Introduction
Logarithms were invented by Napier. Before we had calculators, logarithms made calculation easier because they reduced multiplication and divisions to addition and subtraction. These days, logarithms are less important for this purpose.
Logarithms
A logarithm is writen as loga(x) where a is a number called the base. Usually logarithms are written to the base 10 or sometimes base 2 for binary numbers, but it can be any number. If the logarithm is to the base e= 2.71828..., then we call it a natural logarithm because it is the only logarithm base which has a rate of change equal to the thing which is changing. Natural logs are also written, ln(u). The ln comes from the Latin, log naturalis.
loga(0) is undefined(1)
loga(1) = 0(2)
loga(u v) = loga(u) + loga(v)(3)
loga(u/v) = loga(u) - loga(v)(4)
loga(u)n = n loga(u)(5)
logb(u) = loga(u)/loga(b) - change of base(6)
Where b is the old base, a is the new base, u is the argument of the logarithm.
loga(1/u) = - loga(u) from (2) and (4).(7)
With these rules we can manipulate the exponential functions. Logs are the inverse functions of
Exponential Function
We have seen how to convert a number into a logarithmic number but how about if we are given a logarithm of a number and want to know what the original number was? This is achieved using exponential functions. The exponential function is the inverse function of a logarithmic function.
That is to say, that aloga(u) = u or loga(au)=u
If we have a log to the base 10, the inverse function is 10u.
For natural logarithms, the inverse function is eu or exp(u). In particular, log10(10u) = u
and 10log10(u)= u(8)
ln(eu) = u or eln(u) = u(9)
Example
What is the value of the number the gives the following logs to the base 10:
i) 1, ii) 12, iii) -2, iv) 2.6, v) -5.43
Answers
- log10 x = 1
x=101 = 10 - log10 x = 12
x=1012 = 1x1012 - log10 x = -2
x=10-2 = 0.02 - log10 x = 2.6
x=102.6 = 501.187 - log10 x = 12
x=10-5.43 = 3.71535 x 10-6