semilog plot

[adrakdavra]

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what is the different between regular plot of data and semilogrithmic plot aamc 9 Q 103

 

[Ruminate]

I don't have AAMC 9, but I'll answer the question portion you wrote.

To illustrate distinguishing regular plot and semi-log plot, consider plotting two variables, x and y.

Imagine the following plot:
x: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
y: 1, 10, 100, 1000, 10000

Notice x increases by 1. y is spread out and increases by a factor of 10. There is an exponential relationship between x and y. As x increases by 1, y increases by a factor of 10.

Remember why we plot or model any relationship. It's to see some trend or some picture of what the behavior or relationship is between some variables. We plot the data and see that it's spread apart so we apply log to data that's spread apart. The function of applying logarithm is to compress and zoom in.

After applying log to number of bacteria growing in media, we get:
x: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5
y: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4

Now we can try to make some observation between x and y. Since we applied log only to y and not x, it's semi-log. If we applied log to both x and y, then then we have a log-log.

 

[coolio93]

what is the different between regular plot of data and semilogrithmic plot aamc 9 Q 103

Log plots increase by a factor of 10.

From my understanding after having answered a similar question, a log plot is where both the x and y axis increase by a factor of 10.

A semi log plot is when only the x OR the y axis increase by a factor of 10.

 

[Ruminate]

The log base determines the factor. If the log base 10, then the factor's 10. If the log base is 2, then the factor's 2. Look at some science journals that do high-throughput technique or screening for something... e.g. microRNA, gene ontology, etc.

The example above was log base 10.