Logarithms

Def: If a x  b , a  0 and a  1 then the index x is defined as the logarithm of b to the

base a and is written as
x  log a b
Here b is called the antilogarithm of x with respect to the base a and can be
written as b  Anti log a x

Examples:
1. If a n  x then n  log a x
2. If 2 x  5 then x  log 2 5
3. If 2 3  8 then log 2 8  3
4. If 33  27 then log 3 27  8
2 1 1
5. If 4  then log 4  2
16 16
6. If 10 4  0.0001 then log10 0.0001  4
Note:
1. Since a 0  1  log a 1  0 , a  1
2. Since a 1  a  log a a  1 , a  1
For a  1 , log1 1  1
3. Since a   0  log a 0   , a  1
4. Since the equation a k  b can not be solved for any real value of x , so the
logarithm of any negative number can not be determined.
Properties of logarithm:
1. log a mn  log a m  log a n
Ex: log 2 60  log 2 (3  4  5)  log 2 3  log 2 4  log 2 5
m
2. log a  log a m  log a n
n
60
Ex: log 2  log 2 60  log 2 45
45
3. log a m  n log a m
n

Ex: log 4 5  2 log 4 5

2

4. log n m log m n  1
Ex: log 4 3 log 3 4  1
m
5. log b a 
m
n log b a
n
5
Ex: log 32 4  log 3 4
5

6. a log a b  b
log a m
7. log n m 
log a n

Note: When no base is mentioned, it is assumed to be base 10.