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3.2 Logarithms with Bases other than 10 and Basic Properties of Logs |
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Goals: |
· Find logarithms to bases other than 10 |
· Develop the basic properties of logarithms |
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Prerequisite skills and knowledge: |
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· a working knowledge of logarithms base 10 |
· a working knowledge of basic properties of exponents |
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We can consider logarithms with bases other than 10. |
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Example 1. Discuss (guess) in small groups the meaning of the following, then evaluate: |
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a) b) |
c) d) |
e) f) |
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SOLUTION |
a) |
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b) |
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The notation ,means the power you raise a to in order to get x
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Example 2. Write each of the following in exponential form: |
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a) Since the base is 5 and the exponent is 2, |
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we have: |
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b) Since the base is 2 and the exponent is 5, |
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we have: |
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c) Since the base is 3 and the exponent is -3, |
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we have: |
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d) Since the base is 10 and the exponent is 2, |
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we have: |
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Example 3. Let’s go in the reverse direction.: Write each of the following as a logarithmic equation: |
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SOLUTION |
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a) Since the base is 5 and the exponent is 2, we have: |
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b) Since the base is 2 and he exponent is 5, we have: |
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c) Since the base is 3 and the exponent is -3, we have: |
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d) Since the base is 10 and the exponent is 3, we have: |
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You may have discovered some interesting patterns when working on the Checkpoint exercises. |
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Example 4. Look at problems 14 -17 from the Checkpoint exercise. Can you generalize your results? |
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14) 15) |
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16) 17) |
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SOLUTION |
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14) |
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Since a logarithm is an exponent and the base is 10, |
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we want the power to which we take 10 that will give us 1: |
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Since any number to the 0 power is 1, the logarithm is 0: |
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15) |
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Since a logarithm is an exponent and the base is 4, |
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we want the power to which we take 4 that will give us 1: |
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Since any number to the 0 power is 1, the logarithm is 0: |
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16) |
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Since a logarithm is an exponent and the base is 3, |
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we want the power to which we take 3 that will give us 1: |
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Since any number to the 0 power is 1, the logarithm is 0: |
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17) |
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Since a logarithm is an exponent and the base is 5, |
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we want the power to which we take 5 that will give us 1: |
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Since any number to the 0 power is 1, the logarithm is 0: |
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Now look at the following problems and note any pattern. |
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Example 5. |
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SOLUTION. |
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Now try these. |
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Example 6. |
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SOLUTION. |
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a) |
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Since the base is 5, we want the exponent to which we must take 5 in order to get 52 . This is almost a silly question because the answer is really right in the problem: |
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b) |
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Since the base is 4, we want the exponent to which we must take 4 in order to get 43 . |
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c) |
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Since the base is 3, we want the exponent to which we must take 3 in order to get 32. |
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