What is the difference between log and ln? I was told th

David Troyer

David Troyer

Answered question

2021-12-29

What is the difference between log and ln?
I was told that its

Answer & Explanation

David Clayton

David Clayton

Beginner2021-12-30Added 36 answers

Usually log(x) means the base 10 logarithm; it can, also be written as log10(x).
log10(x) tells you what power you must raise 10 to obtain the number x.
10x is its inverse.
ln(x) means the base e logarithm; it can, also be written as loge(x)
ln(x) tells you what power you must raise e to obtain the number x.
ex is its inverse.
chumants6g

chumants6g

Beginner2021-12-31Added 33 answers

ln is always loge , the logarithm base e .
When you specify the base you should always use logb , lnb doesn’t make sense.
When log is used without an explicit base, it’s usually one of the following options:
The base is e ,
At some previous point, the author explicitly set that “all logs should be understood as base b”,
From the context, the base, if not e , is clear - and it will usually be 2, or, less often, 10.
It doesn’t matter. For instance, if the statement is that a function is O(logn) ,it’s an equivalent statement to say it’s O(logbn) for any base b , since the different log functions are just the same function scaled by a constant, i.e. loga(x)=Clogb(x) for a constant C that only depends on a and b (but not x ).
Vasquez

Vasquez

Expert2022-01-08Added 669 answers

Yes, big difference.
Log is used for base ten. You’ve probably seen an equation like this:
10x=y, where y is equal to 10 raised to the power x.
If you know y how do you find x?
You take the Log of the equation 10x=y
log(10x)=logy
log(10x)=x
So
x=logy
Ln is the natural log. The natural log is used to solve for a when you know b in the following equation:
ea=b, where e is approximately 2.718, this is the natural exponential.
to solve for a when you know y, take the natural log of (ea=b)
ln(ea)=lnb
ln(ea)=a
So
a=lnb
So how does Ln y compare to logy
Let y=10c=ed
logy=c and lny=d
10=e2.3026
Then y=10c=(e2.3026)c=e[2.3026c]
y=ed=e[2.3026c]
d=2.3026c
ln(y)=2.3026[log(y)]
log(y)=0.4343[ln(y)]
Hope this helps

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