Logarithms

Lesson · Beginner

Algebra: Functions

Definition

logbx=y    by=x\log_b x=y\iff b^y=x

Domain

x>0,b>0,b1x>0,\qquad b>0,\qquad b\ne1

Range

(,+)(-\infty,+\infty)

If b>1b>1, then y=logbxy=log_b x is increasing.

If 0<b<10<b<1, then y=logbxy=log_b x is decreasing.

Graphs of logarithmic functions for b greater than 1 and between 0 and 1

Properties

1.logb1=02.logbb=13.logb(bm)=m4.blogba=a5.logba+logbc=logb(ac)6.logbalogbc=logb(ac)7.logb(an)=nlogba8.logbma=1mlogba9.logb(1a)=logba10.logbalogac=logbc11.logba=logcalogcb12.logba=lnalnb,where lnx=logex, e=2.7182813.logba=1logab14.b(logax)(logba)=x15.logbx=logby    x=y \begin{aligned} 1.\quad & \log_b1=0\\[10pt] 2.\quad & \log_b b=1\\[10pt] 3.\quad & \log_b(b^m)=m\\[10pt] 4.\quad & b^{\log_b a}=a\\[10pt] 5.\quad & \log_b a+\log_b c=\log_b(ac)\\[10pt] 6.\quad & \log_b a-\log_b c=\log_b\left(\frac{a}{c}\right)\\[10pt] 7.\quad & \log_b(a^n)=n\log_b a\\[10pt] 8.\quad & \log_{b^m}a=\frac{1}{m}\log_b a\\[10pt] 9.\quad & \log_b\left(\frac{1}{a}\right)=-\log_b a\\[10pt] 10.\quad & \log_b a\cdot\log_a c=\log_b c\\[10pt] 11.\quad & \log_b a=\frac{\log_c a}{\log_c b}\\[10pt] 12.\quad & \log_b a=\frac{\ln a}{\ln b}, \qquad \text{where }\ln x=\log_e x,\ e=2.71828\ldots\\[10pt] 13.\quad & \log_b a=\frac{1}{\log_a b}\\[10pt] 14.\quad & b^{(\log_a x)(\log_b a)}=x\\[10pt] 15.\quad & \log_b x=\log_b y\iff x=y \end{aligned}