Natural Logarithms: Are They Equal to Other Logarithms?

In summary, the conversation discusses the equality of two notations, ##^e\log y## and ##\log_e y##, for the fourth power of the natural logarithm of (x+3). The experts suggest avoiding the first notation as it can be confused with the other two notations for the base of a logarithm. They also mention that the notation ##^e\log y## is rarely used and that ##\log y =\ ^e\log y\ ## for many mathematicians.
  • #1
funlord
15
1
upload_2015-8-31_15-9-38.png

are they equal?
 
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  • #2
The first is hard to recognize, but I would take them both as the fourth power of the natural logarithm of (x+3).

The fact they use ln instead of log is decisive.

The first notation is to be avoided: there are already two notations for the base of a logarithm: ##^e\log y## and ##\log_e y## for ##\ln y## and this looks too much like a third notation for the same, which it is NOT.
 
  • #3
when i tried it on symbolab.com i subtract them both and i'd come up with answer of 0

does that mean they are equal?
 
  • #4
I don't acknowledge that kind of authority in a website. But yes, they are equal for the reason that they describe one and the same thing: the fourth power of the natural logarithm of (x+3).
 
  • #5
ok, thank you very much
 
  • #6
funlord said:
View attachment 88026
are they equal?
BvU said:
The first notation is to be avoided: there are already two notations for the base of a logarithm: ##^e\log y## and ##\log_e y## for ##\ln y## and this looks too much like a third notation for the same, which it is NOT.
Just for the record, I have never seen this notation -- ##^e\log y##. By "never" I mean in the past 55+ years. That's not to say that someone hasn't used it somewhere, but if so, it's certainly not in common usage. The notation ##\log_e y## is rarely used, since ##\ln y## is defined to mean log, base e, of y.

If someone were to write ##\log^4 (x + 3)##, I would interpret this to mean the same as ##(\log(x + 3))^4## following the usual shorthand as used in powers of trig functions. I would also interpret the log base to be 10, but in some contexts the implied log base could be e or possibly 2, in computer science textbooks.
 
  • #7
Mark44 said:
Just for the record, I have never seen this notation -- ##^e\log y##. By "never" I mean in the past 55+ years. That's not to say that someone hasn't used it somewhere, but if so, it's certainly not in common usage. The notation ##\log_e y## is rarely used, since ##\ln y## is defined to mean log, base e, of y.

If someone were to write ##\log^4 (x + 3)##, I would interpret this to mean the same as ##(\log(x + 3))^4## following the usual shorthand as used in powers of trig functions. I would also interpret the log base to be 10, but in some contexts the implied log base could be e or possibly 2, in computer science textbooks.
I now miss how you DO write ##^4\log 16 = 2## ? With the rarely used notation ?

Writing ##^4\log 16## is pretty common in Europe...

Ah, wait, of course ##
^e\log y ## is rarely used because ##\ln y## exists. In fact ##
\log y =\ ^e\log y\ ## for a lot of decent people (mathematicians, for one) :smile: !
 

FAQ: Natural Logarithms: Are They Equal to Other Logarithms?

Are natural logs equal to regular logs?

No, natural logs (ln) and regular logs (log) are not equal. They have different bases - natural logs have a base of 'e' (approximately equal to 2.718), while regular logs have a base of 10.

What is the purpose of using natural logs in scientific calculations?

Natural logs are useful in scientific calculations because they help to simplify exponential functions and make them easier to work with. Additionally, they have a number of applications in fields such as physics, chemistry, and biology.

How do you calculate natural logs?

The natural log of a number, x, can be calculated by using the formula ln(x) = loge(x), where 'e' is the base of the natural log. In most scientific calculators, the ln function is represented by "ln" or "log" with a subscript of "e".

Can natural logs be negative?

Yes, natural logs can be negative. However, the argument (input) of a natural log function must always be positive. This means that the result of a natural log can be negative, but the number inside the function must be positive.

What are some real-life applications of natural logs?

Natural logs have a variety of real-life applications, such as modeling population growth, calculating the half-life of a radioactive substance, and determining the rate of chemical reactions. They are also used in finance and economics to model compound interest and growth rates.

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