CHAPTER FOURTY EIGHT

FURTHER LOGARITHMS
Specific
Objectives

By the end of the topic the learner should be

able to:

(a) Derive logarithmic relation from index form and vice versa;

(b) State the laws of logarithms;

(c) Use logarithmic laws to simplify logarithmic expressions and

solvelogarithmic equations; (d) Apply laws of logarithms for further
computations.
Content
(a) Logarithmic notation (eg. an=b, log ab=n)

(b) The laws of logarithms: log (AB) = log A + log B, log(A^B) = log A
-log B and Log A n = n x log A.

(c) Simplifications of logarithmic expressions

(d) Solution of logarithmic equations

(e) Further computation using logarithmic laws.

1
If y ax then we introduce the inverse function logarithm and define
log y x
a

(Read as log base a of y equalsx).

In general
y ax loga y
x

Where means “implies and is implied by” i.e. it works both ways!

Note this means that, going from exponent form to logarithmic form:

102 log10(100) 10 2 log10(0.01)

100 2 0.01 2

log10(1) log2(32) 5
100 1 25 32
0

2
 1
log9(3) 2 log ( )8 4
9 3 8 4

And in going from logarithmic form to exponent form:

Laws of logarithms
Product and Quotient Laws of Logarithms:

loga M N loga M loga N The Product Law

loga MN loga M loga N

The Quotient Law

Example.

log 96 log 8 log 26 6

log6 72 log 26

3
 log6 722 log6 36

=2

The Power Law of Logarithms:

loga M nn loga M

Example.

2log 5 + 2log 2

log52 log22
log25 log4

log100 log 10010

=2

Logarithm of a Root

4
logb x
n log x
1 logb x or logb n x b

n n

Example.

5
27 log 273 1log 273

1 3 3 log35 5 5

PROOF OF
PROPERTIES

Property Proof Reason for Step

1. logb b = 1 and logb 1 b1 0
Definition of
=0 logarithms
2.(product rule) a. Let logb x = m and a. Setup
logb xy = logb x + logb y = n b. Rewrite in exponent
logb y b. x = bm and y = b n form

c. xy = bm * bn c. Multiply together

d. xy = b m + n d. Product rule for

exponents

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 e. logb xy = m + n f e. Rewrite in log form
logb xy = logb x + logb f. Substitution

3. (quotient a. Let logb x = m and logb a. Given: compact

rule) x y=n form

logb y = logb x - logb b. x = bm and y = b n x b. Rewrite in exponent

y bm form

c. y = bn x
d. y = bm - n c. Divide

x
d. Quotient rule for
e. logb y = m - n
exponents

x
e. Rewrite in log form

y
f. logb logb x - logb
f. Substitution
4. (power rule) a. Let m = logb x so x = bm a. Setup
logb xn = n b. xn = bmn b. Raise both sides
logb x to the nth power
c. logb x n = mn
c. Rewrite as log
d. logb xn = n logb x
d. Substitute

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5. Properties used to
solve log equations:

a. if bx = by, then x =
a. This follows directly
y
from the properties for
exponents.

b. if logb x = logb y, b. i. logb x - b. i. Subtract from

then x = y logb y = 0 x both sides

0
y ii. Quotient rule
ii. logb

y 0 iii. Rewrite in exponent

iii. =b x
form

y
iv. 1 so x = y iv.
b0 = 1

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Solving exponential and logarithmic equations
By taking logarithms, and exponential equation can be converted to a linear
equation and solved. We will use the process of taking logarithms of both sides.

Example.

a) 4x 12 log4x
log12 xlog4 log12 x

x = 1.792
Note;
A logarithmic expression is defined only for positive values of the argument.
When we solve a logarithmic equation it is essential to verify that the
solution(s) does not result in the logarithm of a negative number. Solutions
that would result in the logarithm of a negative number are called extraneous,
and are not valid solutions.

Example.
Solve for x:

log5 x 1 log5 x 3 1 (the one becomes an exponent : 51 )

log5 x 1 x

3 5 x2 2x 3

5 0 x2 2x 8 0

8
 x 4 x 2 0 x4,x 2 extraneous

Verify:

log (4 1)5 log log ( 2 1)5 log ( 25

(45 3) 1 3) 1 log ( 1)5 log5 5

not possible
log 55 log 1 15

10 1
Solving equations using logs

Examples

(i) Solve the equation 10x 3.79

The definition of logs says if y

ax
then
log y x or y ax x loga y
a

Hence 10x 3.79 x log10 3.79 0.57864 (to 5 decimal places)

Check 100.57864 3.79000 (to 5 decimal places)

In practice from 10x 3.79 we take logs to base 10 giving

log10 10x log 3.79

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 xlog10 10 log 3.79

x 0.57864

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(ii) Solve the equation 2x 56

log10 32x log10 56

2xlog10 3 log10 56

log10 56 3.66403...

2x

log10 3

1.83201....

Check
3 273 3 3
, 4 81, we want 2x so the value of 2x lies between 3 and

4 or3 2x 4 which means x lies between 1.5 and 2. This tells us that

x 1.83201... is roughly correct. (iii) Solve the equation 4 3x x 1

10
 4x 3x 1 xlog10

4 x 1 log103

xlog103 log103

xlog10 4 xlog103 log103

x log10 4 log103 log103

x 3.8188..

