How do you use the Change of Base Formula and a calculator to evaluate the logarithm #log_2 1#?

2 Answers
Apr 30, 2018

I tried this:

Explanation:

Actually you do not even need to change base as:

#log_2 1=0#

because: #2^0=1#

Anyway, we can change into natural logs and write:

#log_2 1=ln1/ln2=0#

using our calculator.

Apr 30, 2018

#log_10 1/log_10 2 = 0#

Explanation:

It's probably easier to study the pattern I'm putting out below than it would be to sort through my math explanation.

Change of base will always look like this:

#log_x y = log_10 y / log_10 x#

When I learned trig earlier this year, I just memorized that formula.

As for the calculator part, calculator #log(x)# is always equal to #log_10(x)#, so instead of worrying about your bases of ten, just plug in:

#log(1)/log(2)#

You should get

#log(1)/log(2)=0#