CAMBRIDGE IGCSE™ ADDITIONAL MATHEMATICS: TEACHER’S RESOURCE

5 Logarithmic and
exponential functions
Teaching plan
Topic Order in Learning content Resources
chapter
Common logs First Use simple properties of common Coursebook:
logs and 10 x. Section 5.1

PowerPoints:
5.1 Common logs including class
discussion and Worked examples
1, 2 & 3
Logs to any Second Use simple properties of logs to Coursebook:
base any general base a and a x. Section 5.2

PowerPoints:
5.2 Logs to any base including
Worked examples 4, 5 & 6
Log laws Third Use the laws of logarithms, Coursebook:
including change of base of Sections 5.3, 5.4 & 5.6
logarithms to
• simplify expressions PowerPoints:
• solve equations. 5.3 Log laws including change of
base and Worked examples 7, 8 & 12
5.4 Simplifying log expressions
and solving log equations including
Worked examples 9 & 13

PDF files:
Chapter 5 Teacher notes

These resources are printable

and/or editable
Chapter 5 Lesson Plan
Chapter 5 Log laws investigation
worksheets 5.1 to 5.3
Solving Solve equations of the form a x = b. Coursebook:
exponential Section 5.5
equations
PowerPoints:
5.5 Solving exponential equations
including Worked examples 10 & 11
(Continued)

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Topic Order in Learning content Resources

chapter
Natural logs Fourth Use simple properties of logs to Coursebook:
and The base e and ex. Sections 5.7, 5.8 & 5.11
exponential
function
Apply the laws of logarithms to PowerPoints:
natural logs.
5.7 Natural logs including Worked
example 14
Solve equations of the form ex = b. 5.10 Log and exponential
functions further practice
Find the inverse of a function
y = f  (x) where f is in terms of a
natural log or the exponential
function, e x.
Graphs of Fifth Use graphs of the logarithmic and Coursebook:
log and exponential functions including Sections 5.9 & 5.10
exponential lnx, e x and graphs of ke nx + a and
functions k ln (ax + b) where n, k, a and b are
integers. PowerPoints:
5.9 Graphs of e x, ln x and related
functions including class discussion
and Worked examples 15 & 16

Learning plan
Learning intentions Success criteria

Use simple properties of logarithmic and Students can successfully interpret logs to any base and
exponential functions including ln x exponential functions. Students are able to relate the
and e x. logarithmic form and the exponential form effortlessly.
Students understand that, when f  (x) = ln x then f  −1  (x) = e x
and vice versa.
Use the laws of logarithms, including Students can successfully apply laws of logs, including the
change of base of logarithms to: change of base, to solve simple problems involving logs.
• simplify expressions Students can use log laws to simplify expressions and
solve equations.
• solve equations.
Solve equations of the form a x = b. Students can solve equations stated directly or as part
of a method in solving, for example, a disguised
quadratic equation.
Use graphs of the logarithmic and Students know, and are able to sketch confidently, the graphs
exponential functions including ln x, e x of y = ln x, y = e x and related functions. Students are able
and graphs of kenx + a and k ln (ax + b) to use the relationship between the graph of a function
where n, k, a and b are integers. and its inverse to sketch the graph of y = f  (x), where f is an
exponential or log function, and the sketch graph of y = f  −1  (x)
without finding the rule for the inverse function.

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BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

• The following table details what knowledge it is assumed that students already have from studying
Cambridge IGCSE or O level mathematics or Chapter 1.

What your students should be able to do Examples

Sketch graphs of exponential functions. Sketch the graph of y = 2x.
Sketch the graph of the inverse of an y
exponential function.

1
0 x

A function f is defined by f  (x) = 3x for all real x.

The diagram shows the graph of y = f  (x).
On the same axes, sketch the graph of y = f −1  (x).
Solve simple exponential equations. Solve the following equations.
a 2x = 64   b 5x+1 = 125   c 82x−3 = 2x+6

• Students will need to have a good working knowledge of indices before working on the topics
in this chapter. Students should have some previous knowledge of this and of the shapes of the
curves for exponential functions from their studies of Cambridge IGCSE or O level mathematics.
This chapter builds on those skills. It is highly desirable that some elements of this unit are studied
after or with Chapter 1. The material in this chapter which requires knowledge of functions could
be used to review Chapter 1.

