Identities for solving log questions

In summary, the conversation is about the possibility of more logarithmic identities and how to solve questions involving logarithms. The participants discuss using substitution and log identities to solve equations and the importance of understanding the properties of logarithms. They also discuss clarifying specific questions and how to approach different types of logarithmic equations.
  • #1
Saitama
4,243
93
I was wondering if there could be more identities than i have read. I was doing questions on log and found many questions in this form:-

(loga b)2

(loga b)(loga c)

This is not my homework but i require these identities to solve the questions.
Please someone tell me how to solve these type of questions.

Thanks.
 
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  • #3
I don't believe there are any identities for these quantities.
 
  • #4
praharmitra said:
I don't believe there are any identities for these quantities.

True! :smile:
 
  • #6
Pranav-Arora said:
I already checked them out before.
But I am having questions of this type, how would i solve them?

Do you have a specific question?
 
  • #7
Pranav-Arora said:
I already checked them out before.
But I am having questions of this type, how would i solve them?

Well since the question isn't "use a log identity to simplify (logab)2 then they aren't exactly of this type now are they.
 
  • #8
Ok, so no identities of this type exist...
But is it possible to simplify them?
 
  • #9
Pranav-Arora said:
Ok, so no identities of this type exist...
But is it possible to simplify them?

Only if you know the numbers, then you can use a calculator. :wink:
 
  • #10
The questions which i have to solve include variable so i can't use a calculator...:(
 
  • #11
Pranav-Arora said:
The questions which i have to solve include variable so i can't use a calculator...:(

If you give us the question we'll be better equipped to help you.
 
  • #12
Here's a question:-

2uzrv6d.png


Now how would i solve (loge x)2
 
  • #13
Pranav-Arora said:
Here's a question:-

2uzrv6d.png


Now how would i solve (loge x)2

Substitute y=loge(x) and solve for y.

When you're done (if you find a solution), back substitute x = ey.
 
  • #14
I like Serena said:
Substitute y=loge(x) and solve for y.

When you're done (if you find a solution), back substitute x = ey.

Wow! Why i didnt just used my head?
It worked...

One more question, this time in the form (loga b)(loga c):-

8yun94.png
 
Last edited:
  • #15
What's the question? :confused:
 
  • #16
I like Serena said:
What's the question? :confused:

Edited! :-p
 
  • #17
Pranav-Arora said:
Edited! :-p

This is of the form:

a x b < 0​


The solution is:

a < 0 and b > 0​
or
a > 0 and b < 0​


Solve from there! :smile:
 
  • #18
May i know why is

a < 0 and b > 0
or
a > 0 and b < 0
 
  • #19
Pranav-Arora said:
May i know why is

a < 0 and b > 0
or
a > 0 and b < 0

If you multiply two positive numbers, the result is positive.
If you multiply two negative numbers, the result is positive.
If one of the two numbers is zero, the result is zero.

So one number must be positive and the other must be negative.
 
  • #20
I like Serena said:
If you multiply two positive numbers, the result is positive.
If you multiply two negative numbers, the result is positive.
If one of the two numbers is zero, the result is zero.

So one number must be positive and the other must be negative.

Thanks, it worked...

I am having loads of doubts and questions in log. Can i post them here one by one?
 
  • #21
Pranav-Arora said:
Thanks, it worked...

I am having loads of doubts and questions in log. Can i post them here one by one?

Sure. :)
That way it'll bump my attention.

Note that if I'm not available, you'll get a quicker response if you create a new thread.
Up to you though.
 
  • #22
Thanks..:)
So my next question:-
ix7dix.png


I solved it but i got stuck at:-
oqgg7k.png
 
  • #23
Pranav-Arora said:
Thanks..:)
So my next question:-
ix7dix.png


I solved it but i got stuck at:-
oqgg7k.png

How about multiplying left and right with the square root?
Note that a square root is always greater than or equal to zero.

Furthermore the base powers of the logs are different. That would make the equation a bit harder.
Are they different?
Because you applied the log-identities as if they are the same.

EDIT: Apparently you extracted the power of 2 inconsistently, because it should cancel.
 
Last edited:
  • #24
Sorry its log11 (x2-4x-11)3

(I am solving the numerator part)
I changed the base log11 to log5.
It came out to be like this:-

log5 (x2-4x-11)
----------------
log5 11

log5 11 is around 1.5.
Then i got the numerator:-

- 3log5 (x2-4x-11) + 2log5 (x2-4x+11)
-----------------
1.5
then reduced three to 2 since 1.5 *2 = 3
and then took 2 outside...

and i got the result where i am now stuck.
 
  • #25
@I like Serena:- Didn't you see my reply?
 
  • #26
Pranav-Arora said:
@I like Serena:- Didn't you see my reply?

No, I didn't see your reply.

This time round I did not get a notification from either of your last 2 replies.
I don't know why, although I saw other threads mentioning that apparently the PF notification mechanism does not always work.

