Logarithms

Taco12

1 Introduction
1.1 What is a Logarithm?
Essentially, a logarithm is just an exponent. Here’s a basic example: let 2x = y. Then, we can say that
log2 y = x. There are two main parts to a logarithm. The first is the base. In the example above, 2 is the
base and y is the argument.
We can generalize the example above to the following:

ab = c ↔ loga c = b

We say that these are equivalent.

1.2 Basic Logarithm Computations

Example 1.1
Find the value of log2 64.

Solution: We can use our definition above to rewrite the logarithm as an exponential equation. Let the
logarithm be equal to x. Then, we can rewrite it as 2x = 64. Now, this is just a matter of knowing powers of
2 (which I recommend you have memorized up to at least 210 ), and the value of x turns out to be 6.

Example 1.2
Compute log3 27

We proceed in a similar fashion. Set the logarithm equal to x. Rewriting, we get 3x = 27, so x = 3.

Exercise 1.3. Compute log7 49.

2 Logarithmic Identities
There are many identities in this section. However, most of the identities in this chapter can be re-derived if
needed, and need not be memorized.

2.1 The Identities

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Taco12 2 Logarithmic Identities

Example 2.1
Prove that
loga ap = p

Solution: Rewriting as an exponent, we find that this identity is obvious.

Many of our logarithmic identities come from the following important (yet very simple) result:

Example 2.2
Show that logb x + logb y = logb xy.

Solution: As always, we can rewrite with exponents to simplify things. Let p = logb x and q = logb y. We
find that bp = x and bq = y. Multiplying these equations yields the desired result.
 
Exercise 2.3. Show the similar identity logb x − logb y = logb xy .

Example 2.4
Show that a logb c = logb ca .

Solution: We can break up the left hand side as the sum of logb c, a times. Hence, we can use our identity
from Example 2.2 to see that the c is multiplied together for each of the a times, which is what we wanted.
√
y

logb x
Exercise 2.5. Prove that logb x =
y

Example 2.6
logb a
Prove that logb c = logc a

Solution: Let x = logc a. Then, we can rewrite logb a as x logb c. Dividing by logb c yields the desired result.

Example 2.7
1
Prove that logb a = loga b

loga a
Solution: Since loga a = 1, we can write the right side as loga b , and the result follows directly from the
change of base identity (Example 2.6).
Exercise 2.8. Prove that xlogb (y) = y logb (x)

2.2 Using the Identities

We will start by showing you some problems with their solution so you can build some intuition on when to
use what identities. Then, in the next section we will give you some hints/walk you through the problem
without spoiling the problem. Finally, you should have enough intuition by the time you are reading section
4, where you will be all by yourself. However, we do encourage the reader to attempt the problems in this
section, rather than jumping right to the solution.

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Taco12 3 Walkthroughs

Example 2.9 (2006 AIME II)

The lengths of the sides of a triangle with positive area are log10 12, log10 75, and log10 n, where n is a
positive integer. Find the number of possible values for n.

Solution: Note that by the triangle inequality, the sum of any two sides must be greater than the 3rd. The
rest is just algebra: log10 12 + log10 75 > log10 n ↔ log10 900 > log10 n ↔ n < 900. log10 12 + log10 n >
log10 75 ↔ log10 12n > log10 75 ↔ n > 6.25. 899 − 7 + 1 = 893 .

Example 2.10 (2013 AIME II)

Positive integers a and b satisfy the condition

log2 (log2a (log2b (21000 ))) = 0.

Find the sum of all possible values of a + b.

Solution: To simplify, we write this logarithmic expression as an exponential one. Just looking at the first
log, it has a base of 2 and an argument of the expression in parenthesis. Therefore, we can make 2 the base,
0 the exponent, and the argument the result. That means log2a (log2b (21000 )) = 1 (because 20 = 1). Doing
this again, we get log2b (21000 ) = 2a . Doing the process one more time, we finally eliminate all of the logs,
(2a ) a
getting (2b ) = 21000 . Using the property that (ax )y = axy , we simplify to 2b·2 = 21000 . Eliminating equal
bases by setting equal exponents leaves us with b · 2a = 1000. The largest a such that 2a divides 1000 is 3, so
we only need to check 1,2, and 3. When a = 1, b = 500; when a = 2, b = 250; when a = 3, b = 125. Summing
all the a’s and b’s gives a answer of 881 .

