Chapter 5: Problem 48
Simplify the expression. $$\text { ln } \sqrt{e}$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The simplified expression is \( \frac{1}{2} \).
Step by step solution
01
Express the square root as an exponent
The expression contains a square root, which can be rewritten using exponents. The square root of a number is the same as raising it to the power of 1/2. Thus, \( \sqrt{e} \) can be rewritten as \( e^{1/2} \).
02
Apply the logarithm power rule
Next, recognize that the natural logarithm of an expression raised to a power can be simplified using the logarithm power rule: \( \ln(a^b) = b \ln(a) \). Apply this rule to \( \ln(e^{1/2}) \). According to the rule, this is equal to \( \frac{1}{2} \ln(e) \).
03
Simplify using the natural logarithm of e
The natural logarithm function \( \ln(e) \) is simply 1 since \( e \) is the base of natural logarithms. Therefore, \( \frac{1}{2} \ln(e) \) simplifies to \( \frac{1}{2} \times 1 = \frac{1}{2} \).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Exponents
Exponents are a way to represent repeated multiplication of the same number. For instance, when we say \( e^{1/2} \), it is the same as saying we want the square root of \( e \). Let's break it down:
Remember, any base raised to the power of 1/2 translates to its square root. This is a basic rule of exponents and widely utilized in mathematical simplifications.
- When any number 'a' is raised to a power 'b', denoted as \( a^b \), it means 'a' is multiplied by itself 'b' times.
- The expression \( \sqrt{e} \) is read as "the square root of e," which can be rewritten as \( e^{1/2} \).
- This transformation is handy because it helps us use exponent rules to simplify complex expressions.
Remember, any base raised to the power of 1/2 translates to its square root. This is a basic rule of exponents and widely utilized in mathematical simplifications.
Logarithmic functions
Logarithmic functions are the inverse operations of exponentiation. Logarithms tell us what power we must raise a given base to produce a certain number. The core properties of logarithms make them especially useful for simplifying expressions involving exponents.
- The formula \( \log_a(b) \) represents the power to which the base 'a' must be raised to get the number 'b'.
- The inverse nature helps if you initially have an exponential equation and need to bring it to a simpler form via logarithms.
- One key rule is the logarithm power rule: \( \ln(a^b) = b \ln(a) \). This means if you have an expression with a power, you can bring the power out front as a multiplication factor.
Natural logarithms
Natural logarithms, commonly denoted as \( \ln \), feature a specific base, the number \( e \), approximately equal to 2.71828. This base is natural due to its frequent appearance in mathematics, particularly in calculus and differential equations.
- The value \( \ln(e) \) is equal to 1. This is because \( e \) raised to the power of 1 is \( e \).
- This property allows for significant simplifications in expressions involving \( e \) and natural logarithms, as seen in the example \( \ln(e^{1/2}) \).
- Naturally, the function \( \ln(x) \) gives us the power needed to raise \( e \) in order to achieve the number \( x \).