Introduction To

Logarithms
 Logarithms were originally
developed to simplify complex
arithmetic calculations.

They were designed to transform

multiplicative processes
into additive ones.
 Our first question then
must be:

What is a logarithm ?
 Definition of Logarithm

Suppose b>0 and b≠1,

there is a number ‘p’
such that:

logb n  p if and only if b  np

 The first, and perhaps the
most important step, in
understanding logarithms is
to realize that they always
relate back to exponential
equations.
 Example 1:

Write 2  8 in logarithmic form.

3

Solution: log2 8  3

We read this as: ”the log

base 2 of 8 is equal to 3”.
 Example 1a:

Write 4  16 in logarithmic form.

2

Solution: log4 16  2

Read as: “the log

base 4 of 16 is
equal to 2”.
 Example 1b:

1
Write 2 3
 in logarithmic form.
8
1
Solution: log2   3
8
1
Read as: "the log base 2 of is equal to -3".
8
 Okay, so now it’s time for
you to try some on your
own.

1. Write 7  49 in logarithmic form.

2

Solution: log7 49  2
2. Write 5  1 in logarithmic form.
0

Solution: log5 1  0
 1
2
3. Write 10  in log arithmic form.
100

1
Solution: log10  2
100
 1

4. Finally, write 16  4
2

in logarithmic form.

1
Solution: log16 4 
2
It is also very important to be
able to start with a logarithmic
expression and change this
into exponential form.

This is simply the reverse of

what we just did.
 Example 1:

Write log3 81  4 in exp onential form

3  81
4
Solution:
 Example 2:

1
Write log2   3 in exp onential form.
8

1
Solution: 2 3

8
 Okay, now you try these next
three.
1. Write log10 100  2 in exp onential form.

1
2. Write log5   3 in exp onential form.
125
1
3. Write log27 3  in exp onential form.
3
1. Write log10 100  2 in exp onential form.

10  100
2
Solution:
 1
2. Write log5   3 in exp onential form.
125

3 1
Solution: 5 
125
 1
3. Write log27 3  in exp onential form.
3

Solution: 27  3
3
 Let’s see if this simple
rule
can help us solve some
of the following
problems.
Example 1
Solve for x: log6 x  2

Solution:
Let’s rewrite the problem
in exponential form.
6 x
2

We’re finished !
 Example 2
1
Solve for y: log 5 y
25

Solution: Rewrite the problem in

exponential form.
1
5 
y  1
25

Since   5 2 

25
5 5
y 2

y  2
 Example 3

Evaluate log3 27.

Solution:
Try setting this up like this:

log3 27  y Now rewrite in exponential form.

3  27
y

3 3
y 3

y3
These next two problems
tend to be some of the
trickiest to evaluate.

Actually, they are merely

identities and
the use of our simple
rule
will show this.
 Example 4

2
Evaluate: log7 7

Solution:
log7 7  y
2
First, we write the problem with a variable.

7 7
y 2
Now take it out of the logarithmic form
and write it in exponential form.
y2
 Example 5

log 4 16
Evaluate: 4

Solution:
4 log 4 16
y First, we write the problem with a variable.

log4 y  log4 16 Now take it out of the exponential form

and write it in logarithmic form.
Just like 23  8 converts to log2 8  3
y  16
 Finally, we want to take a look at
the Property of Equality for
Logarithmic Functions.

Suppose b  0 and b  1.
Then logb x1  logb x 2 if and only if x1  x 2

Basically, with logarithmic functions,

if the bases match on both sides of the equal
sign , then simply set the arguments equal.
 Example 1

Solve: log3 (4x 10)  log3 (x 1)

Solution:
Since the bases are both ‘3’ we simply set
the arguments equal.
4x 10  x 1
3x 10  1
3x   9
x 3
 Example 2

Solve: log8 (x 14)  log8 (5x)

2

Solution:
Since the bases are both ‘8’ we simply set the arguments equal.

x 14  5x
2

x  5x 14  0
2
Factor
(x  7)(x  2)  0
(x  7)  0 or (x  2)  0
x  7 or x  2 continued on the next page
 Our final concern then is to
determine why logarithms like
the one below are undefined.

log 2 (8)
Can anyone give
us an explanation ?
 log 2 (8)  undefined WHY?

One easy explanation is to simply rewrite

this logarithm in exponential form.
We’ll then see why a negative value is not
permitted.

log 2 (8)  y First, we write the problem with a variable.

