How do I condense the expression 3/2ln5t^6-3/4lnt^4?

  • Thread starter Thread starter ohchelsea
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Expression
AI Thread Summary
To condense the expression 3/2ln(5t^6) - 3/4ln(t^4), the correct approach involves applying logarithmic properties. The expression simplifies to ln((5^(3/2)t^9)/(t^3)) by correctly handling the coefficients and using the division property of logarithms. The final condensed form is ln(5^(3/2)t^6). This process highlights the importance of accurately applying logarithmic rules, particularly the subtraction of logs. The discussion emphasizes the need to clarify notation and understand the laws of logarithms for proper simplification.
ohchelsea
Messages
6
Reaction score
0
i have to condense this expression:

3/2ln5t^6-3/4lnt^4

i may have done this in the wrong order but so far I've gotten to this point:
(3/2ln5t^6)/(3/4lnt^4)am i doing this right? is that all i have to do?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Remember the rule: logxa=alogx
 
so what do i do about those fractions and the exponents that are already there?
 
Well, start from the top again, [since you use the incorrect division of logs rule; the correct one is that loga-logb=log(a/b)].

Firstly, tidy up the expression and remove the exponents, so, what would \frac{3}{2}\ln 5t^6 simplify to, using the rule I gave in post 2? Similarly, what would the second term become?

Then use the division property I give above to combine the two into one logarithm.
 
ohchelsea said:
i have to condense this expression:

3/2ln5t^6-3/4lnt^4

i may have done this in the wrong order but so far I've gotten to this point:
(3/2ln5t^6)/(3/4lnt^4)


am i doing this right? is that all i have to do?

What exactly do you mean by "condensing" the expression? Writing it as a single expression. Your basic idea is right but you are misremembering a "law of logarithms".
ln a- ln b= ln (a/b), NOT "ln(a)/ln(b)". Also, as cristo pointed out, you need to handle those coefficients, (3/2) and (3/4).
\frac{3}{2}ln(5t^6)= ln((5t^6)^{3/2}
 
okay so i got this:

(ln5t^9)/(lnt^3)

i still don't feel like i did that right =/
 
Sorry, I read that as ln(5t)^6 and then used horrible notation in my post!

ohchelsea said:
okay so i got this:

(ln5t^9)/(lnt^3)

i still don't feel like i did that right =/

You're still using the law of subtraction of logs incorrectly! Also, looking at Halls' post, note that your first term should be \ln(5^{3/2}t^9). Then look again at the rule loga-logb=log(a/b)
 
okay i see how i was doing it wrong now...sorry had a dumb moment.

so then would i get
ln(5^3/2*t^9)/t^3) ?
 
Ok, can this be simplified?

[Hint: \frac{x^a}{x^b}=x^{a-b} ]
 
  • #10
ln(5^3/2)t^6 ?
 
  • #11
Yea, it's all in the argument of the log function though: \ln(5^{3/2}t^6)
 
  • #12
yay! thank you so much!
 
Back
Top