Skill 6

Exponential and
Logarithmic Functions
Skill 6a: Graphs of Exponential Functions
Skill 6b: Solving Exponential Equations (not requiring logarithms)
Skill 6c: Definition of Logarithms
Skill 6d: Graphs of Logarithms
Skill 6e: Properties of logarithms
(product rule, quotient rule, power rule, change of base)
Skill 6f: Logarithmic Equations (not requiring exponentials)
Skill 6g: Exponential and Logarithmic Equations requiring inverse operations
Skill 6a: Graphs of Exponential Functions
An exponential function is defined as an expression with a constant base with a variable exponent. The following
are examples of exponential functions:

𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝜋 3𝑥−1 ℎ(𝑥) = 3𝑥 + 2

In general an exponential function is of the form 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎 𝑥 , where 𝑎 > 0 and 𝑎 ≠ 1. Why is it necessary for 𝑎 >
0? What can't 𝑎 = 1?

1. Complete the table below for the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 .

Then graph the function at the right.
𝑥 𝑓(𝑥)
-2

-1

1
2

3
4

What is the domain of the basic exponential function?

What is the range of the basic exponential function?

What is the equation of the horizontal asymptote of the basic exponential function?

1 𝑥
2. Complete the table for the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 4𝑥 . 3. Complete the table for 𝑓(𝑥) = ( ) .
2
Then graph the function above. Then graph the function above.

𝑥 𝑓(𝑥) 𝑥 𝑓(𝑥)
-2 -2
-1 -1
0 0
1 1
2 2
3 3
4 4

4. If 1 < 𝑎 < 𝑏. Sketch a graph that illustrates the difference between 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎 𝑥 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑏 𝑥
5. If 0 < 𝑎 < 𝑏 < 1. Sketch a graph that illustrates the difference between 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎 𝑥 and 𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑏 𝑥

1 𝑥 1
6. If 𝑎 > 1, how does the graph of 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎−𝑥 compare to the graphs of 𝑔(𝑥) = (𝑎) and ℎ(𝑥) = 𝑎𝑥 ?

Match the function below with the correct graph.

_____ 7. 𝑦 = 3𝑥

_____ 8. 𝑦 = 3−𝑥

_____ 9. 𝑦 = 3𝑥 + 5

1 𝑥
_____ 10. 𝑦 = ( )
3

3 𝑥
_____ 11. 𝑦 = (2)

2 𝑥
_____ 12. 𝑦 = (3)

_____ 13. 𝑦 = 3𝑥−4

2 −𝑥
_____ 14. 𝑦 = (3)

1
_____ 15. 𝑦 = 3𝑥

1
_____ 16. 𝑦 = 3−𝑥

17. What is the domain, range, y-intercept, and the equation of the horizontal asymptote for 𝑓(𝑥) = 4𝑥+2 − 3.

1 𝑛
The number 𝑒 is defined as the value of (1 + 𝑛) as n approaches infinity. 𝑒 is an irrational number, but to ten
decimal places it can be approximated as 2.7182818285. When 𝑒 is the base of an exponential function, it is
called the natural exponential function.

18. Sketch the graph of 𝑦 = 3𝑒 0.5𝑥

𝑥 𝑦
-3

-2
-1
0

1
2

3
Skill 6b: Solving Exponential Equations (not requiring logarithms)
Some exponential equations can be solved by rewriting constants values in terms of the base.

Solve for x:
1. 3𝑥 = 81 2. 63𝑥−7 + 4 = 40

3. 6 = 12(2𝑥 ) 4. 64𝑥 = 16

5. 1252𝑥 = 25 6. 32𝑥+3 = 163𝑥−5

Skill 6c: Definition of Logarithms

A logarithm is defined as the inverse of an exponential function.

1. 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 ,
A) What is 𝑓(3)? B) What is 𝑓 −1 (8)?

The exponential equation 23 = 8 can be written as the logarithmic (or log) equation log 2 8 = 3.

Rewrite the following exponential equations as logarithmic equations.

1
2. 54 = 625 3. 3−5 = 4. 103 = 1000 5. 𝑒 3 ≈ 20.086
243

Note that log10 𝑥 is usually written log 𝑥, so instead of writing log10 100 = 2, write log 100 = 2 . Also log 𝑒 𝑥is
written ln 𝑥.

Rewrite the following logarithmic equations as exponential equations.

1 1
5. log 27 3 = 3 6. log 10000 = −4 7. log 5 5 = 1 8. ln 1 = 0
Rewrite the following logarithmic equations as exponential equations and determine the value of x.

9. log 4 𝑥 = 2 10. log 4 64 = 𝑥 11. log 2 𝑥 = −5

12. log 25 5 = 𝑥 13. log 𝑥 81 = 2 14. log 1,000,000 = 𝑥

Skill 6d: Graphs of Logarithms

Since a logarithm is the inverse of an exponential function, the graph of a y = log2x is the reflection of the graph of
y = 2x across the line y = x.

