CHAP T E R

19 Logarithms

InTrODUCTIOn ‘log’ being the abbreviation of the word ‘logarithm’. Thus,

Logarithm, in Mathematics, is the ‘exponent’ or ‘power’ am = b ⇔ logab = m
to which a stated number called the base, is raised to where, am = b is called the exponential form and logab
yield a specific number. For example, in the expression = m is called the logarithmic form.
102 = 100, the logarithm of 100 to the base 10 is 2. This
is written as log10 100 = 2. Logarithms were originally Illustration 1: Refer to the following Table
invented to help simplify the arithmetical processes
of multiplication, division, expansion to a power and Exponential form logarithmic form
extraction of a ‘root’, but they are nowadays used for
3 = 243
5
log3243 = 5
a variety of purposes in pure and applied Mathematics.
2 = 16
4
log216 = 4
Logarithm
3º = 1 log31 = 0
If for a positive real number (a ≠ 1), am = b, then the
index m is called the logarithm of b to the base a. We 8 1/3
=2 1
log82 =
write this as 3
logab = m

LAws OF LOGArITHMs

1. Product formula i.e., loga (mn) = n loga m,

The logarithm of the product of two numbers is equal where, a, m are positive and a ≠ 1.
to the sum of their logarithms. 3. Base changing formula
i.e., loga (mn) = logam + logan.
log a m log m
Generalisation: In general, we have logn m = . So, logn m = .
loga (mnpq...) = logam + logan + loga p + logaq +... log a n log n
2. Quotient formula where, m, n, a are positived and n ≠ 1, a ≠ 1.
The logarithm of the quotient of two numbers is 4. Reciprocal relation
equal to the difference of their logarithms.
logba × logab = 1,
m
i.e., loga   = logam - logan, where, a, b are positive and not equal to 1.
n
where, a, m, n are positive and a ≠ 1. 1
5. logba =
3. Power formula log a b
The logarithm of a number raised to a power is equal 6. aloga x = x, where, a and x are positive, a ≠ 1.
to the power multiplied by logarithm of the number.
19.2 Chapter 19

7. If a > 1 and x > 1, then loga x > 0. 9. If 0 < a < 1 and x > 1, then loga x > 0.
8. If 0 < a < 1 and 0 < x < 1, then loga x > 0. 10. If a > 1 and 0 < x < 1, then loga x < 0.

sHOrT-CUT MeTHODs

and the other is base 10. The logarithms to base e are

01 Logarithm of 1 to any base is equal to zero. called natural logarithms. The logarithms to base 10 are
i.e., loga 1 = 0, where a > 0, a ≠ 1. called the common logarithms.
log1010 = 1, since 101 = 10.
02 Logarithm of any number to the same base is 1. log10100 = 2, since 102 = 100.
i.e., loga a = 1, where a > 0, a ≠ 1. log1010000 = 4, since 104 = 10000.
log100.01 = -2, since 10-2 = 0.01.
Common Logarithms
log100.001 = -3, since 10-3 = 0.001
There are two bases of logarithms that are extensively
used these days. One is base e (e = 2. 71828 approx.) and, log101 = 0, since 10° = 1.

