What is a Logarithm?
A logarithm answers the question: "To what exponent must we raise the base to get this number?" If b^y = x, then log_b(x) = y.
log₁₀(100) = 2 (because 10² = 100)
ln(e) = 1 (because e¹ = e)
log₂(8) = 3 (because 2³ = 8)
ln(e) = 1 (because e¹ = e)
log₂(8) = 3 (because 2³ = 8)
Types of Logarithms
- Common Log (log₁₀): Base 10, widely used in science and engineering.
- Natural Log (ln): Base e (≈ 2.71828), used in calculus and natural growth models.
- Binary Log (log₂): Base 2, used in computer science and information theory.