Worksheet 2.
7 Logarithms and Exponentials
Section 1 Logarithms
The mathematics of logarithms and exponentials occurs naturally in many branches of science.
It is very important in solving problems related to growth and decay. The growth and decay
may be that of a plant or a population, a crystalline structure or money in the bank. Therefore
we need to have some understanding of the way in which logs and exponentials work.
Definition: If x and b are positive numbers and b =
6 1 then the logarithm of x to the base b is
the power to which b must be raised to equal x. It is written logb x. In algebraic terms this
means that
if y = logb x then
x = by
The formula y = logb x is said to be written in logarithmic form and x = by is said to be written
in exponential form. In working with these problems it is most important to remember that
y = logb x and x = by are equivalent statements.
Example 1 : If log4 x = 2 then
x = 42
x = 16
Example 2 : We have 25 = 52 . Then log5 25 = 2.
1
Example 3 : If log9 x = 2
then
1
x = 92
√
x = 9
x = 3
y
Example 4 : If log2 3
= 4 then
y
= 24
3
y
= 16
3
y = 16 × 3
y = 48
Exercises:
1. Write the following in exponential form:
(a) log3 x = 9 (d) log4 x = 3
(b) log2 8 = x (e) log2 y = 5
(c) log3 27 = x (f) log5 y = 2
2. Write the following in logarithm form:
(a) y = 34 (d) y = 35
(b) 27 = 3x (e) 32 = x5
(c) m = 42 (f) 64 = 4x
3. Solve the following:
x
(a) log3 x = 4 (d) log2 2
=5
(b) logm 81 = 4 (e) log3 y = 5
(c) logx 1000 = 3 (f) log2 4x = 5
Section 2 Properties of Logs
Logs have some very useful properties which follow from their definition and the equivalence
of the logarithmic form and exponential form. Some useful properties are as follows:
logb mn = logb m + logb n
m
logb = logb m − logb n
n
logb ma = a logb m
logb m = logb n if and only if m=n
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