MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I

Lecture Note 5
Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function

MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I

υ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Exponential Function
An exponential function
 is a function of the following form:

   
where  is a real constant which   0 and 
1.
Remark:
• Here, the domain of
 is . (i.e. you can input any real number  into
the function
    .)
• Here, we do not allow  0 since the function is then undefined for some
 
values of . For example, one cannot define the values of 0   and
 

2  √2.


• When   1, the function simply becomes
  1  1 which is a

constant function.

MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I

φ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Graph of Exponential Function
From the graphs, we observe that
• The range of the function
 is always 0, ∞ (i.e. 0 
  ∞).
• For 0    1, the function
    is strictly decreasing.
For   1, the function
    is strictly increasing.

    tends to
∞ when  → ∞

    tends to

    tends to 0 when  → ∞
0 when  → ∞

    tends
to ∞ when  → ∞

   
   
1 01

MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I

χ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Basic Operation of Exponential Functions

1  ∙   
  
, 2     ∙     .

3      
4   ∙ "   "
Example 1
#$% &$' $%
Compute and .
&$ &$

☺Solution:
3 5 3 ∙ 5 3
 3
∙5
3∙5  ,

15 3 ∙ 5 5
100 100 ∙ 100 100 ∙ 25 ∙ 4 
   100 ∙ 4
.
25 25  25

MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I

ψ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Special exponential function )*
The number +
 .
Consider the expression ,1 - / where 0 is real number, this expression has a
.
 .
special property that ,1 - / tends to a finite number (1 2.71828) when 0
.
gets larger (0 → ∞):
0 100 1,000 10,000 100,000 1,000,000 10,000,000
1 . 2.70481 2.71692 2.71815 2.71827 2.71828 2.71828
41 - 5
0
 G
@ABCD EF , / HID. .J;
G
<======>======?
 .
This finite number is denoted by + , lim.→; ,1 - / / , is called natural
.
base. The corresponding exponential function
  +  is called natural
exponential function (or simply exponential function).

MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I

ω Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Importance of the exponential function )*
• Practically, exponential function in many modeling such as population
growth in biology and continuously compound interest in finance.
• In calculus, the exponential function +  has a special property that
K 
+  +  , L +  K  +  - M.
K
This property makes the exponential function useful in theoretical aspect
(say in the study of differential equation).

• In algebra, the exponential function +  is an important element in the

Euler’s formula:
+ NO  cos S - T sin S
where T  √1. (You will learn more in MA1201)

MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I

ϊ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Logarithmic Functions
Given a real number  (with   0 and 
1), the logarithmic function with
base , denoted by V 
  log A , is the number such that
   .
From the definition, one can see that the function log A  is the inverse function
of   . So we expect that
log A      0K XYZ[   .
Two commonly used logarithmic functions
• When   10, the function log  (or simply log ) is called common
logarithm which is commonly used in actual computation (say solving
equation involving exponential function).
• When   +, the function log D  is called natural logarithm which is
commonly used in calculus (e.g. differentiation and integration). We
usually denote this function by ln .
MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I
ϋ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Example 2
Compute log & 25, log # √9 , log  0.5 and ln 1 using definition.
\

☺Solution:
V  log & 25 ⇒ 5  25 ⇒ 5  5 ⇒ V  log & 25  2.
\ \
  \ 2
V  log # √9 ⇒ 3  √9 ⇒ 3 
 
9# ⇒3 

3# ⇒ V  log # √9  .
3
1
V  log  0.5 ⇒ 2  0.5 ⇒ 2  ⇒ 2  2 ⇒ V  log  0.5  1.
 
2
V  ln 1 ⇒ +   1 ⇒ +   +  ⇒ V  ln 1  0.
Example 3
Can we find the value of log2?
☺Solution:
V  log2 ⇒ 10
^  2
b . So V  log2 does not exist.
_E`NaN@D .DcAaN@D
MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I
ό Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Graph of logarithmic functions and its properties

V  log d 
1

V  log d 
01

• The domain of
  log A  is 0, ∞ (i.e. 0    ∞).

• The range of
  log A  is .
• For 0    1, the function
  log A  is decreasing.
For   1, the function
  log A  is increasing.

MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I

ύ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Operation of Logarithmic functions
(The proof can be found in Appendix A)
1. log A     0K XYZ[    (Properties of inverse functions)
2. log A e.  0 log A e
3. log A ef  log A e - log A f
e
4. log A  log A e  log A f
f
log e
5. log A e  .
log 
Example 4
2 log 8 - 3 log 5  3 log 2  log 8 - log 5#  log 2#
XYZ J
8 g 5# iJ 2j g 5#
\

 log 
h log  log 10#
 3 log 10  h 3.
2# 2#
MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I
υτ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Example 5
(a) Solve the equation 3 ∙ 5 - 2  23
(b) Solve the equation 2  17 ∙ 2 - 4  0.
(Hint: Note that 2  2 ∙ 2  4 ∙ 2 )
☺Solution:
(a) 3 ∙ 5 - 2  23 ⇒ 5  7 ⇒ 2  1 log 5  log 7
1 log 7
⇒ 4 - 15 1 1.1045.
2 log 5
(b) Let V  2 , then
2  17 ∙ 2 - 4  0 ⇒ 4 ∙ 2   17 ∙ 2 - 4  0
⇒ 4V   17V - 4  0 ⇒ 4V  1V  4  0
1
⇒ V  kl V  4
4
1
⇒ 2   2 kl 2  4  2

