Question

How do you graph y=logbase6(x-1)-5? Please explain the steps to graphing the logarithm.

Answer 1

pick a few random "x", get their "y"
plot them

Answer 2

How would I input the x and solve for it if the equation has a log? Do I turn it into exponential form and solve it then? And if I do, what would be the exponential form of the log?
Can you provide an example with x=1?

Answer 3

hmmm

Answer 4

well, I gather you're just trying to graph \(\bf log_6(x-1)-5\)

you wouldn't need to make it exponential, just use that as is, your calculator would have a [log] button you could use

Answer 5

you could just turn it into a log base 10 for the calculator \(\bf \textit{change of base rule of } {\color{blue}{ log_ab\implies \cfrac{log_cb}{log_ca}}}\\ \quad \\
log_6(x-1)-5\implies \cfrac{log_{10}(x-1)}{log_{10}6}-5\)

Answer 6

From the change of base version, how would I plug in a number for x and come out with points?
Apparently one of the points is (1,-7) and I'm not sure how I'd plug in 1 in x and come out with -7.

Answer 7

hmm

Answer 8

well.. it can't be 1, -7, that makes x = 1... which gives the value for the log to 0
and logarithm values have to be greater than 0

Answer 9

I think that point is on the asymptote. I think the better point to plug in would be (2,-5) which is still on the line, but I don't know how to plug in the x and solve for the y.

Answer 10

use the [log] button in your calculator, do you have one?
you can always just use www.desmos.com/calculator