SOLUTION: Dear Tutor, I have searched google and relevant pages on logarithms, and whilst I think I now understand them in principle and am able to solve simple questions I am totally una

Question 134545: Dear Tutor,
I have searched google and relevant pages on logarithms, and whilst I think I now understand them in principle and am able to solve simple questions I am totally unable to use my calculator to solve e.g.
log (to base 2) 512 = 9. OR log (to base 2) 16 = 4
I can't find any webpage that will tell me what to type into my calculator (the calculator's instruction manual is equally useless).
I have a common scientific calculator (CASIO fx-85 MS, similar to the fx-300MS). Please coud you tell me exactly what buttons I need to press in order to solve this type of problem.
Thank very much,

Edward S
Answer by vleith(2983) (Show Source): You can put this solution on YOUR website!
The equations you posted are not asking to solve anything. They are just "true"
Given: log (to base 2) 512 = 9
Let's suppose the question was
log (to base 2) 512 = x find x
There are 2 ways to do this
1) Use the values on both sides of the equation as exponents. Since the log2 is used, make the base 2.
2^(log (to base 2) 512) = 2^x
A base raised to the log of that base is just the exponent.
Thus:
512 = 2^x
What power of 2 is equal to 512? 2^9
The second way to solve these, and the one you are most likely to want to understand is
Log 2 (512) = Log10(512)/Log10(2)
And Log10 is just your plain old Log function on your calculator.
So, Log(512) = 2.7109
Log(2)= 0.301
Log(512)/Log(2) = 9 !!
use the same method for your second equation.
Does that help?

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