2  8
y
Now take it out of the logarithmic form
and write it in exponential form.
What power of 2 would gives us -8 ?
1
2  8 and 2
3 3

8
Hence expressions of this type are undefined.
Logarithmic
Functions
 The logarithmic function to the base a, where a >
0 and a  1 is defined:

y = logax if and only if x = a

y
logarithmic
exponential
form
form
When you convert an exponential to log form, notice
that the exponent in the exponential becomes what
the log is equal to.

Convert to log 16  4 2 log 416  2

form:
Convert to exponential
3 1
1
log 2  3
form: 2 
8 8
 LOGS = EXPONENTS
With this in mind, we can answer questions about
the log:
This is asking for an exponent.
log 2 16  4 What exponent do you put on the
base of 2 to get 16? (2 to the what is 16?)
1 What exponent do you put on the
log 3  2 base of 3 to get 1/9? (hint: think
9 negative)

log 4 1  0 What exponent do you put on the

base of 4 to get 1?
1 When working with logs, re-write
1
log33 33 
log 2 any radicals as rational
What exponent do you put on the
2 exponents.
In the last section we learned about the graphs of
exponentials.
Logs and exponentials are inverse functions of
each other so let’s see what we can tell about the
graphs of logs based on what we learned about
the graphs of exponentials.
 Recall that for functions and their
inverses, x’s and y’s trade places.
So anything that was true about x’s
or the domain of a function, will be
true about y’s or the range of the
inverse function and vice versa.
 Let’s look at the characteristics of
the graphs of exponentials then and
see what this tells us about the
graphs of their inverse functions
which are logarithms.
Characteristics about the Characteristics about the
Graph of an Exponential Graph of a Log Function
f x   log a x where a > 1
Function f x   a x a>1
1. Domain is all real numbers 1. Range is all real numbers
2. Range is positive real numbers 2. Domain is positive real
3. There are no x intercepts numbers
because there is no x value 3. There are no y intercepts
that you can put in the 4. The x intercept is always
function to make it = 0 (1,0) (x’s and y’s trade
4. The y intercept is always places)
(0,1) because a 0 = 1 5. The graph is always increasing
5. The graph is always 6. The y-axis (where x = 0)
increasing is a vertical asymptote
6. The x-axis (where y = 0) is a
horizontal asymptote for
x-
 Exponential Logarithmic
Graph Graph
Graphs of
inverse
functions are
reflected
about the
 Transformation of functions
apply to log functions just
like they apply to all other
functions so let’s try a
up 2 f x   log 10 x
couple.
f x   2  log 10 x
Reflect about x

f x axis
 log x 10
left 1

f x   log 10 x  1
 The secret to solving log equations is to re-
write the log equation in exponential form and

 
then solve.
log 2 2x  1  3 Convert this to
exponential form
check:
2  2x 1
3
 7 
log 2  2   1  3
8  2x  1  2 
7  2x log 2 8  3
7
x This is true since 23
2 =8
Change of Base
Change of Base
 Most calculators have only two types of
log keys, one for common logarithms
(base 10) and one for natural
logarithms (base e).
 Although common logarithms and
natural logarithms are the most
frequently used, you may occasionally
need to evaluate logarithms with other
bases. To do this, you can use the
following change-of-base formula.
Change of Base
 One way to look at the change-of-base
formula is that
 logarithms with base a are simply
constant multiples of
 logarithms with base b. The constant
multiplier is (1/logb a).
Example 1 – Changing Bases Using Common
Logarithms

 a.
Use a calculator.

Simplify.

 b.
Properties of Logarithms
Properties of Logarithms
 We know that the logarithmic function
with base a is the inverse function of
the exponential function with base a.
 So, it makes sense that the properties
of exponents should have
corresponding properties involving
logarithms.
Properties of Logarithms
Rewriting Logarithmic Expressions
 Rewriting Logarithmic
Expressions
 The properties of logarithms are useful for
rewriting
 logarithmic expressions in forms that simplify the

operations of algebra.
 This is true because these properties convert
complicated products, quotients, and exponential
forms into simpler sums, differences, and
products, respectively.
Example 5 – Expanding Logarithmic Expressions

 Expand each logarithmic expression.

 a. lo 4 5x3y

 Solution:
 a. log4 5x3y = log4 5 + log4 x3 + log4 y

= log4 5 + 3 log4 x + log4 y

 cont’d
Example 5 – Solution
Rewrite using
rational
 b.
exponent.
Quotient Property

Power Property