[law-guh-rith-uh
m, -rith-, log-uh-] 
| the exponent of the power to which a base number must be raised to equal a given number; log: 2 is the logarithm of 100 to the base 10 (2 = log10 100). |
| log·a·rithm (lô'gə-rĭth'əm, lŏg'ə-) n. Mathematics The power to which a base, such as 10, must be raised to produce a given number. If nx = a, the logarithm of a, with n as the base, is x; symbolically, logn a = x. For example, 103 = 1,000; therefore, log10 1,000 = 3. The kinds most often used are the common logarithm (base 10), the natural logarithm (base e), and the binary logarithm (base 2). [New Latin logarithmus : Greek logos, reason, proportion; see leg- in Indo-European roots + Greek arithmos, number; see ar- in Indo-European roots.] log'a·rith'mic (-rĭth'mĭk), log'a·rith'mi·cal (-mĭ-kəl) adj., log'a·rith'mi·cal·ly adv. |
logarithm (lô'gə-rĭ 'əm) Pronunciation Key
The power to which a base must be raised to produce a given number. For example, if the base is 10, then the logarithm of 1,000 (written log 1,000 or log10 1,000) is 3 because 103 = 1,000. See more at common logarithm, natural logarithm. |