The number that, when used as an exponent for another number (called the base), results in a third number of some practical interest (called the antilogarithm). There are two bases that are used with any frequency; the base 10 produces what are called common logarithms, and the base 2.71828 (e) produces what are called natural logarithms. For example, log (10)100 = 2; 10 =100. Logarithms were originally used to simplify complex calculations involving multiplications inasmuch as two numbers can be multiplied by adding their logarithms and taking the antilog of the result.
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