Math Is Fun Forum

petesgirl

Member

Registered: 2008-02-21

Posts: 1

logarithms, i don't get it

could anyone please explain logarithms to me. I have gone over it in two text books and really don't understand at all. an example would help but an explaination, put plainly would be great????

thanks in advance

petesgirl

luca-deltodesco

Member

Registered: 2006-05-05

Posts: 1,470

Re: logarithms, i don't get it

logarithm is simply the opposite function (or inverse function) of the exponential in the same way that the root is the opposite function to taking the power of a number

So in the same way that : ³√(x³) = x.
Or that : sin-¹(sin x) = x
You have that log[sub]3[/sub](3[sup]x[/sup]) = x, or ln(e[sup]x[/sup]) = x  (ln means the same as log[sub]e[/sub] it's called the 'natural' logarithm)

(Invisible writing to stop the [sub] stuff being chopped in half. -mathsy)

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