Logarithm is Big \(O\) Of Any Positive Power

Theorem

For any \(\epsilon > 0\), \(\ln(x) < x^\epsilon\) for sufficiently large \(x\), and hence \(\log(x) = O(x^\epsilon)\).

Proof

From L'Hopital's rule, we have

\[ \lim_{x \to \infty} \frac{\ln(x)}{x^\epsilon} = \lim_{x \to \infty} \frac{x^{-1}}{\epsilon x^{\epsilon - 1}} = \lim_{x \to \infty} \frac{1}{\epsilon x^\epsilon} = 0\]

because \(\epsilon > 0\).

As such, there exists an \(x_0\) such that

\[ x > x_0 \implies \frac{\ln(x)}{x^\epsilon} < 1 \implies \ln(x) < x^\epsilon.\]

Any logarithm differs from the natural logarithm by a constant, and hence the above proves \(\log(x) = O(x^\epsilon)\).