The common logarithm is a logarithm having base ten. While logarithms to base 10 do not have any special mathematical properties, this logarithm is used in some formulas due to the decimal numbering system in use.

## Notation

In physics and engineering, the notation usually denotes the common logarithm. However, mathematicians typically reserve that notation for the natural logarithm and would write the common logarithm explicitly as . Another notation sometimes used for the common logarithm is .

In computer programming languages and on some calculators, the common logarithm may be named other things, such as clog or log10.

## Uses

The common logarithm was created to accommodate our base ten, or decimal, numbering system.

Because the place value of each digit in a decimal number is ten times greater than that of the digit to its immediate right, the base-ten logarithm is a "common," or likely, use of logarithms in interpreting numerical expressions and their growth rates.

Logarithms of other bases become necessary as the specific exponential function necessitates. In higher-level mathematics such as calculus, the natural logarithm has more practical use due to its use of Euler's number, e.