Conversion of Natural Logs to Base-10 Logs.
Some business calculators have natural logarithm functions
instead of base-10 logarithms. Many scientific calculators
have both. Natural logarithms use the number (e = 2.7183...)
as their base instead of the number 10. The natural
logs and natural antilogs can be converted to base-10 counterparts
as follows:
Natural logs usually use the symbol Ln instead of Log.
Natural antilogs may be represented by symbols such as: InvLn,
Ln^(-1), e^x, or exp.
To convert a natural logarithm to base-10 logarithm, divide
by the conversion factor 2.303.
- For example, to calculate Log (100): if your calculator yields
Ln(100) = 4.60517, then Log(100) = Ln(100)/2.303 = 4.60517/2.303
= 1.9996 (very close to exact answer of 2)
- For example, to calculate Log(1.6210^-4), if your calculator
yields Ln(1.6210^-4) = -8.728 then Log(1.6210^-4) =
Ln(1.6210^-4)/2.303 = -8.728/2.303 = -3.790 (agrees with correct
answer)
To convert a natural antilog to a base=10 antilog, multiply
by the conversion factor 2.303 before taking the natural
antilog..
- For example, to calculate the base-10 antilog of -3:
Use your calculator to find InvLn(-3*2.303) = InvLn(-6.909).
Then AntiLog(-3) = InvLn(-6.909) = 9.9910^-4 (very
close to exact answer of 0.001)
- For example, to calculate the base-10 antilog of -8.45:
Use your calculator to find InvLn(-8.45*2.303) = InvLn(-19.460).
Then AntiLog(-8.45) = InvLn(-19.460) = 3.53610^-9 (very
close to exact answer of 3.54810-9.)
RETURN to Logarithm Page.