Unit 10: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions. Mathematics 4th E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel A.

Hernández

UNIT 10: EXPONENTIAL AND LOGARITHMIC FUNCTIONS.

Exponential Functions: The functions y=a

x
are called exponential functions. The base a can
be a positive real number, a≠1 .
x
Examples: Graph the functions y=2
x
and y=
1
2  .

• The domain of the function y=a x is ℝ .

• The function y=a x is continuous in ℝ .
• The graph of y=a x passes through the points (0,1) and (1,a).
• If a1 , the function is increasing.
If a1 , the function is decreasing.

Example: Match each graphs with its equation:

I) y=3 x II) y=1,5 x III) y=0,4 x IV) y=0,7 x

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Unit 10: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions. Mathematics 4th E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel A. Hernández

Other types of exponential functions:

Functions of type y=a kx :

The functions y=a kx are also exponential functions. Their graphs are similar to the graph of
k x
y= a  .

Examples:
x
The function y=22x can be considered as the function y=22x= 2 2  =4 x .

1 x
  =  2 
x x
The function y=2 2 can be considered as the function 2
y=2 = 2 2
x .

Functions of type y=a x b :

The graph of the functions y=a x b are the graph of the functions y=a x translating b units
up if b is positive, and b units down if b is negative.

Example: Represent the graph of the functions: y=2x 1 and x

y=2 −3 .

Functions of type y=a xb :

The graph of the functions y=a xb are the graph of the functions y=a x translating b units to
the left is b is positive, and b units to the right if b is negative.

Example: represent the graph of the functions: y=2x1 and y=2x−3 .

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Unit 10: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions. Mathematics 4th E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel A. Hernández

Logarithms:

In a simplest form, a logarithm answer the question:

How many times do we multiply a number to get another number?

Example: How many times do we multiply 2 to get 8?

2·2·2=8 , so we need to multiply the number 2 three times to get 8.

In other words, what is the “x” number such that 2 x =8 ?

x
2 =8 ⇔ x =3

“3” is the logarithm of 8 respect to base 2, and we write this as

log 2 8=3

The logarithm of a number is the exponent to which another fixed value, the base, must be raised to
produce that number.

x
log a y= x ⇔ a = y a ∈ℝ , a0 , a≠1 .

Examples: Calculate:

a) log 2 4 b) log 2 16 c) log 2 1

d) log 2 2 e) log 2  1
2
f) log 2 
1
4

g) log 3 3 h) log 3 9 i) log 3 27

j) log 3 81 k) log 3 1 l) log 3 

1
9

x
Obviously: log a a=1 , log a a = x .

Sometimes you will see a logarithm without a base, like this: log 100 .

This means that the base is really 10. It is called a “common logarithm”. On a calculator is the
“log” key.
Example: log 100=log 10=1000=3 .

Another base that is often used is e (“Euler's number”) which is approximately 2,71828 … (an
irrational number). This is called a “natural logarithm”. On a calculator is the “ln” key.
Example: ln 7,389=log e ≃2 .

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Unit 10: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions. Mathematics 4th E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel A. Hernández

Properties of logarithms:

1. log a 1=0 and log a a=1 .

2. Product rule: log a  x · y =log a x log a y .

3. Quotient rule: log a x

y
=log a x−log a y .

4. Power rule: log a x n=n · log a x .

log b x
5. Change of base rule: log a x= .
log b a

Your
Turn
1. Calculate the following logarithms:

1 1
a) log 3 243 b) log 2 c) log d) log 0,0001
8 10

e) log 2  2 f) log a a5
3
g) log a  a 2 h) log a  
1
a5

i) log 5 1 j) log 2 0,0625 k) log 5 0,04 l) log  2 2

2. Find the base of the following logarithms:

1
a) log b =10000 b) log b 125=3 c) log b 4=−1 d) log b 3=
2

3. Expand each logarithm:

x
a) log
2
b) log  a · b 
y6
c) log 3 x · y · z d) log x · y · z 2 

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Unit 10: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions. Mathematics 4th E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel A. Hernández

4. Condense each expression to a simple logarithm:

a) ln x−4ln y b) 6log 3 u6log e v

2log 7
c) d) 4log b−log c
3

5. Knowing log 5≃0,6989 , calculate using the properties of logarithms:

a) log 50 b) log 0,05

c) log 25 d) log  5

e) log 2500 f) log 125

g) log 
1
5
h) log 5 10

6. Knowing log 3≃0,4771 , calculate using the properties of logarithms:

a) log 0,3 b) log 3000

c) log 81 d) log 
1
9

e) log 4 3 f) log 0,09

7. Use the change of base rule to calculate the logarithms:

a) log 2 0,5 b) log 5 120

c) log 3 0.24 d) log 0,5 2

Logarithmic function:

The function y=log a x are called logarithmic functions. The base “a” can be any positive real
number a≠1 .

Look at the graphs of y=2x and y=log 2 x .

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Unit 10: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions. Mathematics 4th E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel A. Hernández

If the point (-3,1/8) lies on the graph of y=2x , then the point (1/8,-3) lies on the graph of
y=log 2 x ,

If the point (-2,1/4) lies on the graph of y=2x , then the point (1/4,-2) lies on the graph of
y=log 2 x , … and so on.

In general, if we have two functions, f(x) and g(x), where if (a,b) lies on the graph of f(x), then the
point (b,a) lies on the graph of g(x), we say that f is the inverse function of g and vice versa.
The inverse function of f is denoted f −1 (read f inverse, not to be confused with exponentiation).

The graphs of the functions y=2x and y=log 2 x are

symmetric with respect the line y=x (identity function).

In general, graphs of inverse functions, f and f −1 , are

symmetric with respect to the line y=x .

The domain of f is the range of f −1 , and vice versa, the

range of f is the domain of f −1 .

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Unit 10: Exponential and Logarithmic Functions. Mathematics 4th E.S.O. Teacher: Miguel A. Hernández

Look at the graphs of y=log 2 x and y=log 1 x .

2

• The domain of the function y=log a x is 0,∞ .

• The function y=log a x is continuous in its domain.
• The graph of the function y=log a x passes through the point (1,0) and (1,a).
• If a1 , the function is increasing.

If a1 , the function is decreasing.

Example: Graph the functions y=log 3 x and y=log 1 x .

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Keywords:

Exponential function=función exponencial (función polinómica de primer grado)

logarithm=logaritmo
common logarithm = logaritmo decimal
natural logarithm= logaritmo neperiano
Logarithmic function= función logarítmica
inverse function= función inversa