LANGUAGE SUPPORT

The definitions of key words and phrases are for example. The full display on the calculator
given in the glossary. screen is very rarely an exact answer and students
What is an exact answer? In this chapter, need to be aware of this. Allowing your students
an exact answer is likely to be a logarithm, plenty of practice at finding exact forms and
such as ln 2,or an exponential, such as e3 + 1. so modelling what is needed would be useful
Other exact answers may involve p or surds reinforcement of this point.

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Links to Digital Resources

• Nrich’s Powerful Logs has several activities to explore the speed of exponential growth and test skills at
working with logarithms.
• Underground Mathematics has many additional resources.
• Purplemath has several pages with additional examples on exponentials.
• Good explanations for students who enjoy a challenge can be found at the Better Explained site: exponential
functions and the natural logarithm.
• Prior to the common use of calculators, logarithms and exponents were generally calculated using books of
tables. Some of the history of that is detailed in a website called the 1900s, and SOS Math has a copy of a
table of logarithms. This may make your students appreciate their calculator a little more!

REAL-LIFE CONTEXT

• Natural logs are also known as Naperian notation (it is also sometimes called Napier’s
logs, after the Scottish mathematician John constant). The Swiss mathematician Leonhard
Napier (1550−1617). Napier did a great deal Euler (1707−1783) was also the first to use
of work in this field and he published the first the symbol p.
book to contain a set of log tables. Logarithms are a very powerful and important
• ln, the now commonly used abbreviation tool. They are essential when solving
for a natural log, is thought to be from the exponential equations, many of which represent
Latin phrase logarithmus naturalis. Latin was real world situations. Compound interest
commonly used by many mathematicians, so calculations, growth and decay problems,
this is unsurprising. pH measurements, musical scales and sound
• e is also known as Euler’s number, as he intensity are all examples where applications of
was credited with being the first to use this logs and exponentials are vital.

Common Misconceptions and Issues

Misconception/issue How to identify How to avoid or overcome
The log laws are often misused This should be evident This issue shows a misunderstanding of
by students. They commonly in written work. the basic idea of logarithms. It can be
think that: addressed by working through the proofs
log x outlined in PowerPoint 5.3 and relating
log x − log y = _____
​​   ​​ or that
log y the logs to the laws of indices.
log xy = log x log y
When using the exponent law Again, this should be Anti-logging using the definition of a
and the exponent is something evident in written work. log may avoid that issue if your students
like 2x + 1, some students forget commonly make this slip in method.
to bracket the exponent when Care needs to be taken over these laws
they ‘bring it down’ and multiply. and sufficient practice given, so that their
use becomes second nature.
Students who need more Students will arrive at This is something to pay careful attention
support can rely too much on the answer with very to. Your students may need to be
their calculator and forget to little method shown in reminded regularly that showing clear and
show their method steps. their working. full method is the only way to show they
have mastered each topic.
(Continued)

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Misconception/issue How to identify How to avoid or overcome

A question demands an exact Students write decimal Questions involving log and exponential
answer and the answer given by values for all answers to functions often ask for exact answers.
the student is a long decimal. questions in their work. Many students believe this means they
should write their answer to as many
decimals as their calculator shows. This,
of course, is not the case. In this type of
question, an exact answer will usually be
a log (perhaps a natural log), or perhaps
a multiple of e. Reinforcing the language
used here should help students correct this
issue. PowerPoint 5.7 may help with this.
When solving log or exponential Students give solutions On occasion, some values found as
equations, some students forget that are extraneous and ‘solutions’ are in fact ‘extraneous’. Your
to check that their solutions are do not reject them. students do not need to know the
all valid. word ‘extraneous’, though it is perfectly
correct. Encouraging students to check
all solutions to equations are valid before
they state their final answer should help
with this.

