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Questions tagged [logarithms]

Questions related to real and complex logarithms.

6 votes
3 answers
2k views

Solving $\log _2(x-4) + \log _2(x+2) = 4$

Here is how I have worked it out so far: $\log _2(x-4)+\log(x+2)=4$ $\log _2((x-4)(x+2)) = 4$ $(x-4)(x+2)=2^4$ $(x-4)(x+2)=16$ How do I proceed from here? $x^2+2x-8 = 16$ $x^2+2x = 24$ $...
rcapote's user avatar
  • 163
4 votes
1 answer
354 views

Name for logarithm variation that works on non-positive values?

I've come up with the following variation of a logarithm, intended to work on values that can be 0, or can grow exponentially from zero in either positive or negative direction. $$myLog(x) = \begin{...
Kip's user avatar
  • 607
-4 votes
3 answers
7k views

prove $\log_{10} (2)$ is irrational [duplicate]

Possible Duplicate: About irrational logarithms Please help proving that $\log_{10}(2)$ is irrational.
Niveen Abdelaziz's user avatar
42 votes
6 answers
30k views

Understanding imaginary exponents

I am trying to understand what it means to have an imaginary number in an exponent. What does $x^{i}$ where $x$ is real mean? I've read a few pages on this issue, and they all seem to boil down to ...
friedo's user avatar
  • 2,713
0 votes
2 answers
231 views

Bounding the series $\sum_{m\leq x,m\neq n}\frac{1}{|\log(m/n)|}$

I am trying to reproduce the following bound: $\sum_{1\leq m\leq x, m\neq n}\frac{1}{|\log(m/n)|}=O(x\log(x))$, for $x\geq 2$ and some $n$, $1\leq n\leq x$ (the implicit constant shouldn't depend on ...
Troy K.'s user avatar
  • 221
2 votes
1 answer
4k views

About irrational logarithms

Could someone provide, please, a proof of the theorem below? "Being $x$ and $b$ integers greater than $1$, which can not be represented as powers of the same basis (positive integer) and integer ...
Paulo Argolo's user avatar
  • 4,260
2 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why does an equiangular spiral become logarithmic (intuitively)?

One of the most famous 2D-curves are logarithmic spirals (or Spira mirabilis). They can be constructed by using a machinery that ensures a constant angle between the tangent and the radial lines all ...
vonjd's user avatar
  • 8,910
4 votes
2 answers
226 views

Is it true that $x^{\log_z(y)} = y^{\log_z(x)}$?

it has been years since I have done logs, I remember something like this: $$x^{\log_z(y)} = y^{\log_z(x)}$$ (where $z$ is the base) Is that correct? It doesn't seem so, since $$3^{\log_2(4)} \neq ...
naspinski's user avatar
  • 151
15 votes
3 answers
2k views

What is the $x$ in $\log_b x$ called?

In $b^a = x$, $b$ is the base, a is the exponent and $x$ is the result of the operation. But in its logarithm counterpart, $\log_{b}(x) = a$, $b$ is still the base, and $a$ is now the result. What is $...
nardi's user avatar
  • 305
34 votes
8 answers
18k views

How did the notation "ln" for "log base e" become so pervasive?

Wikipedia sez: The natural logarithm of $x$ is often written "$\ln(x)$", instead of $\log_e(x)$ especially in disciplines where it isn't written "$\log(x)$". However, some mathematicians disapprove ...
Kevin H. Lin's user avatar
  • 2,713
82 votes
6 answers
8k views

What's so "natural" about the base of natural logarithms?

There are so many available bases. Why is the strange number $e$ preferred over all else? Of course one could integrate $\frac{1}x$ and see this. But is there more to the story?
user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
2k views

Exponential and log functions compose to identity

How to prove that the exponential function and the logarithm function are the inverses of each other? I want it the following way. We must use the definition as power series, and must verify that all ...
user avatar
66 votes
12 answers
87k views

Sum of the alternating harmonic series $\sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\frac{(-1)^{k+1}}{k} = \frac{1}{1} - \frac{1}{2} + \cdots $

I know that the harmonic series $$\sum_{k=1}^{\infty}\frac{1}{k} = \frac{1}{1} + \frac{1}{2} + \frac{1}{3} + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{5} + \frac{1}{6} + \cdots + \frac{1}{n} + \cdots \tag{I}$$ diverges,...
Isaac's user avatar
  • 36.6k

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