Logarithm Curve Turns Multiplication into Addition
Mathematicians and navigators who need faster computation use logarithms, and the video introduces a curve that maps numeric operations from one axis to another.
Napier’s Logarithm Tables for Navigation
John Napier and early modern navigators needed faster ways to compute trigonometric ratios, and the video shows how logarithm tables transformed practical navigation.
Logarithms Count Exponents
Mathematicians analyzing powers and ratios use logarithms to track how many multiplications of a base produce a given number.
Napier’s Geometric Construction of Logs
John Napier defined logarithms through a geometric process, and the video explains his construction using two moving points with linked motions.
Briggs Rebuilds Logs in Base 10
Henry Briggs recognized that Napier’s base was awkward for practical work and proposed rebuilding logarithms using the decimal system that navigators and merchants already used.
Briggs Linear Approximation Near One
Henry Briggs needed high-precision base ten logarithms, and the video shows how he used repeated square roots to reach a region where the log curve behaves nearly linearly.
Slide Rules Use Logarithmic Spacing
Engineers and navigators used slide rules for centuries, relying on the logarithmic spacing of tick marks to perform fast calculations without writing down long arithmetic.