Properties of Logarithms: 1.

loga1 = 0 You can verify why this works by changing to an exponential form and getting and anything to the zero power is 1. This property says that no matter what the base is, if you are taking the logarithm of 1, then the answer will always be 0. 2. You can verify this by changing to an exponential form and getting . This property says that if the base and the number you are taking thelogarithm of are the same, then your answer will always be 1.

3. This property allows you to take a logarithmic expression of two things that are multiplied, then you can separate those into two distinct expressions that are added together. You can also go the other way. Two log expressions that are added can be combined into a single logexpression using multiplication.

4. This property allows you to take a logarithmic expression involving two things that are divided, then you can separate those into two distinct expressions that are subtracted. You can also go the other way. Two log expressions that are subtracted can be combined into a single logexpression using division. 5. This property will be very useful in solving equations and application problems. It allows you to take the exponent in a logarithmic expression and bring it to the front as a coefficient. You can also go the other way and move a coefficient up so that it becomes an exponent.

Examples:
1) log151 = 0

Solution: 150 = 1 That is, any number or expression raised to the power of 0 is defined

as being equal to 1.

2) log55 = 1

Solution: 51 = 5 That is, any expression/number raised to the power of one is the expression/number itself (unchanged).

3) log33x = x

Solution:

3x = 3 x

4) eln4 = 4

Solution: Recall that if you do something to one side of an equation, you must do the same thing to the other side, in order for the equation to remain the same. Step 1: take the ln of both side: ln(eln4) = ln(4)

Refer to property #7: ln(4)[ln(e)] = ln(4) ln(e) = 1 by definition: ln(4) = ln(4) We get the same expression on both sides so the original equation is true.

5) log107 + log104 = log1028

Solution: Left hand side of the equation: i) ii) log107 = 0.845 log104 = 0.602

iii) 0.845 + 0.602 = 1.447 Right hand side of the equation: iv) Thus, log28 = 1.447 also 1.447 = 1.447 which we know is correct.

6) ln2 - ln5 = ln(2/5)

Solution:

Left hand side of equation: i) ii) ln2 = 0.693 ln5 = 1.609

iii) ln2 - ln5 = 0.693 - 1.609 = -0.916 Right hand side of equation: iv) ln(2/5) = ln(0.4) = -0.916 Thus, -0.916 = -0.916 which we know to be correct.

7) log1023 = 3log102

Solution: log10(8) = 0.903 while

3log102 = 3(0.301) = 0.903

Thus, both sides of the equation equal the same number which means the original statement must be true.

Properties of Logarithms Here, a > 0 and a 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 1.

loga1 = 0 loga a = 1 loga(ax) = x a(logax) = x, if x > 0 logax + loga y = loga(xy) if x, y > 0 logax - loga y = loga (x/y) if x, y > 0 loga (xr) = r loga x if x > 0