Chapter 12_Logarithms

Logarithmic Functions

In the last section we made note of the fact that exponential functions pass the horizontal line test and thus have an inverse. Using the steps for finding the inverse we obtain:

At this point there is no way to solve for y. This leads to the following definition. Logarithmic Functions any function of the form f ( x) = log b x where the logarithm of base b is defined as follows ( b > 0 and b 1 ): y = log b x
by = x

Here are some examples of logarithmic facts and their equivalent in exponential form.

This definition allows us to solve for y in the process for finding the inverse of an exponential. A. Rewrite in logarithmic form. 5 3 = 125
2 4 =
10 4 = 10000

1 16

5 3 = 3 52

80 = 1

1 2

1 2

Use the proper terminology when reading logarithms, log 5 125 = 3 reads log base 5 of 125 is 3. If given y = log b x then x is called the argument of the logarithm. Also, notice that y is an exponent so the logarithm is actually an exponent, this will be important later.

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Logarithmic Functions

B. Evaluate without using a calculator. log 3 9 log 5 1

log 6 ( 1 ) 6

log 7 7

log 5 5

log 4 4 5

log 8 2

log 11 3 121

log 36 6

1 log 2 ( 256 )

log 7

( )
1 7

log 3

( )
1 35

Given y = log b x the base b can be any real number greater than zero but not including one. So we may use e as the base. Natural Logarithm Using e as the base we obtain y = log e x = ln x (or e y = x )

Common Logarithm Using 10 as the base we obtain y = log10 x = log x (or 10 y = x )

log 1000

log 10 6

1 log (100 )

ln e

ln e 3

ln

( )
1 e

If we encounter a log with no base we must assume it is the common log with base 10. Remember that the natural log, ln x, has base e.
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Often the logarithms do not work out so nicely and we will need to use a calculator to evaluate them.

Here are the steps for using a TI-30x calculator. Other scientific calculators are similar.

So if we round off the nearest thousandth we have log10 75 1.875 . C. Evaluate using a calculator rounding off to the nearest thousandth. log 0.001 log 10 log 5

ln 25

ln e

1 ln ( 24 )

1 log10 (12 )

ln 0.0000038

ln e 3

Given f ( x ) = log x 5 find f (6)

Given f ( x ) = log( x 5) find f (6)

Notice that there are only two logarithm buttons on your calculator. There is a ln button (base e) and a log button (base 10). What if we wish to find logs with different bases?

There are only two bases built into your calculator. This is the case because we may use what is called the change of base formula.
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Logarithmic Functions

Change of Base Formula The change of base formula is very important because our calculators do not have a log to any base button. This formula allows us to calculate any logarithm given only two bases on our calculator. Change of Base Formula For any base a > 0 and a 1

log b x =

log a x log a b

or alternatively

log b x =

ln a x ln a b

Round log 5 40 off to the nearest thousandth.

Step 1: Apply the change of base formula. Here we chose to change the base to 10.

Step 2: Use a calculator and round off.

We could choose any base we wish. But it is wise to choose base e or 10 because there is a button for them on our calculators.

To sum up the change of base formula, we remember to take the log of the argument divided by the log of the old base. D. Evaluate using a calculator rounding off to the nearest thousandth. log 3 50 log 7 49 log 2 10

log 8 ( 1 ) 2

log 23 (0.15)

log 4 ( 1 ) 4

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Logarithmic Functions

Domain and Range of Logarithms Now we can finish the problem that we started at the beginning of this section. Find the inverse of f ( x) = 2 x .

So the logarithm y = log b x was defined to be the inverse of the exponential y = b x . All the ideas and properties that we have learned about inverses will apply. First let us examine the symmetry about the line y = x by graphing both on the same set of axes.

Note: The x-axis is a horizontal asymptote for y = 2 . The y-axis is a vertical asymptote for
x

y = log 2 x

If we graph y = 2 x then we can use symmetry about the line y = x to graph y = log 2 x . Given any point (x, y) on the graph of y = 2 x then (y, x) will be a point on its inverse y = log 2 x . Also, this symmetry is reflected in the domain and range of each. y = 2x
Domain: ( , ) all real numbers Range:

(0, ) all positive reals

y = log 2 x Domain: (0, ) all positive reals Range: ( , ) all real numbers

The graph shows that the domain of the logarithm in this example must be positive and real. To illustrate this calculate the following logarithms on a calculator. x-values within the domain of y = log 2 x x-values outside the domain of y = log 2 x

Tip: The argument of any logarithm is not allowed to be negative. Do not confuse this with the range. Results obtained from logarithms are often negative as illustrated above.

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Now we will illustrate a simple method that we could use to graph the basic logarithms. Graph f ( x ) = log (1 ) x and state the domain and range.
2

Step 3: Plot the points and connect them. The more points we plot the better the graph will look.

Step 1: Rewrite the logarithm as an exponential. Step 2: Choose any y-values and find the corresponding x-values.

E. Graph the following logarithmic functions. State the domain and range. Graph f ( x ) = log x

Graph g ( x ) = ln x

Graph h( x) = log 3 x

As an alternative method for graphing we could determine the inverse exponential, create a chart of values, switch all the x & y values, and graph from there.
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F. Solve (Be sure to check your answers to logarithmic equations) log 3 x = 9 log 5 x = 3

log 7 x = 0

1 log(10 ) = x

log 5 125 = x

ln x = 7

log 2 (3x 1) = 4

ln(2 x) = 3

log( x 2) = 0

Inverse Properties of the Logarithm

We have defined f 1 ( x ) = log b x to be the inverse of f ( x) = b x . So we can develop two important and useful properties of the logarithm using the following properties of inverses. f ( f 1 ( x)) = x and f 1 ( f ( x)) = x In this particular case we have and G. Simplify log 3 339
log 3 3 39 = 39
e ln 48 e ln 48 = 48

f ( f 1 ( x)) = b logb x = x f 1 ( f ( x )) = log b b x = x

ln e 20 ln e 20 = 20 10 log 500 10 log 500 = 500 5 log 5 37 5 log 5 37 = 37

log 1014 log 1014 = 14

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