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# 14. Logarithms

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## 14.1 Functions and Variables for Logarithms

Option variable: %e_to_numlog

  Default value: `false`

  When `true`, `r` some rational number, and `x` some expression, `%e^(r*log(x))` will be simplified into `x^r` . It should be noted that the `radcan` command also does this transformation, and more complicated transformations of this ilk as well. The `logcontract` command "contracts" expressions containing `log`.

  Categories: Exponential and logarithm functions · Simplification flags and variables

Function: li [s] (z)

  Represents the polylogarithm function of order s and argument z, defined by the infinite series

                                       inf
                                       ====   k
                                       \     z
                              Li (z) =  >    --
                                s      /      s
                                       ====  k
                                       k = 1

  `li [1]` is `- log (1 - z)`. `li [2]` and `li [3]` are the dilogarithm and trilogarithm functions, respectively.

  When the order is 1, the polylogarithm simplifies to `- log (1 - z)`, which in turn simplifies to a numerical value if z is a real or complex floating point number or the `numer` evaluation flag is present.

  When the order is 2 or 3, the polylogarithm simplifies to a numerical value if z is a real floating point number or the `numer` evaluation flag is present.

  Examples:

      (%i1) assume (x > 0);
      (%o1)                        [x > 0]
      (%i2) integrate ((log (1 - t)) / t, t, 0, x);
      (%o2)                       - li (x)
                                      2
      (%i3) li [2] (7);
      (%o3)                        li (7)
                                     2
      (%i4) li [2] (7), numer;
      (%o4)        1.24827317833392 - 6.113257021832577 %i
      (%i5) li [3] (7);
      (%o5)                        li (7)
                                     3
      (%i6) li [2] (7), numer;
      (%o6)        1.24827317833392 - 6.113257021832577 %i
      (%i7) L : makelist (i / 4.0, i, 0, 8);
      (%o7)   [0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.25, 1.5, 1.75, 2.0]
      (%i8) map (lambda ([x], li [2] (x)), L);
      (%o8) [0, .2676526384986274, .5822405249432515,
      .9784693966661848, 1.64493407, 2.190177004178597
       - .7010261407036192 %i, 2.374395264042415
       - 1.273806203464065 %i, 2.448686757245154
       - 1.758084846201883 %i, 2.467401098097648
       - 2.177586087815347 %i]
      (%i9) map (lambda ([x], li [3] (x)), L);
      (%o9) [0, .2584613953442624, 0.537213192678042,
      .8444258046482203, 1.2020569, 1.642866878950322
       - .07821473130035025 %i, 2.060877505514697
       - .2582419849982037 %i, 2.433418896388322
       - .4919260182322965 %i, 2.762071904015935
       - .7546938285978846 %i]

  Categories: Exponential and logarithm functions

Function: log (x)

  Represents the natural (base e) logarithm of x.

  Maxima does not have a built-in function for the base 10 logarithm or other bases. `log10(x) := log(x) / log(10)` is a useful definition.

  Simplification and evaluation of logarithms is governed by several global flags:

  ``logexpand``

    causes `log(a^b)` to become `b*log(a)`. If it is set to `all`, `log(a*b)` will also simplify to `log(a)+log(b)`. If it is set to `super`, then `log(a/b)` will also simplify to `log(a)-log(b)` for rational numbers `a/b`, `a#1`. (`log(1/b)`, for `b` integer, always simplifies.) If it is set to `false`, all of these simplifications will be turned off.

  ``logsimp``

    if `false` then no simplification of `%e` to a power containing `log`'s is done.

  ``lognumer``

    if `true` then negative floating point arguments to `log` will always be converted to their absolute value before the `log` is taken. If `numer` is also `true`, then negative integer arguments to `log` will also be converted to their absolute value.

  ``lognegint``

    if `true` implements the rule `log(-n)` -> `log(n)+%i*%pi` for `n` a positive integer.

  ``%e_to_numlog``

    when `true`, `r` some rational number, and `x` some expression, `%e^(r*log(x))` will be simplified into `x^r` . It should be noted that the `radcan` command also does this transformation, and more complicated transformations of this as well. The `logcontract` command "contracts" expressions containing `log`.