3 Walkthroughs
Example 3.1 (2010 AIME II)
Positive numbers x, y, and z satisfy xyz = 1081 and (log10 x)(log10 yz) + (log10 y)(log10 z) = 468. Find
p
(log10 x)2 + (log10 y)2 + (log10 z)2

Walkthrough:
1)Make a substitution for each of the logarithms in the desired expression and make it all exponents.
2) Make some simplifications and substitute your findings into the equations given.
3) Use this information to finish off the problem with one last manipulation.

Example 3.2 (2021 DIME)

If x is a real number satisfying the equation

9 log3 x − 10 log9 x = 18 log27 45,

√
then the value of x is equal to m n, where m and n are positive integers, and n is not divisible by the
square of any prime. Find m + n.

Walkthrough:
1) Use identities to simplify the equation and force equal bases.

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Taco12 4 Problems/Exercises

2) Use the equal bases to equate the arguments.

3) Finish off the problem with simple algebra.

Example 3.3 (2002 AIME)

The solutions to the system of equations

log225 x + log64 y = 4
logx 225 − logy 64 = 1

are (x1 , y1 ) and (x2 , y2 ). Find log30 (x1 y1 x2 y2 ).

Walkthrough:
1) Can you find a substitution to eliminate the logarithms?
2) Solve the new system.
3) The rest is just a computational bash.

Example 3.4 (AoPS)

Find all ordered pairs of real numbers (x, y) that satisfy the system
 3
x
log10
y4

log10 (x2 y 5 )

Walkthrough:
1) Expand with logarithmic identities.
2) Is there another identity that can force a substitution?
3) Make the substitution and solve to finish the problem.

4 Problems/Exercises
Exercise 4.1 (1983 AIME). Let x, y, and z all exceed 1 and let w be a positive number such that

logx w = 24, logy w = 40 and logxyz w = 12.

Find logz w.
Exercise 4.2 (2015 AMC 12A). Find the value of a such that
1 1 1
+ + =1
log2 a log3 a log4 a
m
Exercise 4.3 (2020 AOIME). The value of x that satisfies log2x 320 = log2x+3 32020 can be written as n,
where m and n are relatively prime positive integers. Find m + n.

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Taco12 5 Selected Solutions/Sketches

Exercise 4.4 (2000 AIME). The system of equations

log10 (2000xy) − (log10 x)(log10 y) = 4

log10 (2yz) − (log10 y)(log10 z) = 1
log10 (zx) − (log10 z)(log10 x) = 0

has two solutions (x1 , y1 , z1 ) and (x2 , y2 , z2 ). Find y1 + y2 .

Exercise 4.5 (2006 AIME). The sequence a1 , a2 , . . . is geometric with a1 = a and common ratio r, where a
and r are positive integers. Given that log8 a1 + log8 a2 + · · · + log8 a12 = 2006, find the number of possible
ordered pairs (a, r).
Exercise 4.6 (2009 AIME √ II). Suppose that a, b, and c are positive real numbers such that alog3 7 = 27,
log7 11 log11 25
b = 49, and c = 11. Find
2 2 2
a(log3 7) + b(log7 11) + c(log11 25) .

Exercise 4.7 (ARML). Compute the largest real value of b such that the solutions to the following equation
are integers:
(log210 x2b )2 = log210 x4
Exercise 4.8 (India 1986). Solve

 log2 x + log4 y + log4 z = 2
log3 y + log9 z + log9 x = 2
log4 z + log16 x + log16 y = 2


5 Selected Solutions/Sketches
Solution to 3.1: Let a = log10 x, b = log10 y, and let c = log10 z. a + b + c = log10 x + log10 y + log10 z =
log10 xyz = log10 1081 = 81. Therefore,
q p
2 2 2
(log10 x) + (log10 y) + (log10 z) = a2 + b2 + c2
p
= (a + b + c)2 − 2(ab + bc + ca)
p
= 812 − 2 · 468
√
= 5625
= 075 .

