The math.log10() function in Python is used to compute the base-10 logarithm of a given number. It is part of the math module, which provides access to mathematical functions.

Syntax

import math
result = math.log10(x)

• x: A positive numeric expression (integer or float) for which you want to calculate the base-10 logarithm.

Return Value

• Returns the logarithm of x to base 10 as a float.
• If x is less than or equal to zero, a ValueError will be raised.

Examples

1. Calculating the base-10 logarithm of a positive number:

   import math
   
   result = math.log10(100)
   print(result)  # Output: 2.0 (because 10^2 = 100)
   

2. Calculating the base-10 logarithm of a decimal:

   result = math.log10(0.01)
   print(result)  # Output: -2.0 (because 10^-2 = 0.01)
   

3. Calculating the logarithm of a larger number:

   result = math.log10(1000)
   print(result)  # Output: 3.0 (because 10^3 = 1000)
   

4. Handling values less than or equal to zero: If you try to calculate the logarithm of a non-positive number, a ValueError will be raised.

   try:
       result = math.log10(-5)
   except ValueError as e:
       print(e)  # Output: math domain error
   

5. Using math.log10() in expressions: You can use math.log10() in combination with other mathematical operations:

   value = 1000
   result = math.log10(value) + 5
   print(result)  # Output: 8.0
   

Summary

• The math.log10() function computes the logarithm of a positive number to base 10.
• It returns a float representing the logarithmic value.
• This function is commonly used in scientific calculations, data analysis, and fields that require logarithmic transformations, such as audio processing, finance, and information theory.