Educator

Logarithms and Logarithmic Functions

• Remember that a logarithm is just an exponent.

• Understand that the log function and the exponential function are inverses of each other.

• Use this to solve problems.

• Solve logarithmic equations with the same base by equating the expressions whose logarithms have been equated.

• Solve logarithmic inequalities with the same base by applying the same inequality to the expressions whose logarithms have been compared.

• In solving logarithmic equations or inequalities, always check for extraneous solutions -- values which result in taking the logarithm of a non-positive value in the original equation or inequality. Exclude such values from the solution set.