  Categories: Exponential and logarithm functions

Option variable: logabs

  Default value: `false`

  When doing indefinite integration where logs are generated, e.g. `integrate(1/x,x)`, the answer is given in terms of `log(abs(...))` if `logabs` is `true`, but in terms of `log(...)` if `logabs` is `false`. For definite integration, the `logabs:true` setting is used, because here "evaluation" of the indefinite integral at the endpoints is often needed.

  Categories: Exponential and logarithm functions · Integral calculus · Global flags

Option variable: logarc
Function: logarc (expr)

  When the global variable `logarc` is `true`, inverse circular and hyperbolic functions are replaced by equivalent logarithmic functions. The default value of `logarc` is `false`.

  The function `logarc(expr)` carries out that replacement for an expression expr without setting the global variable `logarc`.

  Categories: Exponential and logarithm functions · Simplification flags and variables · Simplification functions

Option variable: logconcoeffp

  Default value: `false`

  Controls which coefficients are contracted when using `logcontract`. It may be set to the name of a predicate function of one argument. E.g. if you like to generate SQRTs, you can do `logconcoeffp:'logconfun$ logconfun(m):=featurep(m,integer) or ratnump(m)$` . Then `logcontract(1/2*log(x));` will give `log(sqrt(x))`.

  Categories: Exponential and logarithm functions · Simplification flags and variables

Function: logcontract (expr)

  Recursively scans the expression expr, transforming subexpressions of the form `a1*log(b1) + a2*log(b2) + c` into `log(ratsimp(b1^a1 * b2^a2)) + c`

      (%i1) 2*(a*log(x) + 2*a*log(y))$
      (%i2) logcontract(%);
                                       2  4
      (%o2)                     a log(x  y )

  If you do `declare(n,integer);` then `logcontract(2*a*n*log(x));` gives `a*log(x^(2*n))`. The coefficients that "contract" in this manner are those such as the 2 and the `n` here which satisfy `featurep(coeff,integer)`. The user can control which coefficients are contracted by setting the option `logconcoeffp` to the name of a predicate function of one argument. E.g. if you like to generate SQRTs, you can do `logconcoeffp:'logconfun$ logconfun(m):=featurep(m,integer) or ratnump(m)$` . Then `logcontract(1/2*log(x));` will give `log(sqrt(x))`.

  Categories: Exponential and logarithm functions

Option variable: logexpand

  Default value: `false`

  If `true` causes `log(a^b)` to become `b*log(a)`. If it is set to `all`, `log(a*b)` will also simplify to `log(a)+log(b)`. If it is set to `super`, then `log(a/b)` will also simplify to `log(a)-log(b)` for rational numbers `a/b`, `a#1`. (`log(1/b)`, for integer `b`, always simplifies.) If it is set to `false`, that is the default value, all of these simplifications will be turned off.

  Categories: Exponential and logarithm functions · Simplification flags and variables

Option variable: lognegint

  Default value: `false`

  If `true` implements the rule `log(-n)` -> `log(n)+%i*%pi` for `n` a positive integer.

  Categories: Exponential and logarithm functions · Simplification flags and variables

Option variable: lognumer

  Default value: `false`

  If `true` then negative floating point arguments to `log` will always be converted to their absolute value before the `log` is taken. If `numer` is also `true`, then negative integer arguments to `log` will also be converted to their absolute value.

  Categories: Exponential and logarithm functions · Simplification flags and variables · Numerical evaluation

Option variable: logsimp

  Default value: `true`

  If `false` then no simplification of `%e` to a power containing `log`'s is done.

  Categories: Exponential and logarithm functions · Simplification flags and variables

Function: plog (x)

  Represents the principal branch of the complex-valued natural logarithm with `-%pi` < `carg(x)` <= `+%pi` .

  Categories: Exponential and logarithm functions · Complex variables

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This document was generated by Robert Dodier on August, 11 2010 using texi2html 1.76.