Learning Some Logarithms (2023)
The article explores a personal journey of learning logarithms through hands-on methods like using a slide rule and building a logarithmic table from scratch. It emphasizes developing an intuitive understanding of logarithmic scales and their practical applications in mental math and estimation, rather than just memorizing formulas.
Background
- The author, "Sasha" (likely Sasha Drummond-Lewis), runs *Entropic Thoughts*, a blog focused on clear, intuitive explanations of technical and mathematical ideas.
- This article offers a beginner-friendly, hands-on introduction to logarithms—a mathematical concept that turns multiplication into addition and is foundational to computer science (e.g., algorithm complexity, binary search), information theory (Shannon entropy), physics (decibels, pH), and data visualization (log scales).
- The piece deliberately avoids formal definitions and instead uses concrete examples (fold a paper 50 times, measure half-lives) to build intuition, making it accessible to readers with only basic algebra.
- Logarithms are notoriously counterintuitive. The article addresses common stumbling blocks (e.g., why log(0) is undefined, why logs can't be negative for positive inputs) by anchoring them in physical intuition rather than rote rules.