It's by coincidence that I happened to see in the forum overview that you posted new replies.


Pranav-Arora said:
Sorry its log11 (x2-4x-11)3

(I am solving the numerator part)
I changed the base log11 to log5.
It came out to be like this:-

log5 (x2-4x-11)
----------------
log5 11

log5 11 is around 1.5.
Then i got the numerator:-

- 3log5 (x2-4x-11) + 2log5 (x2-4x+11)
-----------------
1.5
then reduced three to 2 since 1.5 *2 = 3
and then took 2 outside...

and i got the result where i am now stuck.

Let's not make approximations until we have to.
You'll get the wrong answer because of it.

If you work it out you should find:

[tex]2 \log_5 \frac {x^2-4x+11} {(x^2-4x-11)^\frac 3 {2 \log_5 11}} \ge 0[/tex]

This means:

[tex]x^2-4x+11 \ge (x^2-4x-11)^\frac 3 {2 \log_5 11}[/tex]

You should see that the power on the right hand side is slightly bigger than the one on the left hand side, meaning the inequality won't hold for large x.

Picking a large x and substituting it in your expression should show that the original inequality does not hold either.
 
  • #27
I like Serena said:
No, I didn't see your reply.

This time round I did not get a notification from either of your last 2 replies.
I don't know why, although I saw other threads mentioning that apparently the PF notification mechanism does not always work.

It's by coincidence that I happened to see in the forum overview that you posted new replies.




Let's not make approximations until we have to.
You'll get the wrong answer because of it.

If you work it out you should find:

[tex]2 \log_5 \frac {x^2-4x+11} {(x^2-4x-11)^\frac 3 {2 \log_5 11}} > 0[/tex]

This means:

[tex]x^2-4x+11 \ge (x^2-4x-11)^\frac 3 {2 \log_5 11}[/tex]

You should see that the power on the right hand side is slightly bigger than the one on the left hand side, meaning the inequality won't hold for large x.

Picking a large x and substituting it in your expression should show that the original inequality does not hold either.

Thanks it worked! You are really great!

My next question:-
[tex]\frac{\log_2 (x+10}{x-1} > 0[/tex]

(Sorry for the late reply..:(
I had been away for a few days)
 
  • #28
Pranav-Arora said:
Thanks it worked! You are really great!

My next question:-
[tex]\frac{\log_2 (x+10)}{x-1} > 0[/tex]

(Sorry for the late reply..:(
I had been away for a few days)

Uhh? What is your problem?

You'd have to consider the 2 cases where x > 1 and where x < 1 separately, but from there it should be straight forward? :rolleyes:
 
Last edited:
  • #29
I like Serena said:
Uhh? What is your problem?

You'd have to consider the 2 cases where x > 1 and where x < 1 separately, but from there it should be straight forward? :rolleyes:

There's a closed bracket after 10.

And why i need to take these two cases?
 
  • #30
Pranav-Arora said:
There's a closed bracket after 10.

And why i need to take these two cases?

If you multiply left and right by the denominator, the inequality will swap around if the denominator is negative.

(Note that this also plays a role in your first question! :wink:)
 
  • #31
I like Serena said:
If you multiply left and right by the denominator, the inequality will swap around if the denominator is negative.

(Note that this also plays a role in your first question! :wink:)

I did as you said.
I first took x>1 and tried to solve it.
I got:-

[tex]\log_2 (x+10) * (x-1) > 0[/tex]

So what's the next step...
 
  • #32
Pranav-Arora said:
I did as you said.
I first took x>1 and tried to solve it.
I got:-

[tex]\log_2 (x+10) * (x-1) > 0[/tex]

So what's the next step...

Hmm, what you should have is:
[tex]\log_2 (x+10) > 0[/tex]

And from there you get:
x+10 > 20

So:
x > -9

Since we restricted ourselves in this case to x > 1, that just leaves:
x > 1

Now we need to combine this result to what happens if x < 1 ...
 
  • #33
lol...I didnt canceled (x-1) while multiplying both the sides with (x-1)...

I solved it but i am getting the answer to be (1,infinity) but when i checked the answer key it is (-1,0) U (1,infinity)...:(

I solved it four times but then too got the same answer...
Please help...
 
  • #34
Pranav-Arora said:
lol...I didnt canceled (x-1) while multiplying both the sides with (x-1)...

I solved it but i am getting the answer to be (1,infinity) but when i checked the answer key it is (-1,0) U (1,infinity)...:(

I solved it four times but then too got the same answer...
Please help...

What's the solution if x < 1?

Note that multiplying by (x-1) in this case inverts the inequality.
 
  • #35
I am very sorry for my foolishness...:(
It wasn't "10", it was "1" but the method you gave worked successfully for my question...
Thank you very much!

I wanted to know that what is x when 2x > 0.
I solved it using the reverse of anti-log method and i got x > log2 0.
So what should i do next?
 

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