EXPONENTIAL AND

LOGARITHMIC
FUNCTIONS

EXPONENTIAL FUNCTION
If x and b are real numbers such that b
> 0 and b 1, then f(x) = bx is an
exponential function with base b.
Examples of exponential functions:
a) y = 3x
b) f(x) = 6x
c) y = 2x
Example: Evaluate the function y = 4x at the
given values of x.
a) x = 2
b) x = -3
c) x = 0

PROPERTIES
OF
FUNCTION y = bx

EXPONENTIAL

The domain is the set of all real

numbers.
The range is the set of positive real
numbers.
The y intercept of the graph is 1.
The x axis is an asymptote of the
graph.
The function is one to one.

The graph of the

function yy = bx
Domain : ,
Range : 0 ,

y bx

y int ercept : 0 ,1
x int ercept : none
Horizontal Asymptote : x axis

1
o

X
y

EXAMPLE 1: Graph the

-3 function
-2
-1 y0 = 3
1x
2
3
1/27

1/9

1/3

27

y 3x

1
o

EXAMPLE 2: Graph the function

X
-3
-2
0 x 1
2
3
y =-1(1/3)
y

27

1/3

1/9

1/27

y
1
y
3

1
o

NATURAL EXPONENTIAL
FUNCTION: y f(x) = ex
f x e x

Domain : ,
Range : 0 ,

y int ercept : 0 ,1
x int ercept : none
Horizontal Asymptote : x axis

1
o

LOGARITHMIC FUNCTION
For all positive real numbers x and b, b
1, the inverse of the exponential
function y = bx is the logarithmic
function y = logb x.
In symbol,
y = logb x
if and only if
Examples
of logarithmic functions:
y
x=b
a) y = log3 x
b) f(x) = log6 x
c) y = log2 x

EXAMPLE 1:
exponential
a ) log 4 64 3 form:

Express

in

Express

in

b) log 2 32 5
c) log 1 16 4
2

d ) log 5 0.04 2

EXAMPLE 2:
logarithmic
a ) 63 216 form:
5
4

b) 16 32
c) 27

4
3

1
2

81

d ) 49 7

PROPERTIES OF LOGARITHMIC
FUNCTIONS
The domain is the set of positive real
numbers.

The range is the set of all real

numbers.
The x intercept of the graph is 1.
The y axis is an asymptote of the
graph.
The function is one to one.

The graph of the function

yb x
y = log

Domain : 0,
Range : ,
x int ercept : 0,1
y int ercept : none
Vertical Asymptote : y axis

x
y log b x

EXAMPLE 1: Graph the function y

X
1/27 1/9
1/3
1
3
9
27
= log
3 x
y

-3

-2

-1

y log 3 x

EXAMPLE 2: Graph the function y

X
27
9= log
3
1
1/3
1/9
1/27
1/3 x
y

-3

-2

-1

y log 1 x
3

PROPERTIES OF EXPONENTS
If a and b are positive real numbers,
and m and n are rational numbers, then
the following properties holds true:
a m a n a mn
m

a
mn
a
n
a

m n

ab

mn

a b

m m

a

b
a m

am
m
b
1
m
a

1
n

a n a
m
n

a a
n

a
n

To solve exponential equations, the

following property can be used:
bm = bn if and only if m = n and b
> 0, b 1
EXAMPLE 1:
Simplify the
4 2
following:
a ) 3x

b) 32x

2
10 5

EXAMPLE 2:
x 1
Solve
a ) 3x 4 for
32 x:
1
c)
2

b) 4 2x 1 8 x 5

x 2

16

d) 3

x 4

27

PROPERTIES OF LOGARITHMS
If M, N, and b (b 1) are positive real
numbers, and r is any real number, then
log b MN log b M log b N
M
log b
log b M log b N
N
log b N r r log b N
log b b 1
log b 1 0
log b b x x
b

log b x

Since logarithmic function is continuous

and one-to-one, every positive real
number has a unique logarithm to the
base b. Therefore,
logbN = logbM
if and only if
EXAMPLE 1:
Express the ff. in
N=M
expanded
form:
4 3
a ) log 3 xyz
d) log 2 x y
b) log 6 3x

mnp
c) log 4 2
t

e) log 5

x2
y5p3

EXAMPLE 2:
Express as a single
logarithm:
a) log 2 x 2 log 2 x log 2 3
b) 2 log a m 3 log a n
2
c) log 5 2 3 log 5 m 2 log 5 n log 5 p
3

NATURAL LOGARITHM
Natural logarithms are to the base e,
while
common
logarithms are to the
base
10.e xThe symbol ln x
ln x log
used
for natural
ln eis log
e

1
e
logarithms.
EXAMPLE: Solve
ln x
x x:3 ln 2
a) lne lnfor

CHANGE-OF-BASE FORMULA
log a x
ln x
log b x
or
log b x
log a b
ln b
EXAMPLE:
Use common logarithms
and natural logarithms to find each
logarithm:
a)
log 5 65
b) log 0.8 70
c) log 2 0.1

Solving Exponential Equations

Guidelines:
1. Isolate the exponential expression on one
side of the equation.
2. Take the logarithm of each side, then use
the law of logarithm to bring
down the exponent.
3. Solve for the variable.

EXAMPLE:
a ) 3x 2 7

Solve
for x:

b) 8e 2 x 20
c) e 3 2 x 4
d) e 2 x e x 6 0

Solving Logarithmic Equations

Guidelines:
1. Isolate the logarithmic term on one side
of the equation; you may first
need
to
combine
the
logarithmic terms.
2. Write the equation in exponential form.
3. Solve for the variable.
EXAMPLE 1:
Solve the
following: 8
4 x
a ) log x
3
c) log 2

27
4
5 25
5
9
b) log 4 x
d ) log 3
2x 2
2
8 64

EXAMPLE:

Solve
for x:

a) 4 3 log 2x 16
b) log 2 25 x 3

c) ln x 8

d) log 5 x 2 25 log 5 x 5 2

e) log 2 x 6 log 2 x 2 log 2 x

f ) log 7 x 5 log 7 x 1 1

Application:
(Exponential and Logarithmic
Equations)
1.The growth rate for a particular bacterial
culture can be calculated using the formula B =
900(2)t/50, where B is the number of bacteria and
t is the elapsed time in hours. How many
bacteria will be present after 5 hours?
2.How many hours will it take for there to be
18,000 bacteria present in the culture in
example (1)?
3.A fossilt that originally contained 100 mg of

A A o 2 k where
present amt.75
of isotope
carbon-14
now: Acontains
mg of the isotope.
A o orig. amt. of isotope
Determine the approximate
age of the fossil, to
time it takes
to reduce
orig. amt. of
present
the nearest 100 tyears,
if the
half-life
ofisotope
carbonk Half life of the isotope
14 is 5,570 years.

4. In a town of 15,000 people, the spread of a

rumor that the local transit company would
go on strike was such that t hours after the
rumor started, f(t) persons heard the rumor,
15,000
where experience
has shown that
f t over time
0 .8 t
1 7499e

a) How many people started the rumor?

b) How many people heard the rumor after 5
hours?
5. A sum of $5,000 is invested at an interest
rate of 5% per year. Find the time required for
1 r simpleto
A Pmoney
int erest
for 1 year if the interest is
the
double
r

compounded
(a)
semi-annually
(b)
A t P 1
int erest compounded n times per year
n

continuously.
nt

A t Pe r t int erest compounded continuously