Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Logarithms
A logarithm is the inverse operation to exponentiation, answering the question: to what exponent must a base be raised to produce a given number? For example, in the expression log_b(a) = c, b^c = a. Understanding logarithms is essential for solving equations involving exponential growth or decay.
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Common Logarithm
The common logarithm is a logarithm with base 10, denoted as log(x) or log_10(x). It is widely used in scientific calculations and is particularly useful for simplifying multiplication and division into addition and subtraction. For instance, log(100) equals 2 because 10^2 = 100.
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Graphs of Common Functions
Negative Logarithm Values
Logarithms of numbers between 0 and 1 yield negative values. For example, log(0.1) is negative because 10 raised to any negative exponent results in a fraction less than 1. This concept is crucial for understanding the behavior of logarithmic functions and their graphs.
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