Question about formula for natural log

In summary, the conversation is about the formula for natural logarithm and its various forms. The formula is derived from the equation for e and its derivative is readily apparent. The formula is also reformulated in different ways. The person asking the question realizes the solution shortly after posting.
  • #1
Matt Benesi
134
7
Any information on the following formula for natural logarithm (I looked in wikipedia and Mathworld but didn't see it). It came from another equation I was working on a bit ago, and I was curious about it as I didn't recall seeing it before (which doesn't mean I haven't), although it reminded me of some equations for e.

[tex] \ln{x} =\lim_{n\to\infty} \left[ \left (1- \frac{1}{x^{\frac{1}{n}}} \right) \times n \right ] [/tex]
For better visibility (bottom of the fraction is the nth root of x):
[tex]\ln{x} =\lim_{n\to\infty} \left[ \left (1- \frac{1}{ \sqrt[n]{x}} \right) \times n \right ] [/tex]

Or yet another form:

[tex] \ln{x} =\lim_{n\to\infty} \left[ \left (1- x^{- \frac{1}{n}} \right) \times n \right ] [/tex]
And I might have answered my own question with this last one... sheesh... anyways, still would like to read about it.
[tex] \ln{x} =\lim_{n\to\infty} \left[n- n\times x^{- \frac{1}{n}} \right ] [/tex]

Makes the derivative readily apparent, ehh? :D
 
Last edited:
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  • #2
It follows from
[tex] e^x =\lim_{n\to\infty} \left (1+\frac{x}{n}\right)^n [/tex]
 
  • #3
Thanks, I realized that post-post, right after I reformulated it a last time and powered down the computer. Ended up writing it out on paper and deriving this particular formula for [itex]e^x[/itex]:

[tex] x = \lim_{n\to\infty} \left(1- \frac{\ln{x}}{n} \right )^{-n} [/tex]
which is basically the following reformulated~~~
[tex] e^x = \lim_{n\to\infty} \left(1- \frac{x}{n} \right )^{-n} [/tex]
 

What is the formula for natural log?

The formula for natural log, or ln, is ln(x) = loge(x) = y, where x is the input value and y is the output value.

How do I calculate the natural log of a number?

To calculate the natural log of a number, you can use a scientific calculator or a computer program. Simply enter the input value into the ln function, and the resulting output value will be the natural log of that number.

What is the difference between natural log and common log?

The main difference between natural log and common log is the base of the logarithm. Natural log uses the base e, or Euler's number, while common log uses the base 10. This means that natural log is the inverse function of the exponential function e^x, while common log is the inverse function of the exponential function 10^x.

What are some real-life applications of natural log?

Natural log is commonly used in mathematics, physics, and other scientific fields to model exponential growth and decay. It is also used in finance and economics to calculate compound interest and continuously compounded interest. Additionally, natural log is used in statistics to measure the spread of data and calculate confidence intervals.

Is natural log the same as log base e?

Yes, natural log is another way of writing log base e. This notation is often used to differentiate between logarithms with different bases, such as log base 10 or log base 2.

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