PIA Training Centre (PTC) Module 1 MATHEMATICS

Category A/B1/B2 Sub Module 1.4 Logarithms And Anti Logarithms

MODULE 1
Sub Module 1.4

LOGARITHMS AND ANTILOGARITHMS

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Category A/B1/B2 Sub Module 1.4 Logarithms And Anti Logarithms

Contents

LOGARITHMS ................................................................................. 1
Anti-logarithms ............................................................................. 5
Rules for the Use of Logarithms Multiplication ............................ 5
Rules for the Use of Logarithms Division ...................................... 6
PRACTICE QUESTIONS .................................................................... 6

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Look at the graphs, notice the logarithmic functions change very
Introduction rapidly for arguments (x values) less then 10 and then change
much more slowly as x increases:
Most simply, logarithms are mathematical functions that extract
the exponent from the exponential representation of a number.
Antilogarithms (exponential functions) are literally functions that
undo the taking of a logarithm.

There are two common logarithmic functions: logarithms to the

base 10 (log10 or simply log) that are called common logarithms
and logarithms to the base e (loge or simply ln) that are called
natural logarithms. We will discuss common logarithms initially
because they are easier to explain and understand and then we
will extend the explanation to natural logarithms.

Common Logarithms log

Suppose we have a number N = 10X

. Then Evaluating antilogarithms of integers is even easier.

antilog 5 = 105 = 100000
log10N = X, the log operator simply extracted the exponent antilog 2 = 102 = 0.01
from the base 10 exponential representation of the number. antilog 0 = 100 = 1
From this, it is easy to see that the antilogarithm of X is Note that although you cannot take the logarithm of a
negative number or zero, you can take
10X = N. the antilogarithm of any real number.

Taking logarithms of numbers which can be represented by Taking the logarithm of a number that cannot be wholly
integer powers of 10 is particularly easy, for example, log 100 = represented by an integer power of 10 is less
log 102 = 2, log 0.001 = log 103 = 3, and log 1 = log 100 = 0 obvious. For example, you would have to know that 100.3010 =
2.000 in order to find log 2.000 = 0.3010.

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In the old days, it was necessary to use log tables to find the
logarithms of such numbers.
Fortunately, now all scientific calculators have log or log x antiln 1.36 = e1.36 = 3.9 = exp(1.36)
functions to find the logarithm of any positive number within the
computational range of the calculator. You should be able to
find log 0.05 on your calculator (its 1.3) and log 3000 is
3.4771.
Finding the antilogarithm is just as easy. The antilog function on
most calculators is activated by pressing 10X key that is usually
printed above the log key. You should be able to find the
following antilogs by using your calculator:
antilog 2.6020 = 102.6020 = 399.9
antilog 1.6990 = 101.6990 = 0.02000
antilog 4.3010 = 104.3010 = 2.000x104
Natural Logarithms - ln
Use of natural logarithms (ln) is analogous to the use of
common logarithms, except that the base of natural logs is the
irrational number e (e = 2.71828...). This is a number like pi that
arises naturally in mathematics and cant be represented by the
ratio of any two integers (hence irrational). All scientific
calculators have a natural log key usually labeled ln or ln x,
and an anti-natural log key which is usually labeled eX or exp()
and is accessed in the same way as the 10X. Taking natural
Module 1 MATHEMATICS
Sub Module 1.4 Logarithms And Anti Logarithms
Also check that you can get the following results on your
calculator:
antiln 0.362 = e0.362 = 0.696 = exp(-0.362)
antiln 0 = e0 = 1 = exp(0)
In the natural sciences, many derivations result in relationships
involving natural logarithms. For many years, before scientific
calculators were widely available and inexpensive, common
logarithms were found from tables or a slide rule. The natural
logarithm was calculated from the base 10 logarithm using the
formula: ln(a) = 2.303 log(a).
In the natural sciences, many derivations result in relationships
involving natural logarithms. For many years, before scientific
calculators were widely available and inexpensive, common
logarithms were found from tables or a slide rule. The natural
logarithm was calculated from the base 10 logarithm using the
formula: ln(a) = 2.303 log(a).
Mathematical Relationships of Logarithms and Exponential
Functions Sometimes it is necessary or desirable to manipulate
logarithms. Some mathematical relationships involving
logarithms are as follows. These relationships apply to
logarithms of all bases.
Base 10 Base e
a b
10 x 10 = 10(a+b) a b
e xe =e (a+b)

logs and antilogs is the same as taking common logs and log(10a) = a ln(ea) = a
antilogs except that one uses the ln and eX instead of the 10log(a) = a eln(a) = a
log and 10X keys, respectively. log(ab) = log(a) + log (b) ln(ab) = ln(a) + ln(b)
log(1/a) = log(a) ln(1/a) = ln(a)
You should verify that you know how to find natural logarithms log(a/b) = log(a) log(b) ln(a/b) = ln(a) ln(b)
with the following: log(an) = n log(a) ln(an) = n ln(a)
ln 35 = 3.56, ln 10 = 2.30, ln 623.7 = 6.4357, log(a1/n) = (1/n) log(a) ln(a1/n) = (1/n) ln(a)
ln 8.64x102 = 2.449
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-x
Visualizing Exponential Functions e
The functions The function e1/x arises in chemistry when we discuss kinetics
ex = exp(x), e1/x = exp(1/x), e-x = exp(-x), and e1/x = exp(-1/x) are (Arrhenius equation) vapor pressure, (Clausius-Clapeyron
very common in chemistry and physics. They are especially equation) and thermodynamics. This function has a singularity
prevalent in the study of kinetics and thermodynamics. It is a for x = 0.
good idea to recognize the shape of these functions and their
limits for small and large values of x.

