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7-5 Study Guide and Intervention

Properties of Logarithms
Properties of Logarithms Properties of exponents can be used to develop the following properties of logarithms.
Product Property
of Logarithms

For all positive numbers a, b, and x, where x 1,

log x ab = log x a + log x b.

Quotient Property
of Logarithms

For all positive numbers a, b, and x, where x 1,

Power Property
of Logarithms

For any real number p and positive numbers m and b, where b 1,

log b
m p = p log b m.

log x

a
b

log x a log x b.

Example: Use log 3 28 3.0331 and log 3 4 1.2619 to approximate the value of each expression.
log 3 36
log 3 36 = log 3 ( 32

a.
4)

log 3 4

Chapter 7

log 3

3.2619

b.

28
4
28 log 3

log 3 7 = log 3

=
= 2 + log 3 4
2 + 1.2619

1.7712

log 3 7

log 3

( )

4
3.0331 1.2619

33

c.

log 3 256
log 3 256 = log 3 ( 4 4 )
= 4 log 3 4
4(1.2619)
5.0476

Glencoe Algebra 2

Exercises
Use

log 12 3 0.4421 and log 12 7 0.7831 to approximate the value of each expression.
7
3

1.

log 12 21

2.

log 12

4.

log 12 36

5.

log 12 63

7.

log 12

Use

81
49

8.

3.

6.

log 12

log 12 49

27
49

log 12 16,807

9.

log 12 441

log 5 3 0.6826 and log 5 4 0.8614 to approximate the value of each expression.

10.

log 5 12

13.

log 5 144

14.

log 5

27
16

15.

log 5 375

16.

log 5 1. 3

17.

log 5

9
16

18.

log 5

Chapter 7

11.

log 5 100

12.

34

log 5 0.75

81
5

Glencoe Algebra 2

7-5 Study Guide and Intervention (continued)

Properties of Logarithms
Solve Logarithmic Equations You can use the properties of logarithms to solve equations involving logarithms.
Example: Solve each equation.
log 3 x log 3 4 = log 3 25

a. 2
2

log 3 x log 3 4 = log 3 25

log 3

log 3 4 = log 3 25

x2
4

log 3
x2
4
x

Original equation

Power Property

log 3 25

= 25

Quotient Property

Property of Equality for Logarithmic Functions

= 100

Multiply each side by 4.

x = 10

Take the square root of each side.

Since logarithms are undefined for x < 0, 10 is an extraneous solution. The only solution is 10.

log 2 x + log 2 (x + 2) = 3

b.

log 2 x + log 2 (x + 2) = 3
log 2 x(x + 2) = 3
x(x + 2) =
2

Definition of logarithm
Distributive Property

+ 2x 8 = 0

(x + 4)(x 2) = 0
x = 2 or x = 4

Product Property

x 2 + 2x = 8
x

Original equation

Subtract 8 from each side.

Factor.
Zero Product Property

Since logarithms are undefined for x < 0, 4 is an extraneous solution. The only solution is 2.

Exercises
Solve each equation. Check your solutions.
1.

log 5 4 + log 5 2x = log 5 24

2. 3

3.

1
2

4.

log 4 6 log 4 8 = log 4

log 6 25 + log 6 x = log 6 20

log 2 4 log 2 (x + 3) =

log 2 8
5.

log 6 2x log 6 3 = log 6 (x 1)

6. 2

log 4 (x + 1) = log 4 (11 x)

7.

log 2 x 3 log 2 5 = 2 log 2 10

8. 3

log 2 x 2 log 2 5x = 2

Chapter 7

34

Glencoe Algebra 2

9.

log 3 (c + 3) log 3 (4c 1) = log 3 5

10.

log 5 (x + 3) log 5 (2x 1) =

Chapter 7

34

Glencoe Algebra 2