between ln x and log x is: 𝐥𝐧 𝒙 ≅ 𝟐. 𝟑𝟎𝟑 𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝒙

ln 10 2.30258593…
Why 2.303? 𝑒 2.303 = 2.71832.3025893 ≅ 10; When x = 10, then log 10 = 1
≅ 2.303

Antilogarithm or Antilog
An antilog is the inverse of the log function. (log 1000 = 3; Antilog 3 = 1000)
log 250 = 2.3979, Antilog 2.3979 = 250; Note that 102.3979 = 250 ; (base 10 is common)
Antilog of b to base m = 𝑚𝑏 ; E.g., 23 = 8, log 2 8 = 3, Antilog of 3 to base 2 = 8;

Find antilog of 1.5132

Step 1: Use Mantissa ONLY; Ref. antilog table row with .51 in the left hand side and refer to column
with 3 and further right for column 2 you get 3258+2 = 3260.
Step 2: As characteristic is 1, the number of digits to the left of the decimal point should be 1+1=2.
Antilog of 1.5132 = 32.60
Verification by checking the log table; Row with 32 in the left hand side and column with 6 has
value 5132 (Mantissa); Integral part has 2 digits, so characteristic is 2 − 1 = 1;