Scribd
Upload
7 views

2_20

Uploaded by

c36002185
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
7 views

2_20

Uploaded by

c36002185
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 2



2.20

The laws of logarithms


Introduction
There are a number of rules known as the laws of logarithms. These allow expressions
involving logarithms to be rewritten in a variety of different ways. The laws apply to logarithms
of any base but the same base must be used throughout a calculation.

1. The laws of logarithms


The three main laws are stated here:
First Law
log A + log B = log AB

This law tells us how to add two logarithms together. Adding log A and log B results in the
logarithm of the product of A and B, that is log AB.
For example, we can write
log10 5 + log10 4 = log10 (5 × 4) = log10 20
The same base, in this case 10, is used throughout the calculation. You should verify this by
evaluating both sides separately on your calculator.

Second Law
A
log A − log B = log
B

A
So, subtracting log B from log A results in log B .
For example, we can write
12
loge 12 − loge 2 = loge = loge 6
2
The same base, in this case e, is used throughout the calculation. You should verify this by
evaluating both sides separately on your calculator.

Third Law
log An = n log A

So, for example


log10 53 = 3 log10 5
You should verify this by evaluating both sides separately on your calculator.
Two other important results are

www.mathcentre.ac.uk 2.20.1 c Pearson Education Ltd 2000


log 1 = 0, logm m = 1

The logarithm of 1 to any base is always 0, and the logarithm of a number to the same base is
always 1. In particular,
log10 10 = 1, and loge e = 1

Exercises
1. Use the first law to simplify the following.

a) log10 6 + log10 3,
b) log x + log y,
c) log 4x + log x,
d) log a + log b2 + log c3 .

2. Use the second law to simplify the following.

a) log10 6 − log10 3,
b) log x − log y,
c) log 4x − log x.

3. Use the third law to write each of the following in an alternative form.

a) 3 log10 5,
b) 2 log x,
c) log(4x)2 ,
d) 5 ln x4 ,
e) ln 1000.

4. Simplify 3 log x − log x2 .

Answers
1. a) log10 18, b) log xy, c) log 4x2 , d) log ab2 c3 .
2. a) log10 2, b) log xy , c) log 4.
3. a) log10 53 or log10 125, b) log x2 , c) 2 log(4x), d) 20 ln x or ln x20 ,
e) 1000 = 103 so ln 1000 = 3 ln 10.
4. log x.

www.mathcentre.ac.uk 2.20.2 c Pearson Education Ltd 2000

You might also like