5. Natural Logarithms (to the base e) by M. Bourne The number e frequently occurs in mathematics (especially calculus) and is an irrational constant (like z). Its value is e = 2.718 281 828 ... Apart from logarithms to base 10 which we saw in the last section, we can also have logarithms to base e. These are called natural logarithms. We usually write natural logarithms using In , as follows: In. to mean log,x (that is, "log x to the base e") Example 1 Find the natural logarithm of 9.178, This means "Find log, 9.178", which we can also write as "Find In 9.178", Using our calculator, we get In 9.178 = 2.2168 ‘Check: Using the definition of a logarithm, we check as follows: 2.718 281 828°?" = 9.1781 It checks OK. Change of Base Al times we need to change from one base to another. The change of base formula (fo change from base a to base >)is as follows:Example 2 Find the value of log; 8.7. [This probiom is the samo as answering: 3° = 8.7) \We cannot in log, 8.7 on @ calculator. We need to use the change of base formula In this caso, b = 3 and.x = 87. 80 1ogs8 = 19691414 Toro} (CHECK: By calculator, 3191 §,6999989, 2 (cue ara wet8.= 8 eh ot hs ane ae Easy to understand math vos: MathIuaxDvD cam | Exercises 4. Use logarithms to base 10 to find log, 86. We esiimate an answer in the range: 6 to 7, because 2° = 64 and 2” = 128, and 86 is between these 2 values. ‘Our answer is between 6 and 7, as expected. 2. Find the natural logarithm of 1.394. In 1.394= 0,332177312 Check: This means e273? = 1.394