eXerCIse-1

1. Find log3/2 3.375. 16 25 81

(a) 2 (b) 3 7. 7 log + 5 log + 3 log =
15 24 80
(c) 5/2 (d) 17/2 (a) log 2 (b) log 3
2. If x = log2a a , y = log3a 2a and z = log4a 3a, find yz (c) log 5 (d) None of these
(2 - x). 8. If 0 < a ≤ x, the minimum value of loga x + logx a is:
(a) 1 (b) -1 (a) 1 (b) 2
(c) 2 (d) -2 (c) 3 (d) 5
log x log y log z
log x log y log z 9. If = = , then xyz = xa ⋅ yb ⋅ zc
3. = = , find x2y2z2. b−c c−a a −b
l + m − 2m m + n − 2l n + l − 2m
= xb+c ⋅ yc+a ⋅ za+b =
(a) 2 (b) -1
(a) 1 (b) 0
(c) 4 (d) 1
(c) 2 (d) None of these
x+ y 1 x y 10. xlog y-log z
⋅y log z-log x
⋅z log x-log y
=
4. If log = (log x + log y), then + =
5 2 y x (a) 0 (b) 2
(a) 20 (b) 23 (c) 1 (d) None of these
(c) 22 (d) 21 11. If log10 [98 + x 2 − 12 x + 36 ] = 2, then x =
3x − 3 y 
5. If log (x + y) = log   , then log x - log
(a) 4 (b) 8
y=  2  (c) 12 (d) 4,8
(a) log 2 (b) log 3 12. If x = loga bc, y = logb ca, z = logc ab, then
(c) log 5 (d) log 6 (a) xyz = x + y + z + 2
(b) xyz = x + y + z + 1
6. If log2 x + log4 x + log16 x = 21/4, then x =
(c) x + y + z = 1
(a) 8 (b) 4
(d) xyz = 1.
(c) 2 (d) 16
 Logarithms 19.3

13. If ax = by = cz = dw, then loga (bcd) = x+

1
x−
1
24. If 4x + 22x - 1 = 3 2
+ 3 2 , then x =
11 1 1  1 1 1
(a)  + +  (b) x  + +  (a) 1/2 (b) 3/2
x y z w  y z w (c) 5/2 (d) 1
y+z+w
(c) (d) None of these log 49 7 + log 25 5 − log 4 2
x 25. =
14. If log10 2 = 0.3010, then log10 (1/2) = log 17.5
(a) 5 (b) 2
(a) -0.3010 (b) 0.6990
(c) 5/2 (d) 3/2
(c) 1.6990 (d) -0.3010
26. log10 tan40° ⋅ log10 41° ... log10 tan 50° =
15. If log2 (32x-2 + 7) = 2 + log2 (3x-1 + 1), then x =
(a) 1 (b) 0
(a) 0 (b) 1
(c) -1 (d) None of these
(c) 2 (d) 1 or 2
27. If log8 p = 2.5, log2 q = 5, then p in terms of q is
16. If loga b = logb c = logc a, then
(a) a > b ≥ c (b) a < b < c (a) q q (b) 2q
(c) a = b = c (b) a < b ≤ c. (c) q (d) q/2

1 2 1 1
17. If = - 2, then x = 28. If y = , z = 1-loga y and x = ak, then k =
log x 10 log a 10 a1-loga x a
(a) a/2 (b) a/100 1 1
(a) (b)
(c) a /10
2
(d) a2/100 a 1-log a z 1-log a z

1 1 1 1
18. If a2 + b2 = c2, then + = (c) 1 + log z a
(d) 1 - log z a
log c + a b log c − a b
(a) 1 (b) 2 29. If loge 2 ⋅ logb 625 = log1016 ⋅ loge 10, then b =
(c) -1 (d) -2 (a) 4 (b) 5
19. If log10 87.5 = 1.9421, then the number of digits in (c) 1 (d) e
(875)10 is: 30. 5 log5 7 - 7 log 7 5

