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Logarithms
𝑦 = [𝑥]
 Key Takeaways

Logarithmic Function

𝑎𝑦 = 𝑥 ⟺ log 𝑎 𝑥 = 𝑦 𝑥 > 0, 𝑎 > 0 & 𝑎 ≠ 1

Exponent form logarithm form

Logarithm of a number (𝑥) to some base (𝑎) is the exponent (𝑦) by

which the base must be raised in order to get that number.

Example
log 2 4 = 𝑥
⇒ 4 = 2𝑥 ⇒ 𝑥 = 2
log10 1000 = 3
1
log 3 3 = 2
log 1 2 = −1
2
 Evaluate the following :
𝑖 log 4 8 𝑖𝑖 log 0.01 0.00001 𝑖𝑖𝑖 log 2+ 32 − 3

Solution:
𝑖𝑖𝑖 log 2+ 32− 3=𝑥
𝑖 log 4 8 = 𝑥 𝑥
2− 3= 2+ 3
8 = 4𝑥 𝑥
1
= 2+ 3
23 = 22𝑥 2+ 3

3 𝑥 = −1
𝑥=
2

𝑖𝑖 log0.01 0.00001 = 𝑥
−5 −2 𝑥
10 = 10
5
=𝑥
2
 Types of Logarithm

Common logarithm:
Logarithm to the base 10 is called the common logarithm
Example
𝑦 = log10 𝑥
Natural Logarithm:
Logarithm to the base 𝑒 is called Napier or Natural logarithm
( Where, 𝑒 is Napierian constant an irrational quantity lying between 2.7 to 2.8.)
Example
𝑦 = log 𝑒 𝑥

Note

log 𝑒 𝑥 is also represented as ln 𝑥

Value of log10 𝑥 and log 𝑒 𝑥 are different as their bases are different.
𝑌 𝑌

0 1 𝑋 0 1 𝑋

log 𝑎 𝑥 : 𝑎 > 1 log 𝑎 𝑥 : 0 < 𝑎 < 1

Domain: 0, ∞
Range: ℝ
 Key Takeaways

Properties of Logarithmic Function

● log 𝑎 𝑚 + log 𝑎 𝑛 = log 𝑎 𝑚𝑛 ; 𝑚, 𝑛, 𝑎 > 0, 𝑎 ≠ 1

Proof: Let log 𝑎 𝑚 = 𝑥 ⇒ 𝑚 = 𝑎 𝑥 ;

log 𝑎 𝑛 = 𝑦 ⇒ 𝑛 = 𝑎 𝑦

𝑚𝑛 = 𝑎 𝑥 ⋅ 𝑎 𝑦 = 𝑎 𝑥+𝑦

⇒ log 𝑎 𝑚𝑛 = 𝑥 + 𝑦 (∵ 𝑏 𝑧 = 𝑁 ⇒ log 𝑏 𝑁 = 𝑧 )
= log 𝑎 𝑚 + log 𝑎 𝑛
 Key Takeaways

Properties of Logarithmic Function

● log 𝑎 𝑚1 + log 𝑎 𝑚2 + ⋯ + log 𝑎 𝑚𝑛 = log 𝑎 𝑚1 𝑚2 ⋯ 𝑚𝑛
Where 𝑚1 , 𝑚2 , ⋯ 𝑚𝑛 , 𝑎 > 0, 𝑎 ≠ 1
 1 1 1 1
Evaluate: log 1 1 − + log 1 1 − + log 1 1 − + ⋯ + log 1 1 −
𝑛 2 𝑛 3 𝑛 4 𝑛 𝑛

Solution:
1 1 1 1
log 1 1 − + log 1 1 − + log 1 1 − + ⋯ + log 1 1 −
𝑛 2 𝑛 3 𝑛 4 𝑛 𝑛

1 2 3 𝑛−1 log 𝑎 𝑚1 + log 𝑎 𝑚2 + ⋯ + log 𝑎 𝑚𝑛 = log 𝑎 𝑚1 𝑚2 ⋯ 𝑚𝑛 ;