Starter ideas
1 What’s my power?
Description and purpose: This task is designed to be a warm-up exercise for logarithms or exponential
functions. Students should already be familiar with the words base and power. This starter exercise recaps
powers and aims to identify any areas of support needed in students’ thinking regarding powers before they
progress (further) into logarithms.
Resources:
Pens/paper
PowerPoint 5 starter
Activity:
• A five-question quiz against the clock.
• Each slide has information about a base and an answer and requires students to write down the
missing power.
The base is ...
The answer is ...
What is the power?
• Each slide is timed for approximately 30 seconds and once the timer has completed a whole turn, the
answer is displayed, students mark their answer and the slide changes.
• No presenter is needed to play the presentation after it has started.
• Ask for a show of hands at the end to establish who has achieved what score.
This activity could possibly lead into: any lesson involving work on exponential or logarithmic functions.
This activity could be adapted: This could easily be done without the use of technology. Using pens and
paper, you could call out the information, students could write the values down and then the answers could
be checked at the end of the activity.

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2 Intercepts
Description and purpose: In advance of thinking about the shapes and positions of graphs, students need to
be able to find the x- and y-intercepts. They have probably done this previously when sketching polynomial
functions. Can they now revise and extend those skills to log and exponential functions? There is also the
opportunity to reinforce what is meant by exact values.
Resources:
Graphing software (either a large screen so the whole class could see or class laptops etc. if available)
Activity:
• Give the class these equations:

​y = ln (x + 3)​ y = e4x − 2 y = 5 ln (3 − x) y = 1 − e−2x

• Ask them to find exact values of the x- and y-intercepts.

• Discussion may arise about:
how many intercepts there are
how they should find them.
• Once they have agreed values for each equation, use the graphing software to help them check their
work and discuss any issues which arise.

Answers:
Equation x-intercept y-intercept

y = ln (x + 3) ​x = −2​ ​y = ln 3​

y = e4x − 2 1 ​​ ln 2
x = ​​ __ ​y = −1​
4
y = 5 ln (3 − x) ​x = 2​ ​y = 5 ln 3​

y = 1 − e−2x ​x = 0​ ​y = 0​

This activity could possibly lead into: a discussion at the start of a lesson about sketching or drawing
accurately graphs of log or exponential functions and their inverses.
This activity could be adapted: If graphing software is not available, the graphs could be drawn by hand or
printed to be used for discussion in each case. This can be done as a whole group task or in pairs or groups.

Main teaching ideas

This topic is better taught with a calculator, although some practice without a calculator would be useful.
The chapter starts with the consideration of common logs and builds on students’ understanding of the decimal
number system. They consider the connection between the logarithmic forms and exponential forms when the
base is 10. Students then generalise that information to base a, look at the laws of logs, change of base rule and
how to solve log and exponential equations.
Natural logs are then introduced and further practice with these involves some useful practical applications.
Students are then given the opportunity to practise their graphing skills, sketching graphs of related log and
exponential functions. The chapter concludes with a short section on finding the inverse of each type of function
and stating domains, reviewing skills learned in Chapter 1.
Some of these ideas will last for more than one lesson. All the suggestions made have assessment for learning
activities embedded within them.

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1 Common logs
Learning intention:
Use simple properties of common logs and 10 x.
Resources:
• PowerPoint 5.1: Common logs, including class discussion and Worked examples 1, 2 and 3
• Coursebook Exercise 5.1
Description and purpose: It is sensible to ensure that your students have a good recall of the laws of indices
before starting logs. This will allow them to broaden their knowledge with reasonable confidence.
PowerPoint 5.1 starts by redefining the base, power and answer of an expression in exponential form with
base 10. This is then rewritten in log form and the forms are compared. This is a useful short introduction
to common logs. Common logs are themselves a really good place for students to begin, as they should be
very familiar with powers of 10. The PowerPoint then leads into the class discussion in section 5.1 and the
worked examples that follow.
The Coursebook also considers the common log as the inverse of the exponential function y = 10 x. This is
a slightly different lead into the subject of logs and you may consider that your students would benefit from
considering this first.
However, it can also be looked at immediately after the class discussion if you wish, as it is a natural
progression from the discussion about the log and exponential forms being inverses that should result.
This then leads into students working through Exercise 5.1 and progressing through the chapter.
Differentiation:
Support:
• Students who are having difficulty engaging will need to spend more time making the connections
between the exponential forms and the logarithmic forms in base 10. Make sure that students have
a good understanding of how to change between logarithmic and exponential forms in purely
numerical cases before attempting to progress to anything algebraic. Do not try to advance students
who are still trying to understand the concepts too quickly – students who understand and have
mastered the skills in base 10, for example, usually transfer those skills across to other bases.
Challenge:
• Can your students develop the ideas they have been using for base 10 to other bases without any
input from you?
Assessment for Learning: Discussion points will arise naturally when considering the definitions and
worked examples in the PowerPoint. Allow time for plenty of discussion to reinforce ideas as this initial
work will be vital to the work that follows.

