What is a decimal function?

We owe the mathematician John Napier (1550-1617) the definition of the logarithm (specifically the Naperian logarithm), represented in a table of logarithms, a tool that allows us to transform products into sums. This indispensable resource of modern mathematics is a must-stop in learning mathematics for any beginner.

Once the definition of the logarithm is covered in math class, the teacher will move on to the next stage: the beginning of the decimal function.

The decimal logarithm function is represented as log (x) = ln (x) / ln (10) . Its algebraic properties are similar to those of the natural logarithm (ln).

For all x> 0 and for all y ∈ R, log (x) = y <=> x = 10y or even log (10y) = y . So we say that the real number x is called the base 10 logarithm of a or the decimal logarithm of a and is represented as log10a or log (a) .

This mathematical concept is not designed for beginners, but for intermediate and advanced levels : the logarithm will continue to be studied if you choose an applied mathematics training at university, although you can also study it on your own. Later, you will learn to represent the decimal function in a graph and, therefore, you will have to know the basic principles of geometry. What is a decimal function?