CraigsMaths

Mathematics Teaching for Learning

Laws of Indices and Logarithms

CraigsMaths
Mathematics Teaching for Learning
Engineering Maths B, Exponents
August 18th, 2008 by Craig Rose
Permalink: http://www.craigsmaths.com/ea003-engineering-mathematics-b/laws-of-indices/

Memorise these indices and logarithms laws. Indices and logarithms are two different ways of saying the same thing. For example:

y=\log_{a}x is read as “a raised to the power of y equals x“.

that is:

a^{y}=x.

Hint: To check that you have remembered them correctly just substitute values for a, b, m and n.

b = a^{n} n = \log _a \left( b \right)
a^{m}\times a^{n}=a^{m+n} \log _a \left( {mn} \right) = \log _a  m + \log _a  n
\frac{a^{m}}{a^{n}}=a^{m-n} \log _a \left( {\frac{m}{n}} \right) = \log _a  m - \log _a  n
a^{m^{n}}=a^{mn} \log _a \left( {m^n } \right) = n\log _a \left( m \right)
a^{0}=1 \log_{a}1=0
a^{m}\times b^{m}=\left(ab\right)^{m}
\frac{a^{m}}{b^{m}}=\left(\frac{a}{b}\right)^{m}
a^{-m}=\frac{1}{a^{m}}
a^{\frac{m}{n}}=\sqrt[n]{a^{m}}

Converting logarithmic bases

Convert \log_b x to a logarithm of base c.

\log_b x = \frac{1}{\log_c b}.\log_c x

Note: \frac{1}{\log_c b} will evaluate to a constant since b and c are given.

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One Response to “Laws of Indices and Logarithms”

  1. CraigsMaths » Blog Archive » Solving equations when the pronumeral is an exponent Says:

    [...] If you have an equation and want to solve for an unknown in the exponent simply take the logarithm of both sides and apply the indices/logarithms laws. [...]

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