Laws of Logarithms

[sutterw]

For Algebra II, F.LE 4.1, the standard says that students should prove simple laws of logarithms. My question is, should they also be able to apply those simple laws? For example, should they be able to create equivalent forms of 5^(log base 5 of 12) – log base 2 of 4?

[Bill McCallum]

I’m wondering if you are looking at your state’s augmentation of the standards, rather than the standards themselves. The standard in question, on page 71, is

F.LE.4. For exponential models, express as a logarithm the solution to $ab^{ct} = d$ where $a$, $c$, and $d$ are numbers and the base $b$ is $2$, $10$, or $e$; evaluate the logarithm using technology.

There is nothing about laws of logarithms, and furthermore the bases are limited.

Still, I would say that in general there is point introducing laws if you don’t apply them.

[Author]

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