4
⇒   2 kl   2.
MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I
υυ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Example 6
(a) Solve 9  12 .
(b) log - 1 - log2  1  log 14
☺Solution
(a) By taking logarithm on both sides, we have
9  12 ⇒ log 9  log 12
⇒  - 1 log 9    1 log 12 ⇒ log 12  log 9  log 9 - log 12
log 9 - log 12
⇒ .
log 12  log 9
(b) Note that
log - 1 - log2  1  log 14 ⇒ logm - 12  1n  log 14
⇒  - 12  1  14 ⇒ 2  -   15  0
⇒  - 32  5  0
5
⇒   3 l+o+pq+K kl   .
2
MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I
υφ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Hyperbolic Sine and Hyperbolic Cosine Functions
The hyperbolic sine and hyperbolic cosine function are defined as the algebraic
combination of some exponential functions:
1 1
cosh   +  - +  , sinh   +   +  .
2 2
The graphs of these functions are shown below:

V  sinh 
V  cosh 

MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I

υχ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Example 7
Solve the equation
sinh   2.
☺Solution:
Using the definition of sinh , we have
1 
sinh   2 ⇒ +  +    2 ⇒ +   +   4
2
⇒ +   1  4+  ⇒ +   4+   1  0.
We let V  +  , then the equation becomes
4 s √20
V  4V  1  0 ⇒ V 

 1 s √5
2
⇒ +   1 - √5 kl 1  √5 l+o. 
⇒   ln1 - √5.

MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I

υψ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Example 8
(a) Using the definition of sinh  and cosh , show that
(i) cosh   sinh t  1
(ii) cosh  - sinh t  cosh 2
(b) Hence, or otherwise, solve the equation 3 sinh  - cosh 2  0.
☺Solution of (a)
 
1 1
cosh   sinh   u +  - +  v  u +   +  v
2 2
1  1
 w+ - 2 +xyz + -+
  
 {+  2 +xyz

+ - + |}  4  1
  
4 J J
4
 
1 1
cosh  - sinh t  u +  - +  v  u +   +  v
2 2
1  1 
 w+ - 2 +xyz + -+
  
- {+  2 +xyz

+ - + |}  + - +  
  
4 J J
2
 cosh 2
MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I
υω Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
☺Solution of (b)
Note that
3 sinh  - cosh 2  0 ⇒ 3 sinh  - cosh  - sinh t  0
⇒ 3 sinh  - 1 - sinh  - sinh   0
⇒ 2 sinh  - 3 sinh  - 1  0.
Let V  sinh , then the equation becomes
1
2V  - 3V - 1  0 ⇒ 2V - 1V - 1  0 ⇒ V   kl V  1.
2

⇒ sinh    or sinh   1.

1  1 1 
⇒ +  +    0K +  +    1.

2 2 2
Using similar techniques as in Example 7, we get
1 - √5
  ln kl   ln~1 - √2.
2
MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I
υϊ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Summary of Chapter 3, 4 and 5
In these 3 chapters, we learn a lot about the properties of some elementary
functions such as polynomials, rational functions, trigonometric functions,
exponential and logarithmic functions. These properties will e useful when we
study the calculus.
Things you need to know
Chapter 3 -- Polynomial and rational functions
• Factorize the polynomial using remainder theorem and factor theorem.
• Method of partial functions – “Decompose” a complicated rational
functions into a sum of simpler fractions:
5 - 3 1 1 3
  - .
  2  3
#  
 2 -1  
2 3 

MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I

υϋ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Chapter 4 – Trigonometric Functions
• Properties of trigonometric functions
• Compound angle formula cos€ -  , sin€ -  and tan€ - 
• Sum-to-product formula (useful in computing limits) and Product-to-sum
(useful in differentiation/ integration)
`C‡aE_ˆE…C†a
FEˆ‡CBA
sin 5S - sin 3S sin 4S cos S

h 
x„
cos„5S
„„y„ „„„z
 cos 3S x„sin
„„y„ „„z
4S sin S
…NFFN†CBa aE DA` aE
†AB†CBAaD †AB†CBAaD
_ˆE…C†aaE`C‡
FEˆ‡CBA
1 1 1
x„
sin„„y„

S cos
„„z
S#

h cos S  cos 5S  cos 3S
…NFFN†CBa FEˆ †AB†CBC`
x„„„„„„„„„y„„„„„„„„„z
8 16 16
DA` FEˆ †AB†CBC`

Chapter 5 – Exponential and Logarithmic Function

• Basic properties of exponential and logarithmic function
• The natural exponential function
  +  and natural logarithmic
function ‰  ln .
MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I
υό Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
Appendix A – Proof of the “Operation of Logarithmic Function”
Property 1
It follows from the fact that log A  is the inverse function of   .
Property 2
We let €  log A e ⇔ e   ‹ .
Let V  log A e. , then by the definition of logarithmic function, we have
   e. ⇒     ‹. ⇒ V  0€ ⇒ log A e.  0 log A e.
Property 3 & 4
We let €  log A e ⇔ e   ‹ and   log A f ⇔ f  Œ .
Let V  log A ef, then by the definition of logarithmic function, we have
   ef ⇒     ‹ Œ ⇒     ‹Œ ⇒ V  € - 
⇒ log A ef  log A e - log A f.
MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I
υύ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function
 Ž
Let   log A , then we have


e  ‹
   ⇒    Œ ⇒     ‹Œ ⇒   €  
f 
e
⇒ log A  log A e  log A f.
f
Property 5
We let €  log e and   log  and we let V  log A e, then we have
   e ⇒    10‹ ⇒ log    log 10‹
‘ˆE‡
’ˆE_Dˆa 
€ €
h
⇒ V log   € ⇒ V  ⇒ log A e  .
log  

MA1200 Calculus and Basic Linear Algebra I

φτ Lecture Note 5: Exponential Function and Logarithmic Function