(a) 30 (b) 29 (a) log 2 (b) 1

(c) 20 (d) 19 (c) 0 (d) None of these
20. If log10 2 = 0.3010, log10 3 = 0.4771, then the number
31. 2log37 - 7log32
of zeros between the decimal point and the first
significant figure in (0.0432)10 is: (a) log27 (b) log 7
(a) 10 (b) 13 (c) log 2 (d) 0
(c) 14 (d) 15 32. If log30 3 = a, log30 5 = b, then log30 8 =
1 1 (a) 3(1 - a - b) (b) a - b + 1
21. If (4.2)x = (0.42)y = 100, then - =
x y (c) 1 - a - b (d) 3(a - b + 1)
(a) 1 (b) 2
33. If 0 < a < 1, 0 < x < 1 and x < a, then loga x:
(c) 1/2 (d) -1
(a) < 1 (b) > 1
log 9 11 log 3 11 (c) < 0 (d) ≤ 1
22. - =
log 5 13 log 5 13 34. log5 2 is
(a) 1 (b) -1 (a) an integer (b) a rational number
(c) 0 (d) None of these (c) an irrational number (d) a prime number
log x log y log z  1  1  1
23. If = = , then yz in terms of x is: 35. log5 1 +  + log 5 1 +  + log 5 1 +  + ... + log5
2 3 5  5  6  7
(a) x (b) x2
 1 
(c) x3 (d) x4 1 + 
 624 
19.4 Chapter 19

(a) 5 (b) 4 3 + log10 343

(c) 3 (d) 2 43. =
1  49  1  1 
2 + log   + log  
36. If log10 2986 = 3.4751, then log10 0.02986 = 2  4  3  125 
(a) 1 .2986 (b) 2 .4751 (a) 3 (b) 3/2
(c) 0.34751 (d) None of these (c) 2 (d) 1
37. If log (2a - 3b) = log a - log b, then a = log x log y log z
44. If 2 = = ,
3b 2 3b a + ab + b 2 b 2 + bc + c 2 c 2 + ca + a 2
(a) (b) then xa-b ⋅ yb–c ⋅ zc-a =
2b - 1 2b - 1
(a) 0 (b) -1
b2 3b 2 (c) 1 (d) 2
(c) (d)
2b + 1 2b + 1 45. x-2
If 3 = 5 and log10 2 = 0.20103, log10 3 = 0.4771,
1 1 then x =
38. If log (x - y) - log 5 - log x - log y = 0,
2 2 22187 22187
x y (a) 1 (b) 2
then + = 47710 47710
y x
22187
(a) 25 (b) 26 (c) 3 (d) None of these
47710
(c) 27 (d) 28 46. If log2 = 0.30103 and log3 = 0.4771, then number
39. If log x:3 = log y:4 = log z:5, then zx = of digits in (648)5 is:
(a) 2y (b) y2 (a) 12 (b) 13
(c) 14 (d) 15
(c) 8y (d) 4y
log y log z
40. If 3 + log5 x = 2 log25 y, then x = 47. If log x = = , then x4 ⋅ y3 ⋅ z-2 =
2 5
(a) y/125 (b) y/25 (a) 2 (b) 10
(c) y2/625 (d) 3 - y2/25 (c) 1 (d) 0
log 27 + log 1000 + log 8
log 2 a log 3 b log 4 c 48.
41. If = = and a1/2 ⋅ b1/3 ⋅ c1/4 = 24, log 120
2 3 4
then (a) 1/2 (b) 1
(c) 3/2 (d) 2
(a) a = 24 (b) b = 81
log10x
(c) c = 64 (d) c = 256 49. For x > 0, if y = 10
2
and x = ya, then a =
x
log 2 x log 2 y log 2 z z (a) 1 (b) -1
42. If = = and 3 4 = 1, then
3 4 5k x y (c) 0 (d) 2
k= 50. If x = 1004/3(1/2), y = log1/2(1/3), then
(a) 3 (b) 4 (a) x > y (b) x < y
(c) 5 (d) -5 (c) x = y (d) x ≥ y

Answer Keys

Exercise-1
1. (b) 2. (a) 3. (d) 4. (b) 5. (c) 6. (a) 7. (a) 8. (b) 9. (a) 10. (c) 11. (d) 12. (a) 13. (b)
14. (c) 15. (d) 16. (c) 17. (d) 18. (b) 19. (a) 20. (b) 21. (c) 22. (c) 23. (d) 24. (b) 25. (c) 26. (b)
27. (a) 28. (b) 29. (b) 30. (c) 31. (d) 32. (a) 33. (b) 34. (c) 35. (b) 36. (b) 37. (a) 38. (c) 39. (b)
40. (a) 41. (d) 42. (c) 43. (a) 44. (c) 45. (c) 46. (d) 47. (c) 48. (c) 49. (b) 50. (b)
 Logarithms 19.5

eXPLAnATOry Answers
eXerCIse-1

x 10. (c) xlog y - log z ⋅ ylog z - log x ⋅ zlog x-log y = k (say)