2 Logs to any base

Learning intention:
Use simple properties of logs to any general base ​a​ and a x.
Resources:
• PowerPoint 5.2: Logs to any base, including Worked examples 4, 5 and 6
• Coursebook Exercise 5.2
Description and purpose: When students have mastered common logs, they should be ready to progress to
using a general base, ​a​. The processes, skills and presentation of this material should be consistent with that
for common logs, to avoid any confusion.
PowerPoint 5.2 repeats the general statements for logarithmic and exponential forms used in the common
logs presentation. The class discussion is also reproduced, this time with all bases as a​ ​. You may choose
to use this as a review of what they have already established and been practising for common logs.
The presentation includes animated solutions to Worked examples 4, 5 and 6. This leads into students
practising their skills by answering Exercise 5.2 of the Coursebook.

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Differentiation:
Support:
• The Khan Academy has several videos that introduce and develop the relationship between
exponentials and logarithms.
Challenge:
• Can your students use the ideas they have been developing to solve equations of the type
a x = b without any extra input from you?
Assessment for Learning: Again, discussion points will arise naturally when considering the definitions and
worked examples in the PowerPoint. It will be important to check that students have understood the basic
ideas through Q&A sessions and through directed questions and marking of work.

3 Log laws
Learning intention:
Use the laws of logarithms, including change of base of logarithms to simplify expressions and
solve equations.
Solve equations of the form a x = b.
Resources:
• PowerPoint 5.3: Log laws, including change of base and Worked examples 7, 8 and 12
• Coursebook Exercise 5.3
• Coursebook Exercise 5.6
• PowerPoint 5.4: Simplifying log expressions and solving log equations including Worked examples 9
and 13
• PDF: Chapter 5 Lesson plan
• PDF: Chapter 5 Log laws investigation, worksheets 5.1 to 5.3 and Chapter 5 Teacher notes
• Coursebook Exercise 5.4
• PowerPoint 5.5: Solving exponential equations including Worked examples 10 and 11
• Coursebook Exercise 5.5
Description and purpose: A lesson plan introducing the laws of logarithms has been included. The plan
details a lesson where students investigate the log laws for addition, subtraction and exponents and attempt
to form the laws in their own words or using log notation. Teacher notes and task sheets have been included
for this ability-differentiated investigation. Whether or not students have undergone the investigation
suggested, they should benefit from seeing the derivations of the log laws. PowerPoint 5.3 has been provided
for this purpose. It can be used to demonstrate the basis for the rules or to reinforce the results that students
may have found for themselves through investigation. The PowerPoint also has some extra, simple practice
of each law after it has been derived. This should help clarify each law as you go along. The change of base
rule has been included in this PowerPoint as Log Law 4. You may wish to look at it in conjunction with the
main three log laws. If you prefer to return to this rule later, it has been deliberately placed at the end of the
presentation, so that it can easily be used separately from the previous slides. The presentation also includes
Worked examples 7 and 8, leading into Exercise 5.3 of the Coursebook. Exercise 5.6 of the Coursebook
practises the change of base rule and so this may also be appropriate at this point.
When solving log equations or simplifying algebraic expressions in log form, students sometimes cannot see
where to start. They need to have the confidence to try an approach to see if it is valid, even if they are not
sure where it may lead. This will come through practising the appropriate skills to solve simple problems
correctly. Once they have mastered the basic skills, try to encourage students to think through the most
efficient solutions as these save time and reduce errors.
PowerPoint 5.4 and PowerPoint 5.5 allow you to explore the skills needed in solving logarithmic
equations and solving exponential equations before students work through the respective Exercises 5.4
and 5.5 of the Coursebook.