𝑥 2𝑥 𝑥 log 2 𝑥
−2 −2

−1 −1
0 0
1 1
2 2
For a basic logarithm:

Domain: ___________________

Range: _____________________

Vertical Asymptote: _________________

X - Intercept: ______________________

State the domain, range, x-intercept, and give the equation of the vertical asymptote for each function below:

1. 𝑓(𝑥) = 5log 2 (𝑥) − 1 2. 𝑓(𝑥) = log 5 (𝑥 − 4)

Domain: __________ Range: __________ Domain: __________ Range: __________

Vertical Asymptote: _________ Vertical Asymptote: _________

X - Intercept: ___________ X - Intercept: ___________

3. 𝑓(𝑥) = log 3 (9𝑥 − 17) 4. 𝑓(𝑥) = ln(12𝑥 + 2) − 4

Domain: __________ Range: __________ Domain: __________ Range: __________

Vertical Asymptote: _________ Vertical Asymptote: _________

X - Intercept: ___________ X - Intercept: ___________

Match the function below with the correct graph.

_____ 5. 𝑦 = log 3 𝑥 A B C

_____ 6. 𝑦 = − log 3 𝑥

_____ 7. 𝑦 = log 3 (−𝑥)

_____ 8. 𝑦 = log 1 𝑥
3

D E F
_____ 9. 𝑦 = log 3 (𝑥 − 4)

_____ 10. 𝑦 = log 3 (𝑥)

2

_____ 11. 𝑦 = log 3 (𝑥6)

_____ 12. 𝑦 = log 3 (𝑥1)

Match the function below with the correct graph.

_____ 13. 𝑦 = ln 𝑥
A B C

_____ 14. 𝑦 = log 5 𝑥

_____ 15. 𝑦 = log 𝑥

Skill 6e: Properties of Logarithms

log(𝑎𝑏) = 𝑦 , 𝑎 = 10𝑚 , and 𝑏 = 10𝑛

10𝑦 = 𝑎𝑏 = ________________

so, 𝑦 = __________________

since 𝑎 = 10𝑚 and 𝑏 = 10𝑛 , 𝑚 = ______________ and 𝑛 = _______________

So,
log(𝑎𝑏) = 𝑦 = 𝑚 + 𝑛 = log 𝑎 + log 𝑏

Product Rule of Logarithms

log(𝑎𝑏) = log 𝑎 + log 𝑏

Also since log(𝑎𝑛 ) = log(𝑎 ∙ 𝑎 ∙ … ∙ 𝑎) = log 𝑎 + log 𝑎 + ⋯ log 𝑎 = 𝑛 log 𝑎

Power Rule of Logarithms

log(𝑎𝑛 ) = 𝑛 log 𝑎

1
And recall log 𝑏 = − log 𝑏

Quotient Rule of Logarithms

𝑎
log ( ) = log 𝑎 − log 𝑏
𝑏

Rewrite the following using the properties of logarithms:

𝑥
1. log 2 32𝑥 2. log 100 3. log 4 𝑥 10

3
𝑥3 1 √𝑥
4. log 3 5. log 5 6. log 7
𝑦 𝑎𝑏 7

Combine the following using the properties of logarithms into a single logarithm:

log(𝑦)
7. 4 log(𝑥) + 2
− log(𝑧) 8. 4 + log 2 𝑥 9. 2 log 3 𝑥 − 1 + log 3 𝑦

If 𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝟖 𝟓 = 𝟎. 𝟕𝟕𝟒 and 𝐥𝐨𝐠 𝟖 𝟑 = 𝟎. 𝟓𝟐𝟖, determine the following:

10. log 8 25 11. log 8 45 12. log 8 320

5 125
13. log 8 3 14. log 8 8
15. log 8 10
Changing Bases:

log 𝑎 𝑏 = 𝑐 can be rewritten as ________________

so, log 𝑎𝑐 = _______________

or, 𝑐 log 𝑎 = log 𝑏

log 𝑏
so, 𝑐= log 𝑎

log 𝑏
log 𝑎 𝑏 = 𝑐 = log 𝑎

So with just a 'log' or 'ln' button on a calculator, any logarthin can be found.
Change of Base Rule for Logarithms

log 𝑏 ln 𝑏
log 𝑎 𝑏 = log 𝑎 or log 𝑎 𝑏 = ln 𝑎

Determine the following to four decimal places:

1
16. log 4 60 17. log 3 2 18. log 7(−4)

Skill 6f: Logarithmic Equations (not requiring inverse operations)

Solve for x:

1. log(5) + log(𝑥) = log(3) + log(10) 2. log 2 3 + log 2 𝑥 = log 2 5 + log 2 (𝑥 − 2)

3. log 2 (𝑥 − 4) = log 2(5) − log 2 (𝑥) 4. 2 log 𝑥 = log 2 + log(3𝑥 − 4)

5. log 3 (5 − 2𝑥) = 3 6. log 2 (𝑥 + 2) + log 2(𝑥) = 3

Skill 6g: Logarithmic and Exponential Equations

Exponential Functions and Logarithmic Functions are inverses of each other;

𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 𝑓 −1 (𝑥) = log 2 𝑥

𝑔(𝑥) = ln 𝑥 𝑔−1 (𝑥) = 𝑒 𝑥

Simplify the following expressions:

2
1. 3log3 (4𝑥+3) 2. log 6 6𝑥 3. 𝑒 ln(𝑥−5) 4. ln 𝑒 (9−4𝑥)

Solve each equation using inverse functions. Approximate solutions to 3 decimal places when needed.
5. 10𝑥 = 50 6. 4log(2𝑥) − 6 = 2 7. 𝑒 5−𝑥 = 4

8. 5ln(𝑥 − 2) = 15 9. 5𝑥+1 = 42𝑥+1 10. 101−𝑥 = 5𝑥