<< Chapter < Page Chapter >> Page >

Given a logarithm with the form log b M , use the change-of-base formula to rewrite it as a quotient of logs with any positive base n , where n 1.

  1. Determine the new base n , remembering that the common log, log ( x ) , has base 10, and the natural log, ln ( x ) , has base e .
  2. Rewrite the log as a quotient using the change-of-base formula
    • The numerator of the quotient will be a logarithm with base n and argument M .
    • The denominator of the quotient will be a logarithm with base n and argument b .

Changing logarithmic expressions to expressions involving only natural logs

Change log 5 3 to a quotient of natural logarithms.

Because we will be expressing log 5 3 as a quotient of natural logarithms, the new base, n = e .

We rewrite the log as a quotient using the change-of-base formula. The numerator of the quotient will be the natural log with argument 3. The denominator of the quotient will be the natural log with argument 5.

log b M = ln M ln b log 5 3 = ln 3 ln 5
Got questions? Get instant answers now!
Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Change log 0.5 8 to a quotient of natural logarithms.

ln 8 ln 0.5

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Can we change common logarithms to natural logarithms?

Yes. Remember that log 9 means log 10 9 . So, log 9 = ln 9 ln 10 .

Using the change-of-base formula with a calculator

Evaluate log 2 ( 10 ) using the change-of-base formula with a calculator.

According to the change-of-base formula, we can rewrite the log base 2 as a logarithm of any other base. Since our calculators can evaluate the natural log, we might choose to use the natural logarithm, which is the log base e .

log 2 10 = ln 10 ln 2 Apply the change of base formula using base  e . 3.3219 Use a calculator to evaluate to 4 decimal places .
Got questions? Get instant answers now!
Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Evaluate log 5 ( 100 ) using the change-of-base formula.

ln 100 ln 5 4.6051 1.6094 = 2.861

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Access these online resources for additional instruction and practice with laws of logarithms.

Key equations

The Product Rule for Logarithms log b ( M N ) = log b ( M ) + log b ( N )
The Quotient Rule for Logarithms log b ( M N ) = log b M log b N
The Power Rule for Logarithms log b ( M n ) = n log b M
The Change-of-Base Formula log b M = log n M log n b           n > 0 , n 1 , b 1

Key concepts

  • We can use the product rule of logarithms to rewrite the log of a product as a sum of logarithms. See [link] .
  • We can use the quotient rule of logarithms to rewrite the log of a quotient as a difference of logarithms. See [link] .
  • We can use the power rule for logarithms to rewrite the log of a power as the product of the exponent and the log of its base. See [link] , [link] , and [link] .
  • We can use the product rule, the quotient rule, and the power rule together to combine or expand a logarithm with a complex input. See [link] , [link] , and [link] .
  • The rules of logarithms can also be used to condense sums, differences, and products with the same base as a single logarithm. See [link] , [link] , [link] , and [link] .
  • We can convert a logarithm with any base to a quotient of logarithms with any other base using the change-of-base formula. See [link] .
  • The change-of-base formula is often used to rewrite a logarithm with a base other than 10 and e as the quotient of natural or common logs. That way a calculator can be used to evaluate. See [link] .

Section exercises

Verbal

How does the power rule for logarithms help when solving logarithms with the form log b ( x n ) ?

Any root expression can be rewritten as an expression with a rational exponent so that the power rule can be applied, making the logarithm easier to calculate. Thus, log b ( x 1 n ) = 1 n log b ( x ) .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

What does the change-of-base formula do? Why is it useful when using a calculator?

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Algebraic

For the following exercises, expand each logarithm as much as possible. Rewrite each expression as a sum, difference, or product of logs.

log b ( 7 x 2 y )

log b ( 2 ) + log b ( 7 ) + log b ( x ) + log b ( y )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

log b ( 13 17 )

log b ( 13 ) log b ( 17 )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

ln ( 1 4 k )

k ln ( 4 )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

For the following exercises, condense to a single logarithm if possible.

ln ( 7 ) + ln ( x ) + ln ( y )

ln ( 7 x y )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

log 3 ( 2 ) + log 3 ( a ) + log 3 ( 11 ) + log 3 ( b )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

log b ( 28 ) log b ( 7 )

log b ( 4 )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

ln ( a ) ln ( d ) ln ( c )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

log b ( 1 7 )

log b ( 7 )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

For the following exercises, use the properties of logarithms to expand each logarithm as much as possible. Rewrite each expression as a sum, difference, or product of logs.

log ( x 15 y 13 z 19 )

15 log ( x ) + 13 log ( y ) 19 log ( z )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

ln ( a −2 b −4 c 5 )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

log ( x 3 y 4 )

3 2 log ( x ) 2 log ( y )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

log ( x 2 y 3 x 2 y 5 3 )

8 3 log ( x ) + 14 3 log ( y )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

For the following exercises, condense each expression to a single logarithm using the properties of logarithms.

log ( 2 x 4 ) + log ( 3 x 5 )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

ln ( 6 x 9 ) ln ( 3 x 2 )

ln ( 2 x 7 )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

2 log ( x ) + 3 log ( x + 1 )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

log ( x ) 1 2 log ( y ) + 3 log ( z )

log ( x z 3 y )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

4 log 7 ( c ) + log 7 ( a ) 3 + log 7 ( b ) 3

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

For the following exercises, rewrite each expression as an equivalent ratio of logs using the indicated base.

