NationStates Jolt Archive

I'm trying to use the LOG function to solve some problems and this calculator is simply not working for me.

For example, I want to know 2 raised to what power will give me 32.

Calculator:

log(2)32 != 5
2log(32) != 5
log(2)*32 !=5

No matter what combination I try, this calculator will not give me 5. Any help is appreciated.

I'm trying to use the LOG function to solve some problems and this calculator is simply not working for me.

For example, I want to know 2 raised to what power will give me 32.

Calculator:

log(2)32 != 5
2log(32) != 5
log(2)*32 !=5

No matter what combination I try, this calculator will not give me 5. Any help is appreciated.
Your calculator is in log base 10. LOG(35)/LOG(2) should give you x.

Your calculator is probably calculating either the base 10 log or the base e log. For any positive real base, b, the following should hold true:

(log-base-b 32) / (log-base-b 2) == 5

So,
(log 32) / (log 2) == 5
(ln 32) / (ln 2) == 5

--The Democratic States of Cogitation

And that would solve the problem.

Thanks.

You had me at "I'm trying to use the LOG function ..." :(

Turn your life around. It's not too late! :D

Log function is always base ten. I always just the LN(X)/LN(Y) function.

You had me at "I'm trying to use the LOG function ..." :(
The logarithm function (called the "log" for short) is the mathematical inverse of the exponential function (called "exp" for short). By "inverse", I mean that they undo each other. For example, multiplication and division are inverses of each other. 10 * 3 is 30, and 30 / 3 is 10, so you get back the number you started with.

Similarly, 10^3 ("10 to the power of 3") is 10 * 10 * 10 = 1000. log(1000) ("log base 10 of 1000") is 3. A^B can defined as mulitplying A by itself B times, so A^6 is A*A*A*A*A*A. However, it's also possible to sensibly redefine exponentials so that the power doesn't have to be an integer. So, you can talk about something like 10^2.5 (which comes out to 10 times 10 times the square root of 10).

Exponential functions will appear in any mathematical description where you're talking about something whose rate-of-growth is proportional to the amount you already have. For example, if there are a lot of people, then the number of births each year is going to be greater than if there were fewer people. The more money you have in the bank, the more you make in interest on that money. The more people that have a disease, the faster it will spread.

You may now either gape in awe at the awesomeness of mathematics or scream in sheer mathophobic terror. Either will be immensely satisfying to me. :D

--The Jovial States of Cogitation
"Laugh about it for a moment."
NationStates Self-Proclaimed Court Jester

Log function is always base ten. I always just the LN(X)/LN(Y) function.

It's the same thing. The Change of Base rule.

Answer: Get a TI-89. It's infinitely better.


Real Answer: Log function is always base ten. I always just the LN(X)/LN(Y) function.