4x 43.8188.. 44 256

Check 3x 1 34.8188.. 35 243 very close!

Note you could combine terms, giving,

x log log4 10log3 3 log10 43 3.8188..

10 10 log10 3

(iv) Solve the equation 4x 6 35 2x

4x 6 35 2x

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 x 6 log4 5 2x log3

Take logs of both sides xlog4 6log4 5log3 2xlog3

Expand brackets xlog4 2xlog3 5log3 6log4 Collect terms

x log4 2log3 5log3 6log4

Factorise the left hand side x -0.78825

divide

(Note you get the same answer by using the ln button on your calculator.)

Check 4x 6 4 0.78825 6 45.21175 1373.368and

35 2x 35 2( .78825) 36.576498 1373.368

Notice that you could combine the log-terms in

4
x to give x loglog 3 45 3 26

It does not really simplify things here but, in some cases, it can.

(v) Solve the equation 7 3x 1

2 52x 1

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 7 3x 1 2 52x 1

Take logs of both

log7 x 1 log3 log2
sides

Expand brackets 2x 1 log5

log7 xlog3 log3

log2 2xlog5 log5
xlog3 2xlog5 log2 log5

log7 log3

Collect terms x log3 2log5 log

xlog log

log
Factorize left hand side 0.632023

x log 0.920819 0.686371 simplify

divide

Check

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LHS = 7 3x 1 7 3 1.7 372 79 (taking 31.7 32

9)

RHS = 2 52x 1 2 5 0.4 02.4 25 1 (taking

50.4 50.5 5 2.2...) 5

The values of LHS and RHS are roughly the same. A more exact check could be
made using a calculator.

Logarithmic equations and expressions

Consider the following equations

𝑙𝑜𝑔381 = 𝑥 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑥 8 = 3

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The value of x in each case is established as follows

𝑙𝑜𝑔381 = 𝑥

Therefore 3𝑥 = 81

3𝑥 = 34

X =4

𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑥 8 = 3

𝑥3 = 8

𝑥3 = 23

𝑥=2

Example

Solve 𝑙𝑜𝑔62

Solution

Let 𝑙𝑜𝑔62 = t. then 6𝑡= 2

Introducing logarithm to base 10 on both sides

log 6𝑡 = log 2

Therefore 𝑙𝑜𝑔62 = 0.3868

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Example

22𝑥 + 3(2𝑥) − 4 = 0

Taking logs on both sides cannot help in getting the value of x, since 22𝑥 +
3(2𝑥) cannot be combined into a single expression. However if we let 2𝑋 = 𝑦
then the equation becomes quadratic in y.

Solution

Thus, let 2𝑋 = 𝑦…………….. (1)

Therefore 𝑦2 + 3𝑦 − 4 = 0 … … … … … … … (2)

(𝑦 + 4)(𝑦 − 1) = 0

𝑦 = −4 𝑜𝑟 𝑦 = 1

Substituting for y in equation (1);

Let 2𝑋 = −4 or let 2𝑋 = 1

There is no real value of x for which 2𝑋 = −4 hence 2𝑋 = 1

𝑥=0
Example
Solve for x in (𝑙𝑜𝑔10𝑥)2 = 3 − 𝑙𝑜𝑔10𝑥2

Solution

Let 𝑙𝑜𝑔10𝑥 = 𝑡 … … … … … … … … … . (1)

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Therefore 𝑡2 = 3 − 2𝑡

𝑡2 + 2 𝑡 − 3 = 0 solve the quadratic equation using any method

𝑡2 + 3𝑡 − 𝑡 − 3 = 0

𝑡(𝑡 + 3) − 1(𝑡 − 3) = 0

(𝑡 − 1)(𝑡 + 3) = 0

𝑡 = 1 𝑜𝑟 𝑡 = −3
Substituting for t in the equation (1).
𝑙𝑜𝑔10𝑥 = 1 𝑜𝑟 𝑙𝑜𝑔10𝑥 = −3

101 = 1 𝑜𝑟 10−3= x

Note;

End of topic

Did you understand everything?

If not ask a teacher, friends or anybody and make sure you
understand before going to sleep!

Past KCSE Questions on the topic.

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1. Solve for (𝑙𝑜𝑔3𝑥)2 – ½ 𝑙𝑜𝑔3𝑥 = 3/2

2. Find the values of x which satisfy the equation 52x – 6 (5x) + 5 =0

3. Solve the equation

Log (x + 24) – 2 log 3 = log (9-2x)

4. Find the value of x in the following equation 49 (x+1) + 7(2x) = 350

5. Find x if 3 log 5 + log x2 = log 1/125

6. Without using logarithm tables, find the value of x in the equation

Log x3 + log 5x = 5 log2 – log 2

5

7. Given that P = 3y express the questions 32y -1) + 2 x 3(y-1) = 1 in terms of P

8. Hence or otherwise find the value of y in the equation: 3(2y-1) + 2 x 3(y-1) =1

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