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In mathematics, the logarithm to base b is the inverse function of exponentiation with base b. That means that the logarithm of a number x to the base b is the exponent to which b must be raised to produce x. For example, since 1000 = 10 3, the logarithm base of 1000 is 3, or log 10 (1000) = 3.
A graph of the common logarithm of numbers from 0.1 to 100. In mathematics, the common logarithm is the logarithm with base 10. [1] It is also known as the decadic logarithm and as the decimal logarithm, named after its base, or Briggsian logarithm, after Henry Briggs, an English mathematician who pioneered its use, as well as standard logarithm.
Logarithms can be used to make calculations easier. For example, two numbers can be multiplied just by using a logarithm table and adding. These are often known as logarithmic properties, which are documented in the table below. [2] The first three operations below assume that x = b c and/or y = b d, so that log b (x) = c and log b (y) = d.
A logarithmic unit is a unit that can be used to express a quantity (physical or mathematical) on a logarithmic scale, that is, as being proportional to the value of a logarithm function applied to the ratio of the quantity and a reference quantity of the same type. The choice of unit generally indicates the type of quantity and the base of the ...
The natural logarithm of a number is its logarithm to the base of the mathematical constant e, which is an irrational and transcendental number approximately equal to 2.718 281 828 459. [1] The natural logarithm of x is generally written as ln x, log e x, or sometimes, if the base e is implicit, simply log x.
Because logarithms in different bases differ from each other only by a constant factor, algorithms that run in O(log 2 n) time can also be said to run in, say, O(log 13 n) time. The base of the logarithm in expressions such as O(log n) or O(n log n) is therefore not important and can be omitted.
Annuities let you convert your savings into steady monthly payments that can last your lifetime, but come with high fees and complicated rules.
Logarithmic growth is the inverse of exponential growth and is very slow. [2] A familiar example of logarithmic growth is a number, N, in positional notation, which grows as log b (N), where b is the base of the number system used, e.g. 10 for decimal arithmetic. [3] In more advanced mathematics, the partial sums of the harmonic series