EXPONENTIAL AND

LOGARITHMIC
FUNCTIONS
EXPONENTIAL FUNCTION
If x and b are real numbers such that b > 0 and
b 1, then f(x) = b
x
is an exponential function
with base b.
Examples of exponential functions:
a) y = 3
x
b) f(x) = 6
x
c) y = 2
x

Example: Evaluate the function y = 4
x
at the given values
of x.
a) x = 2 b) x = -3 c) x = 0
PROPERTIES OF EXPONENTIAL FUNCTION y = b
x


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 y = b
x

1
o
y
x
-
( )
( )
( )
axis x : Asymptote Horizontal
none : ercept int x
1 , 0 : ercept int y
, 0 : Range
, : Domain

+
+
x
b y =
EXAMPLE 1: Graph the function y = 3
x

1
X -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
y 1/27 1/9 1/3 1 3 9 27
o
y
x
-
x
3 y =
EXAMPLE 2: Graph the function y = (1/3)
x

1
X -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
y 27 9 3 1 1/3 1/9 1/27
o
y
x
x
3
1
y
|
.
|

\
|
=
-
NATURAL EXPONENTIAL FUNCTION: f(x) = e
x

1
o
y
x
-
( )
( )
( )
axis x : Asymptote Horizontal
none : ercept int x
1 , 0 : ercept int y
, 0 : Range
, : Domain

+
+ ( )
x
e x f =
LOGARITHMIC FUNCTION
For all positive real numbers x and b, b 1, the
inverse of the exponential function y = b
x
is the
logarithmic function y = log
b
x.
In symbol, y = log
b
x if and only if x = b
y
Examples of logarithmic functions:
a) y = log
3
x b) f(x) = log
6
x c) y = log
2
x
EXAMPLE 1: Express in exponential form:
2 04 . 0 log ) d
4 16 log ) c
5 32 log ) b
3 64 log ) a
5
2
1
2
4
=
=
=
=
7 49 ) d
81 27 ) c
32 16 ) b
216 6 ) a
2
1
3
4
4
5
3
=
=
=
=

EXAMPLE 2: Express in logarithmic form:

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 y = log
b
x
1
o
y
x
( )
( )
( )
axis y : Asymptote Vertical
none : ercept int y
1 , 0 : ercept int x
, : Range
, 0 : Domain

+
+
x log y
b
=
-
EXAMPLE 1: Graph the function y = log
3
x
1
X 1/27 1/9 1/3 1 3 9 27
y -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
o
y
x
x log y
3
=
-
EXAMPLE 2: Graph the function y = log
1/3
x
1
o
y
x
X 27 9 3 1 1/3 1/9 1/27
y -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
x log y
3
1
=
-
PROPERTIES OF EXPONENTS
If a and b are positive real numbers, and m and n
are rational numbers, then the following
properties holds true:
( )
( )
m m
m
mn
n
m
n m
n
m
n m n m
b a ab
a a
a
a
a
a a a
=
=
=
=

+
( )
m
n
n m
n
m
n
n
1
m
m
m
m
m
a a a
a a
a
1
a
b
a
b
a
= =
=
=
=
|
.
|

\
|

To solve exponential equations, the following

property can be used:
b
m
= b
n
if and only if m = n and b > 0, b 1

EXAMPLE 1: Simplify the following:
EXAMPLE 2: Solve for x:
x 4 x x
2 x
5 x 1 2x 1 x 2 4 x
27 3 d) 16
2
1
) c
8 4 b) 3 3 ) a
= =
|
.
|

\
|
= =
+
+
+ + +
( )
( )
5
2
10
2
4
32x ) b
3x ) a
PROPERTIES OF LOGARITHMS
If M, N, and b (b 1) are positive real numbers,
and r is any real number, then
x b
x b log
0 1 log
1 b log
N log r N log
N log M log
N
M
log
N log M log MN log
x log
x
b
b
b
b
r
b
b b b
b b b
b
=
=
=
=
=
=
+ =
Since logarithmic function is continuous and one-
to-one, every positive real number has a unique
logarithm to the base b. Therefore,
log
b
N = log
b
M if and only if N = M
EXAMPLE 1: Express the ff. in expanded form:
( )
2
4
3 5
2
5
2
6
3 4
2 3
t
mnp
log ) c
p y
x
log e) x 3 log ) b
y x log d) xyz log ) a
EXAMPLE 2: Express as a single logarithm:
( )
( ) p log
3
2
n log 2 m log 3 2 log ) c
n log 3 m log 2 ) b
3 log x log 2 x log a)
5 5 5 5
a a
2 2 2
+ +

+ +
NATURAL LOGARITHM
Natural logarithms are to the base e, while
common logarithms are to the base 10. The
symbol ln x is used for natural logarithms.

( ) 2 ln 3 x ln lne a)
ln x
=
EXAMPLE: Solve for x:
1 e log e ln
x log x ln
e
e
= =
=
CHANGE-OF-BASE FORMULA


0.1 log c)
70 log b)
65 log a)
2
0.8
5
EXAMPLE: Use common logarithms and natural
logarithms to find each logarithm:
b ln
ln x
x log or
b log
x log
x log
b
a
a
b
= =
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: Solve for x:
0 6 e e ) d
4 e ) c
20 e 8 ) b
7 3 ) a
x x 2
x 2 3
x 2
2 x
=
=
=
=

+
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:
2 x 2
64
9
log ) d
2
5
x log ) b
4
x
25
4
log ) c 3
27
8
log ) a
8
3 4
5
2 x
+ = =
= =
EXAMPLE: Solve for x:
( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( )
( ) ( ) 1 1 x log 5 x log ) f
x log 2 x log 6 x log ) e
2 5 x log 25 x log d)
8 ln x ) c
3 x 25 log b)
16 2x log 3 4 a)
7 7
2 2 2
5
2
5
2
= + +
= + +
=
=
=
= +
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 fossil that originally contained 100 mg of carbon-14
now contains 75 mg of the isotope. Determine the
approximate age of the fossil, to the nearest 100 years, if
the half-life of carbon-14 is 5,570 years.
isotope the of life Half k
present isotope of amt. orig. reduce to it takes time t
isotope of amt. . orig A
isotope of amt. present A : where 2 A A
o
k
t
o
=
=
=
= =

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, where experience over time has shown that

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 the money to double if
the interest is compounded (a) semi-annually (b)
continuously.


( )
t 8 . 0
e 7499 1
000 , 15
t f

+
=
( )
( )
( ) ly continuous compounded erest int Pe t A
year per n times compounded erest int
n
r
1 P t A
year 1 for erest int simple r 1 P A
t r
t n
=

|
.
|

\
|
+ =
+ =