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Finding the value of a common logarithm mentally

Evaluate y = log ( 1000 ) without using a calculator.

First we rewrite the logarithm in exponential form: 10 y = 1000. Next, we ask, “To what exponent must 10 be raised in order to get 1000?” We know

10 3 = 1000

Therefore, log ( 1000 ) = 3.

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Evaluate y = log ( 1, 000, 000 ) .

log ( 1 , 000 , 000 ) = 6

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Given a common logarithm with the form y = log ( x ) , evaluate it using a calculator.

  1. Press [LOG] .
  2. Enter the value given for x , followed by [ ) ] .
  3. Press [ENTER] .

Finding the value of a common logarithm using a calculator

Evaluate y = log ( 321 ) to four decimal places using a calculator.

  • Press [LOG] .
  • Enter 321 , followed by [ ) ] .
  • Press [ENTER] .

Rounding to four decimal places, log ( 321 ) 2.5065.

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Evaluate y = log ( 123 ) to four decimal places using a calculator.

log ( 123 ) 2.0899

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Rewriting and solving a real-world exponential model

The amount of energy released from one earthquake was 500 times greater than the amount of energy released from another. The equation 10 x = 500 represents this situation, where x is the difference in magnitudes on the Richter Scale. To the nearest thousandth, what was the difference in magnitudes?

We begin by rewriting the exponential equation in logarithmic form.

10 x = 500 log ( 500 ) = x Use the definition of the common log .

Next we evaluate the logarithm using a calculator:

  • Press [LOG] .
  • Enter 500 , followed by [ ) ] .
  • Press [ENTER] .
  • To the nearest thousandth, log ( 500 ) 2.699.

The difference in magnitudes was about 2.699.

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The amount of energy released from one earthquake was 8,500 times greater than the amount of energy released from another. The equation 10 x = 8500 represents this situation, where x is the difference in magnitudes on the Richter Scale. To the nearest thousandth, what was the difference in magnitudes?

The difference in magnitudes was about 3.929.

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Using natural logarithms

The most frequently used base for logarithms is e . Base e logarithms are important in calculus and some scientific applications; they are called natural logarithms . The base e logarithm, log e ( x ) , has its own notation, ln ( x ) .

Most values of ln ( x ) can be found only using a calculator. The major exception is that, because the logarithm of 1 is always 0 in any base, ln 1 = 0. For other natural logarithms, we can use the ln key that can be found on most scientific calculators. We can also find the natural logarithm of any power of e using the inverse property of logarithms.

Definition of the natural logarithm

A natural logarithm    is a logarithm with base e . We write log e ( x ) simply as ln ( x ) . The natural logarithm of a positive number x satisfies the following definition.

For x > 0 ,

y = ln ( x )  is equivalent to  e y = x

We read ln ( x ) as, “the logarithm with base e of x ” or “the natural logarithm of x .

The logarithm y is the exponent to which e must be raised to get x .

Since the functions y = e x and y = ln ( x ) are inverse functions, ln ( e x ) = x for all x and e = ln ( x ) x for x > 0.

Given a natural logarithm with the form y = ln ( x ) , evaluate it using a calculator.

