Logarithmic

Functions
 At the end of the lesson, the students
should be able to…
•  Recall the inverse functions
•  Find the inverse of an exponential function
•  Define and understand a logarithmic
function
•  Determine the graph and characteristics of
a logarithmic function
 Recall
Given the exponential function y=bx, what is
the inverse?
Using the process of finding the inverse, we
interchange x and y and solve for y in terms
of x.
x=by
But we can we solve for y in terms of x? L
The logarithmic function to the base b, where b > 0 and b ≠
1 is defined:

y = logbx if and only if x = b y

logarithmic
form exponential
form
When you convert an exponential to log form, notice that the
exponent in the exponential becomes what the log is equal to.

Convert to log form: 16 = 4 2 log 416 = 2

Convert to exponential form:
1 −31
log 2 = −3 2 =
8 8
 LOG = EXPONENT
With this in mind, we can answer questions about the log:

This is asking for an exponent. What

log2 16 = 4 exponent do you put on the base of 2 to
get 16? (2 to the what is 16?)
1 What exponent do you put on the base of
log 3 = −2 3 to get 1/9? (hint: think negative)
9
What exponent do you put on the base of
log 4 1 = 0 4 to get 1?
1 When working with logs, re-write any
1 radicals as rational exponents.
log33 3 3 =
log 2
2 What exponent do you put on the base of
3 to get 3 to the 1/2? (hint: think rational)
 What is the graph of f(x)=2x ?

x 2x
y y = 2x
–2 1
4
horizontal
–1 1 asymptote y = 0
2
0 1
x
1 2

2 4
3 8

6
Since the logarithm function is the inverse of the
exponential function of the same base, its graph is
the reflection of the exponential function in the line
y = x. y y = 2x y=x

horizontal y = log2 x
Take note asymptote y = 0

that the x-intercept

inverse of (1, 0)
x

y=2x is
y=log2x. vertical asymptote
x=0

This is the graph of y=log2x

The graphs of logarithmic functions are similar
for different values of a.
f(x) = loga x (a > 1)
y-axis y
Graph of f (x) = loga x (a > 1) y = ax y=x
vertical
1. domain (0, ∞) asymptote
y = log2 x
2. range (−∞,+∞)
3. x-intercept (1, 0)
4. vertical asymptote domain
x
x = 0 as x → 0+ f ( x) → −∞ x-intercept
5. increasing (1, 0)
6. continuous
7. one-to-one range
8. reflection of y = a x in y = x
Characteristics about the
Graph of an Exponential
Function f (x ) = a x a > 1
1. Domain is all real numbers 1. Range is all real numbers
2. Range is positive real
numbers
3. There are no x intercepts
because there is no x value
that you can put in the
function to make it = 0
4. The y intercept is always
(0,1) because a 0 = 1
5. The graph is always
increasing
6. The x-axis (where y = 0) is
a horizontal asymptote for
x→-∞
Characteristics about the
Graph of a Log Function
f (x ) = log a x where a > 1
2. Domain is positive real
numbers
3. There are no y intercepts
4. The x intercept is always
(1,0) (x’s and y’s trade
places)
5. The graph is always
increasing
6. The y-axis (where x = 0) is
a vertical asymptote
What is the graph of logbx if 0<b<1?
To answer this, consider the graph of the function
g(x)=(½)x. J

What are the

characteristics of
the graph of the
function g(x)=(½)x ?
J
What is the graph of logbx if 0<b<1?
Given the graph of the function g(x)=(½)x, we draw
the line y=x as the axis of reflection.

Reflect the graph

about the line y=x.
J

Thus we have the

graph of the
function g(x)=(½)x.
 The graph of logbx if 0<b<1

Graph of f (x) = loga x (0<a<1)

1. domain (0, ∞) y
y-axis y = logbx
2. range (−∞,+∞) vertical
3. x-intercept (1, 0) asymptote
4. vertical asymptote
x = 0 as x → 0+ f ( x) → −∞
5. decreasing domain
x
6. continuous
7. one-to-one range x-intercept
(1, 0)
8. reflection of y = a x in y = x
Characteristics about the
Graph of an Exponential
Function f (x ) = a x 0 < a < 1
1. Domain is all real numbers 1. Range is all real numbers
2. Range is positive real
numbers
3. There are no x intercepts
because there is no x value
that you can put in the
function to make it = 0
4. The y intercept is always
(0,1) because a 0 = 1
5. The graph is always
decreasing
6. The x-axis (where y = 0) is
a horizontal asymptote for
x→-∞
Characteristics about the
Graph of a Log Function
f (x ) = log a x where 0 < a < 1
2. Domain is positive real
numbers
3. There are no y intercepts
4. The x intercept is always
(1,0) (x’s and y’s trade
places)
5. The graph is always
decreasing
6. The y-axis (where x = 0) is
a vertical asymptote
 In summary,
•  The graph of a logarithmic function is the
reflection along the line y=x of an exponential
functions
•  If b>1, the graph is increasing just the same in
exponential
•  If 0<b<1, the graph is decreasing just the same
in exponential
•  A vertical asymptote exists. No horizontal
asymptote.
•  x-intercept is 1 and no y-intercept.