ex

ex can be evaluated for all real numbers x. The value of ex is

always positive and greater than zero (green line). The graph
shows ex approaches zero as x becomes more negative but
increases rapidly for positive values of x. This fast increase is
called exponential growth. In nature, exponential growth is
associated with uncontrolled population growth or the energy
output from nuclear chain reactions. Exponential growth is much
faster than linear growth (red line) or cubic growth (blue line)
For positive values of x, the function decreases rapidly as x
moves away from zero and then slowly approaches the value of
1 for large x. The left side of the curve for negative values of x is
simply the inverses of the right side of the curve. For large
negative x the function approaches a value of 1 from below. As
x approaches zero from the negative side the function
approaches zero very rapidly. Since the limits of the function for
negative x values are +1 and zero, we interpret this function as
returning a probability of fraction when found in kinetic and
thermodynamic equations.

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Practice Questions 324.3 3.243 10
2

Use your calculator to find the following values: log 3.243 0.510 9
1. log(2.784) 0.510 9 2
324.3 10 10
2. ln(0.00454)
3. e-3.786 10
2.510 9

4. 1023.888
5. log(2.3x10-11) log 324.3 2.510 9
6. ln(5.4x10-10)
A logarithm therefore consists of two parts: (i) a whole number
Logarithms part called the characteristic, and (ii) a decimal part called the
mantissa which is found directly from the log tables.
The logarithm of a number is the exponent to which another
fixed value, the base, must be raised to produce that number. For a number, 10 or greater, the characteristic is found by
subtracting 1 from the number of figures to the left of the
For example, decimal point in the given number.

The logarithm of 1000 to base 10 is 3, because 10 to the power In the number 825.7 the characteristic is 2.
3 is 1000:1000 = 101010 = 103. log 825.7 = 2.916 8

More generally, if x = by, then y is the logarithm of x to base b, In the number 18 630 the characteristic is 4.
and is written y = logb(x), or y = logb(by), solog10(1000) = log 18 630 = 4.270 2
log10(103) = 3.
Negative characteristics
To find out the logarithms of numbers, we make use of numbers
in standard form and the multiplication law of indices. For 1
example:
0.632 0 6.321 10
log 6.321 0.800 0
0.632 1 100.800 8 101

1010.800 0

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The characteristic is therefore 1 and the mantissa is 0.800 8. Example: To find the number whose log is 2.531 2. Using the
However writing 1+0.800 0 for the logarithm of 0.632 1 would mantissa .531 2, we find 3398 as the number corresponding.
be awkward and we therefore write: Since the characteristic is 2 the number must be 339.8.
log 0.632 1 1.800 8
(Note the log 339.8=2.531 2.)
Note that the minus sign has been written above the
characteristic but it must be clearly understood that Example: To find the number whose log is 3.617 8.Using the
mantissa .617 8 we find 4148 as the number corresponding.
2.735 6 2 0.735 6 Since the characteristic is 3 the number must be 0.004 148.
4.067 3 4 0.067 3
(Note that log0.004148 3.6178.)

All numbers between 0 and 1 have negative characteristics Rules for the Use of Logarithms Multiplication
which are found by adding 1 to the number of zeros following
the decimal point. Find the logs of the numbers and add them together. The
In the number 0.073 58 the characteristic is 2 . antilog of the sum gives the required answer.
log 0.073 58 2.866 8 Example: Using the logarithms, evaluate: 19.63 x 0.067 34 x
0.918 7.
In the number 0.000 612 3 the characteristic is 4. number logarithm
log 0.000 612 3 4.787 0 19.63 1.292 9

Anti-logarithms 0.067 34 2.828 3

0.918 7 1.963 2
The table of antilogs at the end of this book contains the
numbers which correspond to the given logarithms. In using Answer 1.215 0.084
these tables remember that only the decimal part of the log is
used.

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Rules for the Use of Logarithms Division Numerator Denominator
number logarithm number logarithm
Find the log of each number. Then subtract the log of the
denominator (bottom number) from the log of the numerator (top 0.617 8 1.790 8 136.5 2.135 1
number). 20.31 1.307 7 0.097 73 2.967 2
17.63 numerator 1.098 5 denominator 1.102 3
Example: Using the logarithms, evaluate: .
0.038 62 denominator 1.102 3
Answer 0.991 3 1.996 2
number logarithm
17.63 1.246 3
0.038 62 2.586 8 Practice Questions
Answer 456.6 2.659 5
1. Find the logarithm of the following numbers:
(a) 7.263 (b) 70.01 (c) 1316.4
(d) 0.178 6 (e) 0.006 341 (f) 78 640
0.6178 20.31
Example: Using the logarithms, evaluate: .
136.5 0.09273 2. Find the antilog of the following numbers:
(a) 2.618 3 (b) 2.6008 (c) 0.628 8
In problems where there is multiplication and division a table
layout like the one below is helpful. 3. Using the logarithms, evaluate the following:
(a) 26.3 7.4 (b) 8000. 17.5

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