3
1. (b) log3/2 3.375 = x ⇒  2  = 3.375 ⇒ (log y - log z) log x + (log z - log x) log y
 
⇒ (1.5)x = (1.5)3 ⇒ x = 3. + (log x - log y) log z = log k = 0
2. (a) yz(2 - x) = 2yz - xyz = 2 log4a 2a - log4a a ⇒ k = 1.

 4a2  11. (d) 98 + x 2 − 12 x + 36 = 100

= log4a   = 1.
 a  ⇒ x 2 − 12 x + 36 = 2
3. (d) Each is equal to k ⇒ x2 - 12x + 32 = 0
⇒ log x = k (l + m - 2n), ⇒ x = 8, 4.
log y = k (m + n - 2l), log z = k (n + l - 2m).
12. (a) x = loga bc ⇒ ax = bc ⇒ ax+1 = abc
⇒ log xyz = k (0) ⇒ xyz = e = 1
0
⇒ x y z = 1.
2 2 2
⇒ a = (abc)1/x+1.
x+ y 1 Similarly, b = (abc)1/y+1 and c = (abc)1/z+1
4. (b) log   = [log x + log y]
 5  2 1
+
1
+
1
∴ abc = ( abc) x +1 y +1 z +1

⇒ x + y = 5 xy ⇒ x2 + y2 = 23xy 1 1 1
⇒ 1 = + +
x y x +1 y +1 z +1
⇒ + = 23.
y x ⇒ (x + 1) (y + 1) (z + 1) = (y + 1) (z + 1)
+ (x + 1) (z + 1) + (x + 1) (y + 1)
3x - 3 y x
5. (c) x + y = ⇒ x = 5y ⇒ =5 ⇒ xyz = x + y + z + 2.
2 y x x x
⇒ log x - log y = log 5. 13. (b) by = ax ⇒ b = a=
y
, c a=
z
, d aw
1 1 21  x x x x x x 1 1 1
6. (a) log2 x + log 2 x + log 2 x = loga (bcd) = log a  a y .a z .a w  = + + = x  + +  .
2 4 4   y z w  y z w
 
 1 1  21
⇒ log2x 1 + +  = ⇒ log2x = 3 ⇒ x = 8. 1
 2 4 4 14. (c) log10   = -log10 2 = -0.3010
2
= 1 - 0.3010 - 1 = 1.6990.
 24   52   34 
7. (a) 7 log   + 5 log  3  + 3 log  4  15. (d) log2 (32x-2 + 7) = log24 + log2 (3x-1 + 1)
 5×3  2 ×3  2 ×5
[ 2 = 2 log22 = log222]
∴
= 28 log 2 - 7 log 5 - 7 log 3 + 10 log 5 - 15 log 2
⇒ 32x-2 + 7 = 4 (3x-1 + 1)
-5 log 3 + 12 log 3 - 12 log 2 - 3 log 5 = log 2. ⇒ t2 + 7 = 4(t + 1), where, 3x-1 = t
8. (b) 0 < a ≤ x; Min. value of loga x + logx a is 2 when we put ⇒ t2 - 4t + 3 = 0 ⇒ t = 1, 3
x = a. When t = 1 ⇒ 3 x-1
=1 ⇒ x=1
When t = 3 ⇒ 3x-1 = 31 ⇒ x = 2.
log x log y log z
9. (a) = = = k (say)
b−c c−a a−b 16. (c) loga b = logb c = logc a = k (say)
⇒ log x = k (b - c), log y = k (c - a), log z = k (a - b) b = a k, c = b k, a = c k
2 2 3
⇒ c = (ak)k = ak = (ck )k = ck
⇒ log x + log y + log z = 0 ⇒ xy z = 1.
⇒ k3 = 1 ⇒ k = 1. ∴ a = b = c.
Also, a log x + b log y + c log z = 0 ⇒ x a . yb . zc= 1. 17. (d) log10 x = 2 log10 a - 2
Again (b + c) log x + (c + a) log y + (a + b) log z = 0. ⇒ log10 x = 2 (log10 a - 1)
⇒ xb+c ⋅ yc+a ⋅ za+b = 1. a2
log10 x = 2 log10  
a
⇒ ⇒ x= .
∴ xyz = xa ⋅ yb ⋅ zc = xb+c ⋅ yc+a ⋅ za+b = 1.  10  100
19.6 Chapter 19