Solution to 3.2: Rewrite the equation using logarithmic identities to get log27 x12 = log27 4518 , so we
√
can equate the arguments and find that x = 135 5. The answer is 140 .
Solution to 3.4: Rewriting by expanding, we get

log10 x3 − log10 y 4 = 5

log10 x2 + log10 y 5 = 11
Now, we can rewrite this using the identity from Example 2.4. It is equivalent to

3 log10 x − 4 log10 y = 5

2 log10 x + 5 log10 y = 11

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Taco12 5 Selected Solutions/Sketches

Substituting a = log10 x and b = log10 y and solving yields a = 3, b = 1, so (x, y) = (1000, 10).
Solution to 4.2: Our equation becomes

loga 2 + loga 3 + loga 4 = 1,

which, after combining, becomes

loga 24 = 1.
Hence, a = 24.
Solution to 4.4: Let a = log x, b = log y and c = log z. Then the given equations become:

log 2 + a + b − ab = 1
log 2 + b + c − bc = 1
a + c = ac

Equating the first and second equations, solving, and factoring, we get a(1 − b) = c(1 − b) =⇒ a = c.
Plugging this result into the third equation, we get c = 0 or 2. Substituting each of these values of c into the
second equation, we get b = 1 − log 2 and b = 1 + log 2. Substituting backwards from our original substitution,
we get y = 5 and y = 20, respectively, so our answer is 25 . (Note that we didn’t write the base because
base 10 is usually implied when not indicated.)
Solution to 4.5:

log8 a1 +log8 a2 +. . .+log8 a12 = log8 a+log8 (ar)+. . .+log8 (ar11 ) = log8 (a·ar ·ar2 ·· · ··ar11 ) = log8 (a12 r66 )

Thus, the problem is equivalent to solving log8 (a12 r66 ) = 2006 for a, r positive integers. a12 r66 = 82006 =
(23 )2006 = (26 )1003 so a2 r11 = 21003 .
The product of a2 and r11 is a power of 2. Since both numbers have to be integers, this means that a and
r are themselves powers of 2. Now, let a = 2x and r = 2y :

(2x )2 · (2y )11 = 21003

22x · 211y = 21003
2x + 11y = 1003
1003 − 2x
y =
11
For y to be an integer, the numerator must be divisible by 11. This occurs when x = 1 because 1001 = 91 ∗ 11.
Because only even integers are being subtracted from 1003, the numerator never equals an even multiple of
11. Therefore, the numerator takes on the value of every odd multiple of 11 from 11 to 1001. Since the odd
multiples are separated by a distance of 22, the number of ordered pairs that work is 1+ 1001−11
22 = 1+ 990
22 = 46.
(We must add 1 because both endpoints are being included.) So the answer is 046 .
Solution to 4.7: Using the logarithmic sum identity, we can rewrite the equations as so:

log4 x2 yz = 2

log9 xy 2 z = 2
log16 xyz 2 = 2
In exponential form, we have:
x2 yz = 16

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Taco12 6 Some Notes on e and the Natural Logarithm

xy 2 z = 81
xyz 2 = 256
Multiplying the equations and taking the 5th root yields xyz = 24, and accordingly (keeping x, y, z positive)
2 27 32
we have x = , y = ,z = .
3 8 3

6 Some Notes on e and the Natural Logarithm

(There is much more to this topic than presented in this section. This is meant just to be a short introduction.)

Example 6.1
1 x


Evaluate f (x) = 1 + x for various values of x. Do you notice anything interesting?

Observations: Notice that f (x) seems to converge (gets extremely close) to a value (about 2.718). We call
this number e, named after the mathematician Leonhard Euler.
Moreover, we call the logarithm with base e the natural logarithm, and it is abbreviated as ln x. Thus,
loge x = ln x.
There are many, many interesting properties of e and ln, but they are beyond the scope of this handout.
We will however, give some resources on where to learn more about this topic (if the reader is interested). A
quick google search will also lead to some good resources.
Resources:
MathsIsFun
Cuemath
Wolfram MathWorld (WARNING: Involves advanced topics)
Applications of Euler’s Formula (Trigonometry and Complex Numbers)