Derivative of Logarithm Function Help

The Logarithm Function and the Derivative

Now you will see why our new definition of logarithm is so convenient. If we want to differentiate the logarithm function we can apply the Fundamental Theorem of Calculus:

More generally,

Example 1

You Try It : What is the derivative of the function ln( x³ + x² )?

Now we examine the graph of y = ln x. Since

we know that ln x is an increasing, concave down function whose graph passes through (1,0). There are no relative maxima or minima (since the derivative is never 0). Certainly ln .9 < 0; the formula ln(.9 ⁿ ) = n ln .9 therefore tells us that ln x is negative without bound as x → 0 ⁺ . Since ln x = − ln(1/ x ), we may also conclude that ln x is positive without bound as x → +∞. A sketch of the graph of y = ln x appears in Fig. 6.2.

We learned in the last paragraph that the function ln x takes negative values which are arbitrarily large in absolute value when x is small and positive. In particular, the negative y axis is a vertical asymptote. Since ln(1/ x ) = − ln x , we then find that ln x takes arbitrarily large positive values when x is large and positive. The graph exhibits these features.

Since we have only defined the function ln x when x > 0, the graph is only sketched in Fig. 6.2 to the right of the y -axis. However it certainly makes sense to discuss the function ln | x | when x ≠ 0 (Fig. 6.3):

Fig. 6.2

Fig. 6.3

If x ≠ 0 then

In other words,

More generally, we have

and

Example 2

You Try It : Calculate the integral

You Try It : Calculate the integral

Example 3

You Try It : Evaluate .

Example 4

Find practice problems and solutions for these concepts at: Transcendental Functions Practice Test.