= log 1 + log 1 + log 1 + ⋯ + log 1
𝑛2 𝑛3 𝑛4 𝑛 𝑛
𝑚1 , 𝑚2 , ⋯ 𝑚𝑛 , 𝑎 > 0, 𝑎 ≠ 1
1 2 3 𝑛−1
= log 1 ⋅ ⋅ ⋯
𝑛 2 3 4 𝑛

1
= log 1 log 𝑎 𝑎 = 1, 𝑎 > 0, 𝑎 ≠ 1
𝑛 𝑛

=1
 Key Takeaways

Properties of Logarithmic Function

𝑚
● log 𝑎 𝑚 − log 𝑎 𝑛 = log 𝑎 ; 𝑚, 𝑛, 𝑎 > 0, 𝑎 ≠ 1
𝑛

Proof: Let log 𝑎 𝑚 = 𝑥 ⇒ 𝑚 = 𝑎 𝑥 ;

log 𝑎 𝑛 = 𝑦 ⇒ 𝑛 = 𝑎 𝑦
𝑚 𝑎𝑥 𝑚
= ⇒ = 𝑎 𝑥−𝑦
𝑛 𝑎𝑦 𝑛
𝑚
⇒ log 𝑎 = 𝑥 − 𝑦 (∵ 𝑏 𝑧 = 𝑁 ⇒ log 𝑏 𝑁 = 𝑧 )
𝑛

𝑚
∴ log 𝑎 = log 𝑎 𝑚 − log 𝑎 𝑛
𝑛
 Key Takeaways

Properties of Logarithmic Function

● log 𝑎 𝑥 𝑚 = 𝑚 log 𝑎 𝑥
Proof:
log 𝑎 𝑥 𝑚 = log 𝑎 𝑥 ⋅ 𝑥 ⋅ 𝑥 ⋅ 𝑥 ⋯ 𝑥 log 𝑎 𝑚1 + log 𝑎 𝑚2 + ⋯ + log 𝑎 𝑚𝑛 = log 𝑎 𝑚1 𝑚2 ⋯ 𝑚𝑛 ;
𝑚 times 𝑚1 , 𝑚2 , ⋯ 𝑚𝑛 , 𝑎 > 0, 𝑎 ≠ 1
= log 𝑎 𝑥 + log 𝑎 𝑥 + ⋯ log 𝑎 𝑥

= 𝑚 log 𝑎 𝑥

Example

● log 2 𝑥 3 = 3 log 2 𝑥
 75 5 32
Evaluate: log 2 − 2 log 2 + log 2
16 9 243

Solution:
75 5 32 ● log 𝑎 𝑥 𝑚 = 𝑚 log 𝑎 𝑥
log 2 − 2 log 2 + log 2
16 9 243
● log 𝑎 𝑚1 + log 𝑎 𝑚2 + ⋯ + log 𝑎 𝑚𝑛 = log 𝑎 𝑚1 𝑚2 ⋯ 𝑚𝑛 ;
75 81 32
= log 2 + log 2 + log 2 𝑚1 , 𝑚2 , ⋯ 𝑚𝑛 , 𝑎 > 0, 𝑎 ≠ 1
16 25 243
● log 𝑎 𝑎 = 1
75 81 32
= log 2 ⋅ ⋅
16 25 243

= log 2 2

=1
 Properties of logarithmic function
1
● log 𝑎𝑚 𝑥 = log 𝑎 𝑥 , 𝑥, 𝑎 > 0 , 𝑎 ≠ 1, 𝑚 ≠ 0
𝑚

Proof:
Let log 𝑎𝑚 𝑥 = 𝑘

⇒ 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑚 𝑘

⇒ 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑘𝑚

⇒ log 𝑎 𝑥 = 𝑘𝑚 (∵ 𝑏 𝑧 = 𝑁 ⇒ log 𝑏 𝑁 = 𝑧 )

