Conditions (3.7) and (3.8) give
|log t| < ε for any t > 0 satisfying |t − 1| <
ε
ε + 1
. (3.9)
Now, let et a > 0 be a fixed number and ε > 0. Define δ = aε
ε+1. Consider any
x such that |x − a| < δ. Let t = x
a .Then
x
a
− 1
= |t − 1| =
|x − a|
a
<
δ
a
=
ε
ε + 1
(3.10)
and then from (3.9) and (3.10) it follows that |log x − log a| =
log x
a
=
|log t| < ε if |x − a| < ε
ε+1.This proves that limx→a log x = log a.
Property 7. Given any real number ξ there exists a positive real number x
such that logx < ξ.
4516 A. H. Salas
Indeed, choose a positive integer m for which ξ > −m. Then 1+ξ/m > 0. We
define x = 1
2(1+ξ/m)m. Taking into account (2.5) we obtain fn(x) ≤ m( m
√
x−
1) for any n ≥ m. Letting n→∞in this inequality gives log x ≤ m( m
√
x−1).
Then
log x ≤ m( m
√
x − 1) < m( m
(1 + ξ/m)m − 1) = ξ. (3.11)
Property 8. The range of logarithmic function is the set of real numbers.
Indeed, let y be any real number. By Property 7, we may find a number a > 0
and a number b such that loga < y and log b < −y. Then
loga < y < −log b = log b, where b =
1
b .
It is clear that a < b. Let H = {t > 0 such that logt < y }. This set is
not empty since a ∈ H . If t ∈ H then logt < y < log b and this gives t < b.
Thus, H is bounded from above by b. Let x = supH. We claim that log x = y.
Indeed, suppose that logx < y. Let ε = y−log x. There exists δ > 0 such that
|log x − log t| < ε if |x − t| < δ. Let t = x+δ/2 > x. Then logt < log x+ε = y
and t ∈ H so that t ≤ x. But t > x. Contradiction.
On the other hand, suppose that logx > y. Let ε = log x−y. There exists
δ > 0 such that |log x − log s| < ε if |x − s| < δ. Choose some s such that
0 < s < x and |x − s| < δ. Then logs > log x − ε = y > log t so that t < s for
any t ∈ H. We conclude that s is an upper bound of H and then x ≤ s. But
x > s. Contradiction.
We have proved that log x = y. Since y was arbitrarily chosen, we conclude
that the range of log is the set of real numbers.