LogarithmsExplained

IsaacFernandez
November28,2015
Math4

WhatisaLogarithm???

If you were to look this question on google, it would give you this response. A

logarithm is
a quantity representing the power to which a fixed number (the base) must be
raised to produce a given number.

Whatdoesthatlooklikethough?HowcanIbegintopicturethat?Howdo
Isolveone?

With this article, I am going to try and show you what a logarithm looks like, how to
think of one, and how to solve a problem finally.

Origin of Logarithms:
John Napier and Joost Burgi, were recognized as the creators of logarithms. It wasnt as
simple as they got together and just breathed them into existence, they had both come up
with logarithms around the same time. They actually published their logarithms six years
apart from each other, Napier being first. The similarity in what they had published, is both
of the mathematicians created logs. to simplify mathematical equations. But, Napier came
from an algebraic side whereas Burgi came from the geometric side.

What a Traditional Logarithm Looks Like.

What is this used for?

Theseareprimarilyusedforsimplifying

multiplication and division

and evento the less involvedoperatorsofadditionandsubtraction.This

modern logarithmic topic mainly showsup in second algebra coursesor
precalculus courses(grade10 or 11). Logarithms are initially introduced
in a very brief way in most school systems. Logarithms were created
back in the 1500s and 1600s, backthen theydidnthavecalculatorsso
they had to domultiplicationby hand. Todo multiplication, division, and
root extractions with numbers having five or more digits would be very
demanding of people's time. Logarithms could have roughly reduced
those long and tedious hours in half. Logs. are very important in
recording
radioactivedecay,bacterialgrowth,populationgrowth,
continuousinterest.

HowtoSimplifyLogarithmicProblems:

Workinitout:

Soletsstartwith,howmany3sdoesittaketoget81?

To answer that question, we would have to multiply four threes to get

81.So,ifwewantedtowritethisasalog,wewouldwriteitas

Log3^(81)=4

Therearethreemainnumbersthatarebeingusedinthis.

3: This is what is called the base, it is the number that is originally

multiplied.

4:This is the exponent number in theoriginalproblem.Sooriginally,the

problemis3^4=81.

81:Thisistheproductoftheproblem,aka.theanswer.

You could rewrite theproblem if youwantedto in theoriginalway,

as..

3^4=81

But, if you want toput it in log form,you take your

base number
,
which in this case is 3, and make it to the power of your
product. You
have to write log in front ofit though, thenmake itequal to your original
exponent.

ThanksforreadingIhopethishelped!!!