What is the natural logarithm?

The natural logarithm, written as ln(x), is the logarithm to the base e, where e ≈ 2.71828 is Euler's number. It answers: to what power must e be raised to equal x?

If y = ln(x), then ey = x. The function is only defined for x > 0 and grows slowly as x increases.

Common uses

  • Exponential growth and decay models (population, radioactivity).
  • Compound interest and continuous compounding.
  • Information theory and entropy calculations.
  • Calculus: the derivative of ln(x) is 1/x.
Learn more on Wikipedia