Change of Base of Logarithm/Proof 2
Theorem
- $\log_b x = \dfrac {\log_a x} {\log_a b}$
Proof
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We begin with an equation that relates two exponentials with two different bases, $a$ and $b$, both positive and neither equal to one:
- $b^y = a^z$
Without loss of generality, select and solve for $b$:
- $b = a^{z/y}$
Take logarithm's base $a$ of both sides:
\(\ds \log_a b\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \map {\log_a} {a^{z/y} }\) | ||||||||||||
\(\ds \) | \(=\) | \(\ds \dfrac z y \, \log_a a\) | Logarithm of Power | |||||||||||
\(\ds \log_a b\) | \(=\) | \(\ds \dfrac z y\) | using $\log_a a = 1$ |
Now define $x = b^y = a^z$, and note that:
\(\ds \quad b^y = x\) | \(\implies\) | \(\ds y = \log_b x\) | Definition of General Logarithm | |||||||||||
\(\ds \quad a^z = x\) | \(\implies\) | \(\ds z = \log_a x\) | Definition of General Logarithm |
Substituting these values of $y$ and $z$ into our expression, $\log_a b = z / y$, yields the desired version of the change-of-base formula:
- $\log_a b = \dfrac {\log_a x} {\log_b x} \implies \log_b x = \dfrac {\log_a x} {\log_a b}$
$\blacksquare$
Other choices involving $a$ and $b$
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This proof achieved the desired result only because two consecutive decisions were made regarding the selection of $a$ or $b$. Fortunately, there is little reason to remember these choices, provided the goal is to derive a useful formula. Suppose, for example, that we chose to solve for $b=a^{z/y}$, but instead take the logarithm of both sides at base $b$ instead of $a$. A slightly different change-of-base formula would be obtained:
- $\log_b b=1=\log_b\left(a^{z/y}\right)= \dfrac{\log_a x}{\log_b x}\log_b a \implies \log_b x = (\log_b a)\cdot(\log_a x)$
Both formulas are useful, since:
- $\left(\log_a b\right)\cdot\left(\log_b a\right)=1$
To understand why this identity is important, imagine that you are converting between base-2 and base-10, and have a numerical value for $\log_{10}2$, while your change-of-base formula involves $\log_2 10.$