Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Logarithmic Functions
Logarithmic functions are the inverses of exponential functions and are defined for positive real numbers. The logarithm of a number is the exponent to which a base must be raised to produce that number. For example, log_b(a) = c means that b^c = a. Understanding the properties of logarithms is essential for determining their domains.
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Graphs of Logarithmic Functions
Domain of a Function
The domain of a function is the set of all possible input values (x-values) for which the function is defined. For logarithmic functions, the argument of the logarithm must be positive. Therefore, to find the domain, we need to set the argument greater than zero and solve the resulting inequality.
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Domain Restrictions of Composed Functions
Inequalities
Inequalities are mathematical statements that express the relative size or order of two values. In the context of logarithmic functions, we often need to solve inequalities to find the domain. For example, if the argument of the logarithm is a fraction, we must ensure that both the numerator and denominator meet the conditions for positivity, leading to a system of inequalities.
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