18. (b) logb(c + a) + logb(c - a) 1 1

28. (b) loga y = , loga z =
= logb(c2 - a2) = logbb2 = 2.
1 - log a x 1 - log a y
1 1 − log a x
19. (a) x = (875)10 = (87.5 × 10)10 ∴ loga z =
=
 1  − log a x
∴ log10 x = 10(log1087.5 + 1) 1−  
 1 − log a x 
   = 10(1.9421 + 1)
   = 10(2.9421) = 29.421. 1

⇒ - loga z = -1 +
log a x
∴ x = Antilog (29.421).

∴ Number of digits in x = 30.
1

⇒ = 1 - loga z
log a x
21. (c) (4.2)x = 100 ⇒ (42)x = 102+x
1 1
 42 
y
∴ loga x =
⇒ x = 1− log ( z ) = ak (given)
42 =  …(1) 1 − log a z ( ( a ))
⇒   a
 100 
1
2 2 ∴ k=
.
- = 100 ⇒ y
(42) = 10 2+2y 1 - log a z
x y
2
   ⇒ 42 = 10 y
+2
 …(2) 29. (b) loge 2 ⋅ 4 logb 5 = 4 ⋅ log10 2 ⋅ loge 10 = 4 loge 2

⇒ logb 5 = 1 ⇒ b = 5.
2 2 1 1 1
From (1) and (2), − =1⇒ − = . 1
x y x y 2
30. (c) 5 log5 7
- (7log7 5 )
log7 5

log 9 11 log3 11 log3 11 log3 11 1

22. (c) − = − = 0. = 5 log5 7
- log7 5
log5 13 log 5 13 2.log5 13 2.log5 13 5

⇒ 5 log 7
5 -5 log 7
5 = 0.
log x log y log z
23. (d) = = = k (say)
2 3 5 31. (d) 2log 37 - 7log 32 = 2log 27 ⋅ log 32 - 7log 32
⇒ log x = 2k, log y = 3k, log z = 5k = 7log 32 - 7log 32 = 0.
⇒ log yz = 3k + 5k = 8k; log x4 = 8k  30 
32. (a) a + b = log3015 = log30   = 1 - log30 2
∴ log yz = log x4 ⇒ yz = x4.  2 
4 x 3x
⇒ log30 2 = 1 - a - b.
24. (b) 4x + = + 3x. 3
2 3 ∴ log30 8 = 3(1 - a - b).

3 4 4 8
x
33. (b) 0 < a < 1, 0 < x < 1 and x < a
⇒ 4x ⋅ = 3x ⋅ ⇒  =
2 3 3 3 3
⇒ loga x > loga a ⇒ loga x > 1.

