A logarithm is a mathematical function that represents the exponent to which a fixed number, called the base, must be raised to produce a given number. In other words, it is the inverse operation of exponentiation. The logarithm of a number x with respect to a base b is denoted as log_b(x) and is defined as the power to which b must be raised to equal x.
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Google Gemini AI
Nov 5
Definition:
A logarithm is an exponent to which a base must be raised to produce a given number.
Formal Definition:
Given a positive number \(a \ne 1\), and a positive number \(x\), the logarithm of \(x\) to the base \(a\), denoted as \(\log_a x\), is defined as the exponent \(c\) such that:
$$a^c = x$$
Key Properties:
- The logarithm of 1 to any base is 0: \(\log_a 1 = 0\) - The logarithm of the base to itself is 1: \(\log_a a = 1\) - The logarithm of a product is the sum of the logarithms: \(\log_a (xy) = \log_a x + \log_a y\) - The logarithm of a quotient is the difference of the logarithms: \(\log_a (x/y) = \log_a x - \log_a y\) - Logarithms with the same base can be converted to each other using the change-of-base formula: \(\log_a x = \frac{\log_b x}{\log_b a}\)