From: phil kenny <pkenny@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Re: Logarithm Questions
Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2000 08:01:47 -0700
Newsgroups: sci.math
Summary: [missing]

HollyKing wrote:
> 
> First, this is a question from my class, but not one of my homework
> problems.  In my Algebra class today our teacher said we could get some
> extra credit if we could answer a few questions.  No I don't want the
> answers, what I'm looking for are a few pointers to references.  So with
> that out of the way, on to the questions...
> 
> First, where did the name Logarithm come from?

An answer to this question may be found at:
http://members.aol.com/jeff570/mathword.html

It lists the earliest known usage for many mathematical terms.

A similar web site is:
http://www.geocities.com/Paris/Rue/1861/etyindex.html

Another resource is a book titled: "The Words of Mathematics",
An Etymological Dictionary of Mathematical Terms Used in English
by Steven Schwartzman.

> Second, how could I calculate a logarithm.  Sure, my calculator can do
> common and natural logarithms and I can look logarithms for other bases up
> in tables.  However, someone had to calculate the tables.  How do they do
> that?

One way is to do it the way Napier did before any log tables 
existed. You can find it described at the following web page:

http://www.sciencenet.org.uk/database/Maths/9810/m00056d.html

Regards,  phil kenny




> 
> Second, how could I calculate a logarithm.  Sure, my calculator can do
> common and natural logarithms and I can look logarithms for other bases up
> in tables.  However, someone had to calculate the tables.  How do they do
> that?
> 
> Thanks for your time!
> 
> Brendan