A logarithm is a math tool that tells you what power a certain number must be raised to in order to get another number. For example, the logarithm base 10 of 100 is 2, because 10² = 100.
The word was created by Scottish mathematician John Napier from Greek “logos” (ratio or word) and “arithmos” (number). It roughly means “ratio‑number,” reflecting how logarithms turn multiplication into addition.
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