How to determine logarithm of a given number

If x is a positive real number then log x can be written as, log x = characteristic of x + mantissa of x.
The following has to be remembered :
Mantissa usually consist of a four digit number, and it comes after the decimal point.
Mantissa is a non negative real number , which is less then .
!hile determining the mantissa, the decimal point of the number has to be ignored.
Most of the log tables give values of mantissa up to four digits only. "or more than a four digit
mantissa, we have to round off the last digit.
#umber with same se$uence of digits have same mantissa.
Example 1: "ind the log of %&&.'.
(haracteristic = '.
"or mantissa, read from the table a number %&&'. "rom the rows, choose %&, and read off from the number
under the column &. The number given in the log tables is )**&. #ow read, in the same row, the mean
difference under '. This number is given as '.
Mantissa = )**& + ' = )**'.
Thus log %&&.' = (haracteristic of %&&.' + Mantissa of %&&.'
= ' + &.)**'
= '.)**'.
Example 2 : "ind the log of +'.*,.
(haracteristic = .
"or mantissa, read from the table a number +'*,. "rom the rows, choose +', and read off from the number
under the column *. The number given in the log tables is ,)'+. #ow read, in the same row, the mean
difference under ,. This number is given as %.
Mantissa = ,)'+ + % = ,)-'.
Thus log +'.*, = (haracteristic of +'.*, + Mantissa of +'.*,
= + &.,)-'
= .,)-'.
Example 3: "ind the log of &.&&&*,,+.
(haracteristic = ./.
"or mantissa, read from the table a number *,,+. "rom the rows, choose *,, and read off from the number
under the column ,. The number given in the log tables is **/,. #ow read, in the same row, the mean
difference under +. This number is given as -.
Mantissa = **/, + - = **%.
Thus log &.&&&*,,+ = (haracteristic of &.&&&*,,+ + Mantissa of &.&&&*,,+
= . / + &.**%
= . -.&&/* 0 The log of &.&&*,,+ is also written as .**%, although
its value is . -.&&/* 1
Example 4 : "ind the log of &.'-/.
(haracteristic = . .
"or mantissa, read from the table a number '-/. "rom the rows, choose ', and read off from the number
under the column -. The number given in the log tables is &,**. #ow read, in the same row, the mean
difference under /. This number is given as /.
Mantissa = &,** + / = &*-.
Thus log &.'-/ = (haracteristic of &.'-/ + Mantissa of &.'-/
= . + &. &*-
= . &.*&,+ or .&*-
The log of .'-/ will be &.&*-.
The log of '.-/ will be .&*-.
The log of '-./ will be '.&*-.
The log of '-/ will be -.&*-.
To 2eep consistency, the log of &.'-/ is written as .&*-, 0although its value is . &.*&,+1.
The log of '-// will be as follows : this is a five digit number, so the last that is the fifth digit will have to be
rounded off. The fifth digit is /, which is less than %. 3o ta2e the last digit is &. Thus the mantissa of '-// will
be same as the mantissa for '-/.
log '-// = /.&*-.
The log of '-/) will be as follows : the last digit ) is rounded off as and is added to the second last number
/. Thus the last digit becomes / + = %. 3o we have to find the mantissa for '-%, which is &,** + % =
&,*/.
log '-/) = /.&,*/.

2. Antilogarithm
4ntilogarithm is the exact opposite of logarithm of a number.
If x = log b, then antilog 0x1 = b =

.
5emember that antiloga 0x1 = .
4ntilog table for base & is readily available. 4ntilog tables are used for determining the inverse value of the
mantissa.
"rom the characteristic, the position of the decimal point can be determined.
4ntilog tables consist of rows that go from .&&, . &, up to .**. The columns have values &,, ', up to *.
6eyond the & columns, there is another column which is 2nown as the mean difference. "or determining the
antilog of the numbers after the decimal point, a particular row has to be read off and the mean difference has
to be added from the table.
Example 1 : "ind the antilog of '.)**'.
The number before the decimal point is ', so the decimal point will be after the first - digits.
"rom the antilog table, read off the row for .)* and column of *7 the number given in the table is %&&&. The
mean difference in the same row and under the column ' is '. To get the inverse of mantissa add %&&& + ' =
%&&'.
#ow place a decimal point after the first - digits and you get the number %&&.'
Thus antilog '.)**' = %&&.'
Example 2 : "ind the antilog of 8 .*&,+
Convert 8 .*&,+ in bar notation as follows :
characteristic of 8 .*&,+ = = 8'
mantissa of 8.*&,+ = 8 .*&,+8 08'1 = &.&*-
so 8&.*&,+ = .&*-
The number before the decimal point is &, the number of 9eroes after the decimal point is one.
"rom the antilog table, read off the row for .&* and column of 7 the number given in the table is '--. The
mean difference in the same row and under the column - is . To get the inverse of mantissa add '-- + =
'-/.
#ow place a decimal point before the '-/ followed by a 9ero and you get the number &.&'-/.
Applications
!e will now see how logarithms and antilogarithms of numbers are useful for calculations which are
complicated or have very large:small numbers.
Example 1 : "ind ,&.*' ; *./%.
<et x = ,&.*' ; *./%
=se the log function on both the sides.
log x = log 0,&.*' ; *./%1
log 0,&.*' ; *./%1 = log ,&.*' + log *./% 0 from the laws of logarithms1
"rom the log tables we get log ,&.*' = .*&,&, log *./% = .',,*
Thus log 0,&.*' ; *./%1 = .*&,& + .',,* = -.*)*
log x = -.*)*
#ow use antilog functions on both the sides.
x = antilog -.*)
"rom the antilog tables we see that the antilog of -.*)* is %+-.&.
How to Use Logarithmic Tables
1) Express these numbers in the scientific notation.
So 23456 is expressed as 2.3456 X 10^4 .
Note: Here (^) symbol denotes "raised to te po!er o"".
#nly te "irst "o$r n$mbers bear importan%e !ile "indin& lo&. 'n tis %ase( te n$mbers a%t$ally
are 2.345
2) On a spare sheet of paper, write down the number, 4. )is 4 is te po!er o" 10.
3) Turn to the natural logarithm page.
4) Find the number 23 in the first column standing table) of the page.
5) !o"e #our finger along the row and stop at the place where it coincides with the number
placed at the column which has the heading 4. *o$r "i&$re at tis point so$ld be readin&
36+2.
6) $rite down that number as #ou mo"e #our finger further to the mean difference columns
coinciding with the column headed %.*o$r "in&er so$ld be readin& +. ,o! add tis + to
36+2. *o$ &et te n$mber 3-01.
-) $rite the number 3&'( ne)t to 4 ma*ing it 4.3-01