1
⇒𝑘= . log 𝑎 𝑥
𝑚
1
∴ log 𝑎𝑚 𝑥 = log 𝑎 𝑥
𝑚
 Properties of logarithmic function

𝑚
● log 𝑎𝑛 𝑥 𝑚 = 𝑛
log 𝑎 𝑥 , 𝑥, 𝑎 > 0, 𝑎 ≠ 1, 𝑛 ≠ 0
Properties of Logarithmic function
● log𝑎 𝑚
= log 𝑛 𝑚 ; 𝑚, 𝑛, 𝑎 > 0, 𝑛, 𝑎 ≠ 1 (Base changing property)
log𝑎 𝑛

Proof: Let log 𝑎 𝑚 = 𝑥 ⇒ 𝑚 = 𝑎 𝑥 ;

log 𝑎 𝑛 = 𝑦 ⇒ 𝑛 = 𝑎 𝑦

log 𝑛 𝑚 = log 𝑎𝑦 𝑎 𝑥
𝑥
=
𝑦

log𝑎 𝑚
=
log𝑎 𝑛

Note
1
= log 𝑎 𝑏 ; 𝑎, 𝑏 > 0, 𝑎, 𝑏 ≠ 1
log𝑏 𝑎
 Evaluate: log 2 3 ⋅ log 3 4 ⋅ log 4 5 ⋅ log 5 6 ⋅ log 6 7 ⋅ log 7 8

Solution:
log 2 3 ⋅ log 3 4 ⋅ log 4 5 ⋅ log 5 6 ⋅ log 6 7 ⋅ log 7 8 log𝑎 𝑚
= log𝑛 𝑚
log𝑎 𝑛
log 3 log 4 log 5 log 6 log 7 log 8
= ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅ ⋅
log 2 log 3 log 4 log 5 log 6 log 7

log 8
=
log 2

= log2 8

=3
 1 1 1 1
The value of + + +⋯+ where 𝑁 = 1 ∙ 2 ∙ 3 ∙∙∙ 2022 is:
log2 𝑁 log3 𝑁 log4 𝑁 log2022 𝑁

A 0

B 𝑁

C 1

D 𝑁𝑁
 1 1 1 1
The value of + + +⋯+ where 𝑁 = 1 ∙ 2 ∙ 3 ∙∙∙ 2022 is:
log2 𝑁 log3 𝑁 log4 𝑁 log2022 𝑁

Solution:
1 1 1 1
+ +
log 2 𝑁 log 3 𝑁 log 4 𝑁
+⋯+
log 2022 𝑁
A 0

= log𝑁 2 + log 𝑁 3 + log 𝑁 4 + ⋯ + log𝑁 2022

B 𝑁

= log𝑁 2 ∙ 3 ∙ 4 ∙∙∙ 2022

C 1
= log𝑁 𝑁

=1 D 𝑁𝑁
Properties of Logarithmic function
● 𝑎log𝑎 𝑁 = 𝑁; 𝑁, 𝑎 > 0, 𝑎 ≠ 1
Proof:
Let log 𝑎 𝑁 = 𝑥
⇒ 𝑁 = 𝑎 𝑥 = 𝑎log𝑎 𝑁

● 𝑎log𝑏 𝑁 = 𝑁 log𝑏 𝑎 ; 𝑁, 𝑎, 𝑏 > 0, 𝑏 ≠ 1

Proof:
log𝑎 𝑁
log𝑏 𝑁
𝑎 = 𝑎 log𝑎 𝑏
1
= 𝑎log𝑎 𝑁 log𝑎 𝑏
1
=𝑁 log𝑎 𝑏 = 𝑁 log𝑏 𝑎
 1 1 1
Evaluate: + + where 𝑎, 𝑏, 𝑐 > 0, 𝑎𝑏, 𝑐 ≠ 1
1+log𝑎 𝑏+log𝑎 𝑐 log𝑏 𝑎+1+log𝑏 𝑐 log𝑐 𝑎+log𝑐 𝑏+1

Solution:

1 1 1
+ +
1 + log 𝑎 𝑏 + log 𝑎 𝑐 log 𝑏 𝑎 + 1 + log 𝑏 𝑐 log 𝑐 𝑎 + log 𝑐 𝑏 + 1

1 1 1
= + +
log𝑎 𝑎 + log 𝑎 𝑏 + log 𝑎 𝑐 log 𝑏 𝑎 + log 𝑏 𝑏 + log 𝑏 𝑐 log 𝑐 𝑎 + log 𝑐 𝑏 + log 𝑐 𝑐

1 1 1
= + +
log𝑎 𝑎𝑏𝑐 log 𝑏 𝑎𝑏𝑐 log 𝑐 𝑎𝑏𝑐

= log𝑎𝑏𝑐 𝑎 + log 𝑎𝑏𝑐 𝑏 + log𝑎𝑏𝑐 𝑐

= log𝑎𝑏𝑐 𝑎𝑏𝑐

=1
 3 1
log2 121+
Evaluate: 8 3

Solution:

3 1
log2 121+
8 3

3 1
= 8log2 121
⋅ 83

3 log2 8
= 121 ⋅2

3 3
= 121 ⋅2

= 242
 Characteristic and Mantissa

● If log 𝑁 = 𝐼 + 𝐹, where 𝐼 ∈ ℤ and 0 ≤ 𝐹 < 1, then 𝐼 and 𝐹 are

respectively called the characteristic and Mantissa of log10 𝑁
log b 𝑎 = 𝑥 ⇒ 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 𝑥 Fractional value of 𝑥

Integral value of 𝑥 Mantissa

Characteristic
Example

● log10 3.456 = 0 + .5386 ● log10 34. 56 = 1.5386

Characteristic Mantissa
= 1 + .5386

Characteristic Mantissa
 Characteristic and Mantissa

Example

● log10 0. 5 = −.3010
= −1 + 0.6989

Characteristic Mantissa

Note

● Characteristic can be −𝑣𝑒, +𝑣𝑒 or zero

● Mantissa can’t be negative and remain in fractions only

i.e., Mantissa ∈ 0, 1
 Number of Digits

Number of digits in the integral part of 𝑁 = 𝑐ℎ. +1 ,

Where 𝑐ℎ. = log10 𝑁

Let 1 < 𝑁 < 10

log10 1 < log10 𝑁 < log10 10

0 < log10 𝑁 < 1

log10 𝑁 = 0

𝑐ℎ. = 0

⇒ Number of digits in the integral part of 𝑁 = 1

 Number of Digits

𝑌 Number 𝑁 Ch = log10 𝑁 No. of digits in

log10 𝑁 integral part of 𝑁
3 1, 10 0 1
2 10, 100 1 2
1
100, 1000 2 3

𝑋
0 1 10 100 1000
 Antilog

If log 𝑎 𝑥 = 𝑦 ⇒ 𝑥 = 𝑎 𝑦
Here 𝑥 = antilog of 𝑦 to the base 𝑎

Example Anti log of 3 to the base 5 = 53 = 125

3
Anti log of 0.75 to the base 16 = 16 = 8
4
 Find the number of digits in 2100 log10 2 = 0.3010

Solution:

Let 𝑁 = 2100

⇒ log10 𝑁 = log10 2100

⇒ log10 𝑁 = 100 × log10 2

⇒ log10 𝑁 = 100 × 0.3010

⇒ log10 𝑁 = 30.10

⇒ log10 𝑁 = 30 + .10

( characteristics = 30 )

So, No. of digit in 2100 = 31

 Evaluate: 3log7 2 − 11log5 9 − 2log7 3 + 9log5 11

Solution:

3log7 2 − 11log5 9 − 2log7 3 + 9log5 11

𝑎log𝑏 𝑁 = 𝑁 log𝑏 𝑎
= 3log7 2 − 2log7 3 + 9log5 11 − 11log5 9

= 3log7 2 − 3log7 2 + 9log5 11 − 9log5 11

=0