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Differentiation:
Support:
• Geogebra has an interactive application to investigate the graphing of exponential
growth and decay.
• Nrich has a calculator activity A Big Power to investigate large powers and Rudolph’s nose is an
investigation into the growth and decay of bacteria.
Challenge:
• Design an investigation about writing ​​log​ ​n​​  2​​​  x​ in terms of ​​log​  n​​  x​without using the change of
base rule.
• RISPs, RISP 31 Building log equations revises and consolidates students’ skills by asking students
to build their own log equations from given information and assessing whether the equations could
possibly be true.
• Nrich’s Big, Bigger, Biggest challenges students to order some numbers with quite large exponents.
Assessment for Learning: The investigation allows for groups to present their findings to the whole class.
This is an excellent opportunity for you to determine how well your students have developed their ideas.
More assessment for learning opportunities will follow with consideration of the examples and proofs in
the PowerPoints.

4 Natural logs and the exponential function

Learning intention:
Use simple properties of logs to base e and ex.
Apply the laws of logarithms to natural logs.
Solve equations of the form ex = b.
Find the inverse of a function ​y = f ​(x)​ where f is in terms of a natural log or the exponential function, ex.
Resources:
• PowerPoint 5.7: Natural logs, including Worked example 14
• Coursebook Exercise 5.7
• Coursebook Exercise 5.8
• Coursebook Exercise 5.11
Description and purpose: Natural logarithms can seem quite strange at first. It is important to give students
some understanding of the naturally occurring constant e.
The Khan Academy has a 10-minute video clip that uses compound interest calculations as a good starter
for introducing e and so developing the idea of a natural log and the exponential function.
PowerPoint 5.7 summarises some of the key points. This should be enough to allow your students a basic
understanding of what they are working with and its importance.
The PowerPoint again repeats the key information used for common logs and logs to base a. This includes
another restatement of the class discussion in section 5.1, this time using base e, for students to review.
By this time, they should be able to explain why the results are true quite fluently!
At this point you may wish students to attempt Exercise 5.7 of the Coursebook. As well as the practical
Worked example 14, the PowerPoint allows you to work through a couple of pure examples. These extend
students’ skills a little and allow you to discuss the idea of an exact answer. Students should then be ready
to try Exercise 5.8 of the Coursebook.
At the end of the chapter there is a short section on finding the inverse of each type of function and stating
domains, reviewing skills learned in Chapter 1. You may wish to revise these skills using PowerPoint 1.6a
and PowerPoint 1.6b before applying them to the work in this chapter. Consideration of Worked example 17
should lead into Exercise 5.11 of the Coursebook.

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Differentiation:
Support:
• Make sure your students are confident in the basic skills before progressing in this section. If they
have a good set of skills for logs and exponentials in other bases they should soon be happy to
apply them here.
• The real-life importance of e will be vital to your students’ understanding of why they are trying
to work in this base. Make sure that you have enough time to explore this with them.
Challenge:
• Nrich’s Log attack sets the challenge of finding an unknown when it is an exponent of two different
base numbers.
Assessment for Learning: The work in this section is vital. Again, it will be important to allow students
time to understand what they are learning and apply what they know to the new base. Observing students
as they work in pairs or small groups will be important. Listen to discussions they are having about their
work. Do they need more of a challenge? Are they stuck on a particular point? Can you help them with
questioning? Can you give them a clue?

