SolvingLogarithmicEquations

DecidingHowtoSolveLogarithmicEquation
Whenaskedtosolvealogarithmicequationsuchas log 2(5x + 7) =5 orlog 3 (7x + 3) = log 3(5x +9), thefirst
thingweneedtodecideishowtosolvetheproblem.Somelogarithmicproblemsaresolvedbysimply
droppingthelogarithmswhileothersaresolvedbyrewritingthelogarithmicprobleminexponentialform.
Howdowedecidewhatisthecorrectwaytosolvealogarithmicproblem? Thekeyistolookattheproblem
anddecideiftheproblemcontainsonlylogarithmsoriftheproblem hastermswithoutlogarithms.

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Ifweconsidertheproblemlog 2(5x + 7) =5, thisproblemcontainsaterm,5,thatdoesnothavealogarithm.

So, thecorrectwaytosolvethesetypesoflogarithmicproblemsistorewritethelogarithmicproblemin
exponentialform.Ifweconsidertheexamplelog 3 (7x + 3) = log 3(5x + 9), thisproblemcontainsonly
logarithms.So, thecorrectwaytosolvethesetypesoflogarithmicproblemsistosimplydropthe
logarithms.
Propertiesof LogarithmsRevisited

PropertiesforCondensingLogarithms

Whensolvinglogarithmicequation,wemayneedtousethepropertiesoflogarithmstosimplifythe
problemfirst.Thepropertiesoflogarithmsarelistedbelowasareminder.

Property2: 1 =log a a

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Property1: 0 =log a1 ZeroExponentRule

Property3: log a x + log a y =log a(xy) ProductRule

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x
Property4: log a x - log a y = loga QuotientRule
y
Property5: y log a x =log a x y PowerRule

SolvingLogarithmicEquationsContainingOnlyLogarithms

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Afterobservingthatthelogarithmicequationcontainsonlylogarithms,whatisthenextstep?
OneToOnePropertyofLogarithms
Iflog b M =log b N, thenM=N.

Thisstatementsaysthatif anequationcontainsonly twologarithms,onoppositesidesoftheequalsign,

with thesamebasethentheproblemcanbesolvedby simply droppingthelogarithms.

Letsfinishsolvingtheproblemlog 3 (7x + 3) = log3(5x +9).

Sincetheproblemhasonlytwologarithmsonopposite
sidesoftheequalsign,theproblemcanbesolvedby
droppingthelogarithms.

7x + 3 = 5x +9

Dropthelogarithms.

x =3

Finishsolvingbysubtracting5xfromeachside,subtracting
3fromeachside,andfinallydividingeachsideby2.

x =3

Checktheanswerthisisanacceptableanswerbecausewe
getapositivenumberwhenitispluggedbackin.

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Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblemlog 3 (7x + 3) = log3(5x +9) isx=3.

log3 (7x + 3) = log3(5x +9).

log 7 ((x - 2)(x + 3)) =log 714

Thisproblem canbesimplifiedbyusingProperty3which
changestheaddition of logarithmstomultiplication.

(x - 2)(x + 3) =14

Hereisanotherexample,solvelog 7 (x - 2) + log 7 (x + 3) =log 714.

x 2 - x - 20 = 0

Solvetheproblembysubtracting14fromeachtogetit
equaltozero,andthenfactoringor usingthequadratic
formulatofindthevaluesofx.

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(x + 4)(x - 5) = 0

SimplifytheproblembydistributingorFOILingand
combiningliketerms.

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x 2 - x - 6 =14

Dropthelogarithms.

x = -4 or x =5

x=5

Checktheanswers,onlyoneanswerisacceptablebecause
theotheranswerproducesanegativenumberwhenitis
pluggedbackin.

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Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblemlog 7 (x - 2) + log 7 (x + 3) =log 714 isx=5.

Nowthatwehavelookedatacoupleofexamplesofsolvinglogarithmicequationscontainingonly
logarithms,letslistthestepsforsolvinglogarithmicequationscontainingonlylogarithms.

StepsforSolvingLogarithmicEquationsContainingOnlyLogarithms
Step1: Determineiftheproblemcontainsonlylogarithms.Ifso,gotoStep2.Ifnot,stopanduse
theStepsforSolvingLogarithmicEquationsContainingTermswithoutLogarithms.
Step2: Usethepropertiesoflogarithmstosimplifytheproblemifneeded.Iftheproblemhas
morethanonelogarithmoneithersideoftheequalsignthentheproblemcanbe
simplified.
Step3: Rewritetheproblemwithoutthelogarithms.

Step4: Simplifytheproblem.
Step5: Solveforx.

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Step6: Checkyouranswer(s).Rememberwecannottakethelogarithmofanegativenumber,so
weneedtomakesurethatwhenweplugouranswer(s)backintotheoriginalequationwe
getapositivenumber.Otherwise,wemustdropthatanswer(s).