  1. Press [LN] .
  2. Enter the value given for x , followed by [ ) ] .
  3. Press [ENTER] .

Questions & Answers

how did you get 1640
Noor Reply
If auger is pair are the roots of equation x2+5x-3=0
Peter Reply
Wayne and Dennis like to ride the bike path from Riverside Park to the beach. Dennis’s speed is seven miles per hour faster than Wayne’s speed, so it takes Wayne 2 hours to ride to the beach while it takes Dennis 1.5 hours for the ride. Find the speed of both bikers.
MATTHEW Reply
420
Sharon
from theory: distance [miles] = speed [mph] × time [hours] info #1 speed_Dennis × 1.5 = speed_Wayne × 2 => speed_Wayne = 0.75 × speed_Dennis (i) info #2 speed_Dennis = speed_Wayne + 7 [mph] (ii) use (i) in (ii) => [...] speed_Dennis = 28 mph speed_Wayne = 21 mph
George
Let W be Wayne's speed in miles per hour and D be Dennis's speed in miles per hour. We know that W + 7 = D and W * 2 = D * 1.5. Substituting the first equation into the second: W * 2 = (W + 7) * 1.5 W * 2 = W * 1.5 + 7 * 1.5 0.5 * W = 7 * 1.5 W = 7 * 3 or 21 W is 21 D = W + 7 D = 21 + 7 D = 28
Salma
Devon is 32 32​​ years older than his son, Milan. The sum of both their ages is 54 54​. Using the variables d d​ and m m​ to represent the ages of Devon and Milan, respectively, write a system of equations to describe this situation. Enter the equations below, separated by a comma.
Aaron Reply
find product (-6m+6) ( 3m²+4m-3)
SIMRAN Reply
-42m²+60m-18
Salma
what is the solution
bill
how did you arrive at this answer?
bill
-24m+3+3mÁ^2
Susan
i really want to learn
Amira
I only got 42 the rest i don't know how to solve it. Please i need help from anyone to help me improve my solving mathematics please
Amira
Hw did u arrive to this answer.
Aphelele
hi
Bajemah
-6m(3mA²+4m-3)+6(3mA²+4m-3) =-18m²A²-24m²+18m+18mA²+24m-18 Rearrange like items -18m²A²-24m²+42m+18A²-18
Salma
complete the table of valuesfor each given equatio then graph. 1.x+2y=3
Jovelyn Reply
x=3-2y
Salma
y=x+3/2
Salma
Hi
Enock
given that (7x-5):(2+4x)=8:7find the value of x
Nandala
3x-12y=18
Kelvin
please why isn't that the 0is in ten thousand place
Grace Reply
please why is it that the 0is in the place of ten thousand
Grace
Send the example to me here and let me see
Stephen
A meditation garden is in the shape of a right triangle, with one leg 7 feet. The length of the hypotenuse is one more than the length of one of the other legs. Find the lengths of the hypotenuse and the other leg
Marry Reply
how far
Abubakar
cool u
Enock
state in which quadrant or on which axis each of the following angles given measure. in standard position would lie 89°
Abegail Reply
hello
BenJay
hi
Method
I am eliacin, I need your help in maths
Rood
how can I help
Sir
hmm can we speak here?
Amoon
however, may I ask you some questions about Algarba?
Amoon
hi
Enock
what the last part of the problem mean?
Roger
The Jones family took a 15 mile canoe ride down the Indian River in three hours. After lunch, the return trip back up the river took five hours. Find the rate, in mph, of the canoe in still water and the rate of the current.
cameron Reply
Shakir works at a computer store. His weekly pay will be either a fixed amount, $925, or $500 plus 12% of his total sales. How much should his total sales be for his variable pay option to exceed the fixed amount of $925.
mahnoor Reply
I'm guessing, but it's somewhere around $4335.00 I think
Lewis
12% of sales will need to exceed 925 - 500, or 425 to exceed fixed amount option. What amount of sales does that equal? 425 ÷ (12÷100) = 3541.67. So the answer is sales greater than 3541.67. Check: Sales = 3542 Commission 12%=425.04 Pay = 500 + 425.04 = 925.04. 925.04 > 925.00
Munster
difference between rational and irrational numbers
Arundhati Reply
When traveling to Great Britain, Bethany exchanged $602 US dollars into £515 British pounds. How many pounds did she receive for each US dollar?
Jakoiya Reply
how to reduced echelon form
Solomon Reply
Jazmine trained for 3 hours on Saturday. She ran 8 miles and then biked 24 miles. Her biking speed is 4 mph faster than her running speed. What is her running speed?
Zack Reply
d=r×t the equation would be 8/r+24/r+4=3 worked out
Sheirtina
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Source:  OpenStax, Precalculus. OpenStax CNX. Jan 19, 2016 Download for free at https://legacy.cnx.org/content/col11667/1.6
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