4 4
x 3/2
3 p
⇒ . 34. (c) log52 = ⇒ 2 = 5p/q = 2q = 5p
3 =3 ⇒x=
2 q
   
⇒ even number = odd number,
log 75 / 2 + log 55 / 2 − log 25 / 2 which is a contradiction.
25. (c)
log 17.5
∴ log52 is an irrational number.
5(log 7 + log 5 − log 2) 5

= = 6 7 8 625
 35  2 35. (b) log5 + log5 + log5 + ... + log5
2 log   5 6 7 624
 2 
 6 7 8 625   625 
26. (b) log10 tan40° ⋅ log10 tan41° ... log10 tan50°
= log5  ⋅ ⋅ ...  = log5  5  = 4.
 5 6 7 624   
= 0, since log10 tan45 = 0.
5 15  2986 
27. (a) log8 p = ⇒ p = (8)5/2 = 2 2 = (25)3/2 36. (b) log10(0.02986) = log10  
2  100000 
log2 q = 5 ⇒ q = 2 5.    = 3.4751 - 5 = -1.5249
∴ p=q .
3/2
   = 2.4751.
 Logarithms 19.7

a 44. (c) Each ratio = k ⇒ log x = k(a2 + ab + b2)

37. (a) 2a - 3b = ⇒ 2ab - 3b2 = a ⇒ (a - b)log x = k(a3 - b3)
b
⇒ 3b2 = a(2b - 1) ⇒ log xa-b = k(a3 - b3) ⇒ xa-b = ek(a -b )
3 3

3b 2 Similarly, yb-c = e k(b3-c3)

, zc-a = e k(c3-a3)
.
⇒ a= .
2b - 1
∴ x a-b
. y b-c
. z c-a
= e = 1.
0

x y
38. (c) (x - y)2 = 25xy ⇒ x2 + y2 = 27xy ⇒ +  90 
= 27. y x 45. (c) 3x-2 = 5 ⇒ 3x = 45 =  
 2 
log x log y log z    ⇒ x log103 = log1090 - log102
39. (b) = = =k
3 4 5
   = 2 log103 + 1 - log102
⇒ log x = 3k; log y = 4k; log z = 5k.
   ⇒ x(0.4771) = 1.65317
⇒ log (zx) = log z + log x = 8k = 2 log y
∴ zx = y2. 165317 22187
   ⇒ x= =3 .
47710 47710
40. (a) 3 + log5 x = log5 y ⇒ log5(125x) = log5 y ⇒ x
y
= . 46. (d) log (648)5 = 5 log (81 × 8) = 20 log 3 + 15 log 2
125

= 20(0.4771) + 15(0.30103)
log 2 a log3 b log 4 c
= 14.05745.
41. (d) = = =k
2 3 4
∴ Number of digits in (648)5 is 15.
⇒ a = 22k, b = 33k, c = 44k and
log x log y log z

a1/2 ⋅ b1/3 ⋅ c1/4 = 2k ⋅ 3k ⋅ 4k = 24 47. (c)
= = =k
1 2 5
⇒ 24k = 241 ⇒ k = 1.
⇒ log x = k, log y = 2k, log z = 5k.

∴ a = 4, b = 27, c = 256.
∴ log (x4 . y3 . z-2) = 4 log x + 3 log y - 2 log z = 0

z
42. (c) 3 4 = 1 ⇒ log2 z - 3 log2 x - 4 log2 y = 0
⇒ x4 . y3 . z-2 = 1.
x y
3 4

⇒ log2 z - 3 ⋅ ⋅ log 2 z − 4 ⋅ ⋅ log 2 z = 0 log 27 + log 1000 + log 8
5k 5k 48. (c)
log120
9 16

⇒ 1 - - =0
5k 5 k 3
(log 3 + log10 + log 4)

⇒ 5k - 25 = 0 ⇒ k = 5. 3
= 2 =
log 3 + log10 + log 4 2
3(1 + log10 7) 3(1 + log10 7)
43. (a) =
7 1  7 10 log10 x 1 1
2 + log + log 2 + log   49. (b) y = = = a = y-a ⇒ a = -1.
2 5  10  x2 x y
3(1 + log10 7) 50. (b) x = log4/3 (1/2) = -log4/3 2 < 0

= = 3.
1 + log10 7 and, y = log1/2 (1/3) = log2 3 > 0 ⇒ y > x.