SolvingLogarithmicEquationsContainingTermswithoutLogarithms

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Afterobservingthatthelogarithmicequationcontainstermswithoutlogarithms,whatisthenextstep?The
nextstepistosimplifytheproblemusingthepropertiesoflogarithmsandthentorewritethelogarithmic
probleminexponentialform.Afterrewritingtheprobleminexponentialformwewillbeabletosolvethe
resultingproblem.
Letsfinishsolvingtheproblem log 2(5x + 7) =5 fromearlier.

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log 2(5x + 7) =5

Thisproblemdoesnotneedtobesimplifiedbecausethere
isonlyonelogarithmintheproblem.
Rewritetheprobleminexponentialformbymovingthe
baseofthelogarithmtotheotherside.

5x + 7 =32

Simplifytheproblem byraising2tothefifthpower.

x =5

Solveforxbysubtracting7fromeachsideandthen
dividingeachsideby 5.

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5x + 7 =25

x=5

Checktheanswerthisisanacceptableanswerbecausewe
getapositivenumberwhenitispluggedbackin.

Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblemlog 2(5x + 7) =5 isx=5.

Hereisanotherexample,solve ln(4x - 1) =3.

Thisproblemdoesnotneedtobesimplifiedbecausethere
isonlyonelogarithmintheproblem.

4x - 1 =e3

Rewritetheprobleminexponentialformbymovingthe
baseofthelogarithm totheotherside.Fornatural
logarithmsthebaseise.

4x - 1 20.085537

Simplifytheproblem by cubinge.Roundtheansweras
appropriate,theseanswerswilluse6decimalplaces.

x 5.271384

Solveforxby adding1toeachsideandthendividingeach
sideby 4.

x 5.271384

Checktheanswerthisisanacceptableanswerbecausewe
getapositivenumberwhenitispluggedbackin.

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ln(4x - 1) =3

Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblem ln(4x - 1) =3 isx 5.271384.

Nowthatwehavelookedatacoupleofexamplesofsolvinglogarithmicequationscontainingtermswithout
logarithms,letslistthestepsforsolvinglogarithmicequationscontainingtermswithoutlogarithms.

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StepsforSolvingLogarithmicEquationsContainingTermswithoutLogarithms
Step1: Determineiftheproblemcontainsonlylogarithms.Ifso,stop anduseStepsforSolving
LogarithmicEquationsContainingOnlyLogarithms.Ifnot,gotoStep2.

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Step2: Usethepropertiesoflogarithmstosimplifytheproblemif needed.Iftheproblemhas

morethanonelogarithmoneithersideoftheequalsignthentheproblemcanbe
simplified.
Step3: Rewritetheprobleminexponentialform.
Step4: Simplifytheproblem.

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Step5: Solveforx.

Step6: Checkyouranswer(s).Rememberwecannottakethelogarithmofanegativenumber,so
weneedtomakesurethatwhenweplugouranswer(s)backintotheoriginalequationwe
getapositivenumber.Otherwise,wemustdropthatanswer(s).

ExamplesNowletsusethestepsshownabovetoworkthroughsomeexamples.Theseexampleswillbea
mixtureoflogarithmicequationscontainingonlylogarithmsandlogarithmicequationscontainingterms
withoutlogarithms.
Example1:Solve log 3(9x + 2) =4
Thisproblemcontainstermswithoutlogarithms.

log 3(9x + 2) =4

Thisproblemdoesnotneedtobesimplifiedbecausethere
isonlyonelogarithmintheproblem.

9x + 2 =34

Rewritetheprobleminexponentialformbymovingthe
baseofthelogarithmtotheotherside.

9x + 2 =81

Simplifytheproblem by raising3tothefourthpower.

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log 3(9x + 2) = 4

79
9

Solveforxbysubtracting2fromeachsideandthen
dividingeachsideby9.

x =

79
9

Checktheanswer thisisanacceptableanswerbecausewe
getapositivenumberwhenitispluggedbackin.

x =

Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblemlog 3(9x + 2) =4 isx =

log 4 x + log 4(x - 12) =3

Thisproblemcontainstermswithoutlogarithms.
Thisproblem canbesimplifiedbyusingProperty3which
changestheaddition of logarithmstomultiplication.

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log 4(x(x - 12)) =3

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Example2:Solve log 4 x + log 4(x - 12) =3

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Rewritetheprobleminexponentialformbymovingthe
baseofthelogarithmtotheotherside.

x 2 - 12x =64

Simplifytheproblem bydistributingandcubingthe4.

x 2 - 12x - 64 = 0

Solvetheproblemby subtracting64fromeachtogetit
equaltozero, andthenfactoringor usingthequadratic
formulatofindthevaluesofx.

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x(x - 12) =43

(x + 4)(x - 16) = 0
x = -4 or x =16
x =16

Checktheanswers,onlyoneanswerisacceptablebecause
theotheranswerproducesanegativenumberwhenitis
pluggedbackin.

Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblemlog 4 x + log 4(x - 12) =3 isx=16.

Example3:Solve log 4 (2x + 1) = log 4 (x + 2) -log 4 3

log 4 (2x + 1) = log 4 (x + 2) -log 4 3

Thisproblemcontainsonlylogarithms.

x + 2
log 4 (2x + 1) = log4

Thisproblem canbesimplifiedbyusingProperty4which
changesthesubtraction of logarithmstodivision.

2x + 1=

x + 2
3

Dropthelogarithms.

Simplifytheproblembycrossmultiplyingtogetridofthe
fractions.

6x + 3 = x + 2

Solvetheproblemby distributingthe3,subtractingxfrom
eachside,subtracting3from eachside,andfinallydividing
by5.

NoSolution

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1
5

Checktheanswers,thisproblemhasNoSolution
becausetheonlyanswerproducesanegativenumberand
wecanttakethelogarithmofanegativenumber.

x = -

3(2x + 1) = x +2

Example4:Solve log(5x - 11) =2

log(5x - 11) =2

Thisproblemcontainstermswithoutlogarithms.
Thisproblemdoesnotneedtobesimplifiedbecausethere
isonlyonelogarithmintheproblem.

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log(5x - 11) =2

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Therefore,theproblemlog 4 (2x + 1) = log 4 (x + 2) -log 4 3 hasnosolution.

Rewritetheprobleminexponentialformbymovingthe
baseofthelogarithmtotheotherside.Forcommon
logarithmsthebaseis10.

5x - 2 =100

Simplifytheproblem bysquaringthe10.

102
x =
5

Solveforxby adding2toeachsideandthendividingeach
sideby 5.

102
x =
5

Checktheanswerthisisanacceptableanswerbecausewe
getapositivenumberwhenitispluggedbackin.

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5x - 2 =102

102
Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblem log(5x - 11) =2 isx =
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5

Example5:Solve log 2 (x + 1) - log 2(x - 4) =3

Thisproblemcontainstermswithoutlogarithms.

x + 1
log 2
= 3
x - 4

Thisproblem canbesimplifiedbyusingProperty4which
changesthesubtraction of logarithmstodivision.

x + 1 3
= 2
x -4

Rewritetheprobleminexponentialformbymovingthe
baseofthelogarithmtotheotherside.

x + 1
= 8
x -4

Simplifytheproblem bycubingthe2.

log 2 (x + 1) - log 2(x - 4) =3

x + 1 = 8(x - 4)

33
7
33
x =
7

Checktheanswerthisisanacceptableanswerbecausewe
getapositivenumberwhenitispluggedbackin.

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x + 1 = 8x - 32

Solveforxby crossmultiplying,distributing,subtracting
8xfromeachside,subtracting1fromeachside,andfinally
dividingeachsideby 7.

x=

Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblemlog 2 (x + 1) - log 2(x - 4) =3 isx =

33
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Example6:Solvelog 6 (x + 4) + log 6 (x - 2) =log 6(4x)

Thisproblemcontainsonlylogarithms.

log 6 ((x + 4)(x - 2)) =log 6(4x)

Thisproblem canbesimplifiedbyusingProperty3which
changestheadditionoflogarithmstomultiplication.

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log 6 (x + 4) + log 6 (x - 2) =log 6(4x)

Dropthelogarithms.

x 2 + 2x - 8 =4x

Simplifytheproblem bydistributingorFOILingand
combiningliketerms.

x 2 - 2x - 8 = 0

Solvetheproblembysubtracting4xfromeachtogetit
equaltozero,andthenfactoringor usingthequadratic
formulatofindthevaluesofx.

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(x + 4)(x - 2) =4x

(x + 2)(x - 4) = 0
x = -2 or x =4
x=4

Checktheanswers,onlyoneanswerisacceptablebecause
theotheranswerproducesanegativenumberwhenitis
pluggedbackin.

Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblemlog 6 (x + 4) + log 6 (x - 2) =log 6(4x) isx=4.

AdditionExamples

PracticeProblems
Nowitisyourturntotryafewpracticeproblemsonyourown.Workoneachoftheproblemsbelowand
thenclickonthelinkattheendtocheckyouranswers.

Problem1:Solve: log 5(4x + 11) =2

Problem 3:Solve: log8 x + log8 (x + 6) = log8(5x +12)

Problem 4:Solve: log 6 x + log 6(x - 9) =2

Problem5:Solve: ln(6x - 5) =3

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Problem2:Solve: log 2 (x + 5) - log 2(2x - 1) =5

Problem6:Solve: log 4 (3x - 2) - log 4(4x + 1) =2

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Problem7:Solve: log 3(x 2 - 6x) =3

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Problem8:Solve: log(x - 2) - log(2x - 3) =log 2