5 Graphs of log and exponential functions

Learning intention:
Use graphs of the logarithmic and exponential functions including ​ln x​, e x and graphs of ke nx + a and
​k ln  ​(ax + b)​​ where n, k, a and b are integers.
Resources:
• PowerPoint 5.9: Graphs of e x, ​ln x​and related functions, including class discussion and Worked
examples 15 and 16
• Coursebook Exercise 5.9
• Coursebook Exercise 5.10
Description and purpose: The section of work on graphing exponential and logarithmic functions should
simply be an extension of what they already know. It is a good opportunity to reinforce the requirements of
a sketch rather than a graph.
Exercise 5.9 of the Coursebook requires students to use graphing software and this exercise could be done
as an investigation task exploring the properties of curves related to ​y = ln x​ and y = e x.
Alternatively, PowerPoint 5.9 allows you to look at the key features of the graphs of y = e x and ​y = ln x​ and
then transform them. It includes the class discussion in section 5.10, so can be used to sum up discussions
once they have taken place. It also includes Worked examples 15 and 16. This leads into Exercise 5.10 of the
Coursebook. Use of suitable graphing software to check answers for this exercise is a good idea.
This is a good point in learning to look at using the relationship between the graph of a log function or
exponential function and its inverse to sketch the inverse function by reflecting the graph of the function in
the line y​ = x​and without finding the rule for the inverse function. This could be done for some or all of the
graphs in Exercise 5.10 of the Coursebook as an extra task, perhaps for homework.
Differentiation: The Coursebook contains many examples that should allow you to differentiate your
approach to this subject.
Support:
• A step-by-step approach to drawing the graphs would be useful here. Encourage students to think
about what they need to show and what shapes the graphs should be. Ask directed questions
to establish whether they understand the basic shapes and transformations before considering
intercepts and asymptotes, for example.
Challenge:
• Explore drawing the graphs of ​y = k ln  ​(ax + b)​​ where k, a and b are all negative or a and b are both
negative. What is the impact of k being negative?

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Assessment for Learning: If graphing software is used to investigate and explore functions, there will
be plenty of opportunity for you to observe what students are doing and for you to support them with
questions or suggestions or to challenge them if they need it.

Review activities
1 Memory test
Description and purpose: Ask students to write down two things they have learned during today’s lesson and
one thing they need to improve. Reflection of this kind is useful to students as it helps them think about
what areas they need to work on. It is also a very useful source of information for you to find out what areas
you may need to focus on in your next lesson!
Resources:
Pens and paper or sticky notes
Activity:
• The comments could be written on sticky notes or pieces of paper which are collected at the end of
the lesson.
• The comments should be anonymous.
• Ask for volunteers to tell the class what comments they have made.
• Have any of the other students made similar comments? Do they all agree?
• These could then be added to a tree or display on the wall of the room, if that is appropriate, so that
students will be reminded of what they learned.
This activity could possibly lead from: any lesson that had a lot of key words or phrases.
This activity could be adapted: This could be kept as a digital log and the class could build its own glossary
of terms and meanings which could be accessed or even printed and displayed as a revision resource and/or
to help understanding.

2 Asymptotes
Description and purpose: This review will allow students to consolidate what they have been learning and will
also give you the opportunity to check that they know and, if needed, model how the asymptote should be
described, in case any of your students were unsure of this. It uses the same four equations as the Intercepts
starter activity and it is intended that they are done as a pair so that you can use the same software to check
answers if time permits.
Resources:
Pens and paper
Graphing software
Activity:
• Give the class these equations:

y = ln (x + 3) y = e4x − 2 y = 5 ln (3 − x) y = 1 − e−2x

• Ask them to find the equation of the asymptote for each equation.

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Answers:
Equation Asymptote

y = ln (x + 3) ​x = −3​

y = e4x − 2 ​y = −2​

y = 5 ln (3 − x) ​x = 3​

y = 1 − e−2x ​y = 1​

This activity could possibly lead from: a lesson about sketching graphs of log and exponential functions or a
revision lesson.
This activity could be adapted: The equations could be changed to make the task simpler or more
challenging. Graphing software is not essential, but it is good for students to have visual confirmation of
their answers.

Homework ideas
1 Coursebook: Exercise 5.10
Sketch the graphs of the functions in Exercise 5.10 and, as an extra task, sketch their inverse functions on
the same graph.

2 PowerPoint 5.10
Completion of the questions in this PowerPoint should measure the ability of students to solve problems by
applying combinations of skills to manipulate log and exponential expressions. It will also check whether
they can solve disguised quadratics and understand what is meant by an exact answer. This PowerPoint has
two versions. The first version has no model answers included, but does have some hints in the Teacher notes
for each slide. These can be removed if you do not want to give any hints at all. The second version includes
animated answers and is very supportive of those who need greater modelling of what is needed.
Again, hints and details of what each animation will reveal are included in the Teacher notes for each slide.
As well as a useful homework tool, this PowerPoint can be used as a revision exercise, for self-study, for
further practice in class or as part of a bank of resources students can access at any point throughout the
course when needed. This practice material is also available as a PDF file in case technology is not available
to your students.

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