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Math function
LOG10
Returns the base-10 logarithm.
OccasionalDifficulty 1200 · ProficientUsage rank #192 of 520
When to use it
Base-10 logarithm. Same as LOG with no base argument; the explicit name makes intent obvious in scientific and engineering sheets.
The shape of it
- Syntax
=LOG10(number)
Worked examples
Power of ten
=LOG10(1000) → 3
Ten cubed.
Below one
=LOG10(0.01) → -2
Fractions give negative logs.
Not a power of ten
=LOG10(2) → 0.301029996
A non-integer result.
Worth knowing
- pH, decibels, and Richter magnitudes are all LOG10 scales.
- =10^LOG10(x) returns x; use it to sanity check a log-scale chart axis.
- For a log-scale chart you do not need this function; set the axis to logarithmic instead.
Where it goes wrong
- #NUM! for zero or negative input.
- Rounding LOG10 results before raising 10 to them introduces large errors.
Related
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