On Euler's attempt to compute logarithms by interpolation: a commentary to his letter of February 16, 1734 to Daniel Bernoulli (Q935800)

A letter from Euler to D. Bernoulli described a function \(\sum_{n=0}^\infty c_n\prod_{k=0}^n(x-10^k)\), with the coefficients chosen to make the function agree with the (base-10) logarithm whenever \(x\) is a nonnegative power of ten. Euler had hoped thereby to represent the logarithm, but he noted that evaluating the series at \(x=9\) yields the wrong answer. The present paper analyzes Euler's function and its generalization to bases other than 10 as a \(q\)-analog of the logarithm. The author then shows how these other-based functions may be used to calculate base-10 logs. Numerical issues such as roundoff and cancellation errors and rapidity of convergence are also considered.