WILLOW INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL
Common Logarithms Notes
Common Logarithm
Our counting system is based on the number Properties of Logarithms
10. For this reason, a lot of logarithmic work
Property 1: Logarithm of the base
uses the base 10.
Definition
log a a 1
Logarithms to the base 10 are called For example, log3 3 1 , log10 1 , and
common logarithms. We often write log x or 1
log 1 1.
lg x to mean log10 x . 2 2
Property 2: Logarithm of 1 to any base
Common logarithms are widely used in log a 1 0
computation. Mathematicians have compiled
For instance, log3 1 0 , log 1 1 0 and
extensive and highly accurate tables of
2
common logarithms for use in these
log 1 0 .
calculations. Today we can easily find the
logarithm of any number to any base by using
a calculator or computer. Property 3: Logarithm of the product of two or
more positive numbers
log a x y log a x log a y
Be careful:
log a x y log a x log a y
For example,
log 2 6 log 2 2 3 log 2 2 log 2 3
1 log 2 3
log 2 5 log 2 3 log 2 (5 3) log 2 15.
log 2 30 log 2 2 3 5
log 2 2 log 2 3 log 2 5
1 log 2 3 log 2 5
1 log 2 10
Property 4: Logarithm of the power of a
positive number Note
log a x m m log a x
This property gives us the
following special cases:
Be careful:
1
loga x
m
m log a x 1. log a n log a x
xn
For example, m
2. log a n x m log a x
log 2 8 log 2 23 3log 2 2 3 1 3 n
log3 5 log3 35
1 1
log3
243 3
5 log3 3 5 1 5
3
log 2 125 log 2 53 log 2 5 2
3
log 2 5
2
Property 5: Logarithm of the quotient of two
positive numbers
x
log a log a x log a y
y
Be careful
log a x log a b log a c log a d
log a x log a y
log a y bce
log a e log a f log a
For example, d f
5
log 2 log 2 5 log 2 3 As a numerical example , consider
3 log3 15 log3 5 log3 6 log3 2
12
log5 0.12 log5 15 6
100 log3 log3 9 2
5 2
3
log5 log5 3 log5 52 Remember that this property only applies to
25 logarithms with a common base.
log5 3 2
Example 11:
log 2 10 log 2 4 log 2 5
Express log 30 and log 3.3 in terms of p given
log 2 10 4 log 2 5
log 3 p .
40
log 2 log 2 8 3 Solution:
5
Notice that we can combine properties 4 and 5
to write expressions with addition and
subtraction of logarithms as the logarithm of a
single fraction. The addends form the
numerator of the fraction and the subtrahends
form the denominator, for example:
Property 6: Raising the base of a logarithm to
a non-zero power
1
log an x log a x Note:
n
For example, As a result of property 6,
1 m
a. log an x log a x
m
log 4 3 log 22 3 log 2 3
2 n
b. log a x log an x
n
1
log 1 9 log31 9 log3 32 2
3 1
Property 7: Change of Base formula
logb x
log a x
logb a Property 7.1:
For example, 1
log3 7 log 7 i) log a b and
log 2 7 logb a
log3 2 log 2
ii) log a b logb a 1
log5 5 1
log3 5 for a, b 0 and a, b 1 .
log5 3 log 5 3
Property 7.2:
log 2 5
log 5 log a x log b x
log 2 10 log a y log b y
for a, b, x, y 0 and a, b 1 .
We can easily derive the following properties
from the examples we have studied:
PROPERTIES OF LOGARITHMS:
If b, a, and c are positive real numbers, 5 6, and n is a real number, then:
1. Product: log 0 · 8 log 0 log 8 5. log 1
9
2. Quotient: log log 0 ; log 8 6. Inverse 1: log < 1
:
3. Power: log 0< 1 · log 0 7. Inverse 2: =>?@ < 1, 1 0
4. log 1 0 8. One-to-One: log 0 log 8 if and only if 0 8
=>?A 9 =>? 9 =B 9
9. Change of Base: log 0
=>?A =>? =B
Examples – Rewriting Logarithmic Expressions Using Logarithmic Properties:
Use the properties of logarithms to rewrite each expression as a single logarithm:
a.
2 log log 4 b. 4 log 2 ; 3 log ; 5
&
Solution:
a.
2 log log 4 b. 4 log 2 ; 3 log ; 5
&
log 2F ; log ; 5# Power Property
log & log 4⁄& Power Property
%G&H
log D & 4⁄& E Product Property log %IJ Quotient Property
Use the properties of logarithms to express the following logarithms in terms of logarithms of , , and K.
a. log &
b. log
% L √
NO
Solution:
a. log &
log log &
Product Property &P
b. log
K
log 2 log Power Property
log Q & P R ; log K Quotient Property
log Q & P R ; log K Quotient Property
log 2 log P ; log K5 Product Property
2 log log
S
L
; 5 log K Power Property