log 7 ( 15 ) to base e

log 7 ( 15 ) = ln ( 15 ) ln ( 7 )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

log 14 ( 55.875 ) to base 10

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

For the following exercises, suppose log 5 ( 6 ) = a and log 5 ( 11 ) = b . Use the change-of-base formula along with properties of logarithms to rewrite each expression in terms of a and b . Show the steps for solving.

log 11 ( 5 )

log 11 ( 5 ) = log 5 ( 5 ) log 5 ( 11 ) = 1 b

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

log 11 ( 6 11 )

log 11 ( 6 11 ) = log 5 ( 6 11 ) log 5 ( 11 ) = log 5 ( 6 ) log 5 ( 11 ) log 5 ( 11 ) = a b b = a b 1

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Numeric

For the following exercises, use properties of logarithms to evaluate without using a calculator.

log 3 ( 1 9 ) 3 log 3 ( 3 )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

6 log 8 ( 2 ) + log 8 ( 64 ) 3 log 8 ( 4 )

3

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

2 log 9 ( 3 ) 4 log 9 ( 3 ) + log 9 ( 1 729 )

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

For the following exercises, use the change-of-base formula to evaluate each expression as a quotient of natural logs. Use a calculator to approximate each to five decimal places.

log 1 2 ( 4.7 )

2.23266

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Extensions

Use the product rule for logarithms to find all x values such that log 12 ( 2 x + 6 ) + log 12 ( x + 2 ) = 2. Show the steps for solving.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Use the quotient rule for logarithms to find all x values such that log 6 ( x + 2 ) log 6 ( x 3 ) = 1. Show the steps for solving.

x = 4 ; By the quotient rule: log 6 ( x + 2 ) log 6 ( x 3 ) = log 6 ( x + 2 x 3 ) = 1.

Rewriting as an exponential equation and solving for x :

6 1 = x + 2 x 3 0 = x + 2 x 3 6 0 = x + 2 x 3 6 ( x 3 ) ( x 3 ) 0 = x + 2 6 x + 18 x 3 0 = x 4 x 3 x = 4

Checking, we find that log 6 ( 4 + 2 ) log 6 ( 4 3 ) = log 6 ( 6 ) log 6 ( 1 ) is defined, so x = 4.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Can the power property of logarithms be derived from the power property of exponents using the equation b x = m ? If not, explain why. If so, show the derivation.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Prove that log b ( n ) = 1 log n ( b ) for any positive integers b > 1 and n > 1.

Let b and n be positive integers greater than 1. Then, by the change-of-base formula, log b ( n ) = log n ( n ) log n ( b ) = 1 log n ( b ) .

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Does log 81 ( 2401 ) = log 3 ( 7 ) ? Verify the claim algebraically.

Got questions? Get instant answers now!

Questions & Answers

how to study physic and understand
Ewa Reply
what is conservative force with examples
Moses
what is work
Fredrick Reply
the transfer of energy by a force that causes an object to be displaced; the product of the component of the force in the direction of the displacement and the magnitude of the displacement
AI-Robot
why is it from light to gravity
Esther Reply
difference between model and theory
Esther
Is the ship moving at a constant velocity?
Kamogelo Reply
The full note of modern physics
aluet Reply
introduction to applications of nuclear physics
aluet Reply
the explanation is not in full details
Moses Reply
I need more explanation or all about kinematics
Moses
yes
zephaniah
I need more explanation or all about nuclear physics
aluet
Show that the equal masses particles emarge from collision at right angle by making explicit used of fact that momentum is a vector quantity
Muhammad Reply
yh
Isaac
A wave is described by the function D(x,t)=(1.6cm) sin[(1.2cm^-1(x+6.8cm/st] what are:a.Amplitude b. wavelength c. wave number d. frequency e. period f. velocity of speed.
Majok Reply
what is frontier of physics
Somto Reply
A body is projected upward at an angle 45° 18minutes with the horizontal with an initial speed of 40km per second. In hoe many seconds will the body reach the ground then how far from the point of projection will it strike. At what angle will the horizontal will strike
Gufraan Reply
Suppose hydrogen and oxygen are diffusing through air. A small amount of each is released simultaneously. How much time passes before the hydrogen is 1.00 s ahead of the oxygen? Such differences in arrival times are used as an analytical tool in gas chromatography.
Ezekiel Reply
please explain
Samuel
what's the definition of physics
Mobolaji Reply
what is physics
Nangun Reply
the science concerned with describing the interactions of energy, matter, space, and time; it is especially interested in what fundamental mechanisms underlie every phenomenon
AI-Robot
what is isotopes
Nangun Reply
nuclei having the same Z and different N s
AI-Robot
Got questions? Join the online conversation and get instant answers!
Jobilize.com Reply
Practice Key Terms 4

Get Jobilize Job Search Mobile App in your pocket Now!

Get it on Google Play Download on the App Store Now




Source:  OpenStax, College algebra. OpenStax CNX. Feb 06, 2015 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11759/1.3
Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google Inc.

Notification Switch

Would you like to follow the 'College algebra' conversation and receive update notifications?

Ask