Logarithm

A logarithm is the opposite of exponentiation. If you know that a number (the base) raised to a certain power equals another number, the logarithm tells you what that power is. For example, since 2 raised to the 3rd power equals 8, the logarithm base 2 of 8 is 3 (written as log₂ 8 = 3). Essentially, it answers the question, "To what exponent must the base be raised to get this number?" Logarithms are useful for measuring growth, understanding scales, and solving equations involving exponents.