3.

8 Algebra Booster

EXAMPLE 10: Solve for x:

1 1 Ê 1 ˆ
£ . fi ÁË ( x + 2)( x + 3) ˜¯ £ 0
Ê x + 1 ˆ log 4 ( x + 3)
log 4 Á
Ë x + 2 ˜¯ fi –2 < x < 3
Solution: Given in-equation is Hence, the solution set is x Œ (–2, 3).
1 1 ( x 2 - 4)
£ EXAMPLE 11: Solve for x: < 0.
Ê x + 1 ˆ log 4 ( x + 3) log 2 ( x 2 - 1)
log 4 Á
Ë x + 2 ˜¯ Solution: Given in-equation is
Ê x + 1ˆ ( x 2 - 4)
fi log 4 Á ≥ log 4 ( x + 3) <0
Ë x + 2 ˜¯ log 2 ( x 2 - 1)
1
Ê x + 1ˆ It is possible only when x2 – 4 > 0 and <0
fi log 4 Á - log 4 ( x + 3) ≥ 0 log1/2 ( x 2 - 1)
Ë x + 2 ˜¯ 2
When x – 4 > 0
x +1 (x + 2)(x – 2) > 0
Ê ˆ
fi log 4 Á ≥0 fi x Œ (– , –2) (2, )
Ë ( x + 2)( x + 3) ˜¯
…(i)
1
When <0
Ê x +1 ˆ log1/2 ( x 2 - 1)
fi ÁË ( x + 2)( x + 3) ˜¯ ≥ 1
log1/2(x2 – 1) > 0
Ê x +1 ˆ fi (x2 – 1) < 1
fi ÁË ( x + 2)( x + 3) ˜¯ - 1 ≥ 0
fi x2 – 2 < 0
Ê ( x + 1) - ( x + 2)( x + 3) ˆ fi - 2<x< 2 …(ii)
fi ÁË ( x + 2)( x + 3) ˜¯ ≥ 0 When x2 – 1 > 0
(x + 1)(x – 1) > 0
Ê ( x + 2)( x + 3) - ( x + 1) ˆ
fi ÁË ˜¯ £ 0 fi x Œ (– , –1) (1, ) …(iii)
( x + 2)( x + 3)
From Relations (i), (ii) and (iii), we get
Ê x 2 + 4x + 5 ˆ x ( , 2) ( 2, 1) (1, 2) (2, )
fi Á ( x + 2)( x + 3) ˜ £ 0
Ë ¯ which is the required solution set.

E XERCISES

LEVEL I 7. If n = 1983!, prove that

1 1 1 1
(Questions based on Fundamentals) + + +º+ =1
log 2 n log 3n log 4 n log1983n
1. Find the value of log3 log5 log3 (243). 8. Determine b satisfying
2. Find the value of log9 (27) – log27 (9).
loga 2 ◊ logb 625 = log10 16 ◊ loga 10
3. Find the value of
log10 tan 40° + log10 tan 41° + log10 tan 42° + … 9. If loga ab = x, find the value of logb ab.
+ log10 tan 50°. 10. If log10 2 = x, find the value of log10 5.
4. Find the value of 11. If a = log4 5 and b = log5 6, find a = log3 2.
log 3 300 , if a = log 3 5 , b = log 3 2.
12. Find the value of log12 54, where b = a = log12 24.
5. Find the minimum value of 1 1
(i) logb a + loga b 13. Find the value of + .
log 2 36 log 3 36
(ii) logb a + logc b + loga c
1 1 1 1 1 1
6. Prove that + + +º+ 14. Prove that + >2.
log 2 n log3n log 4 n log 43n log 3 p log 4 p
1 16 25 81
= 15. Simplify: 7 ◊ log + 5 ◊ log + 3 ◊ log .
log 43 !n 15 24 80

Algebra_03.indd 8 1/6/2017 3:54:43 PM

 Logarithm 3.9

16. If a2 + b2 = 7ab, prove that 38. If a = log7 12, b = log12 24, find the value of log54 168.
1 1 39. If a = log6 30, b = log15 24, prove that
log (a + b) = (log a + log b)
3 2 Ê 2ab + 2a - 1ˆ
log12 60 = Á .
17. If a2 + b2 = 11ab, prove that Ë ab + b + 1 ˜¯
Ê a - bˆ 1 40. Find x, if log 7 (log 5 ( x + 5 + x )) = 0 .
log Á = (log a + log b) .
Ë 3 ˜¯ 2 41. If log2 x + log2 y ≥ 6, find the least value of x + y.
log a n 42. Solve for x and y:
18. Prove that = 1 + log a b .
log ab n 4log x = 3log y, (3x)log 3 = (4y)log 4
19. If log 25 = a, log 225 = b, prove that 43. If x18 = y21 = z28 = k, prove that, 3, 3 logy x, 3 logz y, 7
logx z are in AP.
ÊÊ 1ˆ 2 ˆ Ê 1 ˆ
log Á Á ˜ ˜ + log Á = 2a - 3b - 1
ËË 9¯ ¯ Ë 2250 ˜¯ 44. If
1
+
1
> x , find the value of x.
log 3p log 4p
20. If a, b, c are in GP, prove that, loga n, logb n, logc n are
in HP. 45. If log0.3 (x – 1) < log0.09 (x – 1), find x.
Ê 7ˆ 46. If log e log 5 ( 2x - 2 + 3) = 0 , find the value of x.
21. If log 3 2, log 3 (2 x - 5), log 3 Á 2 x - ˜ are in AP, find the
Ë 2¯
value of x. 47. Find the least value of 2.log10 x – logx(0.01) for x > 1.
1 1 1
22. If y = a
1 - log a x
,z=a 1 - log a y
, prove that, x = a . 1 - log a z 48. Find x, if 4log9 3 + 9log 2 4 = 10log x 83
23. If x = loga c + logc a, y = loga c + logc a and z = logb a + 49. Find x, if 34log9 ( x +1) = 22log 2 x + 3
loga b, find the minimum value of x2 + y2 + z2 – xyz.
50. If a = log24 12, b = log36 24 and c = log48 36, prove that
log a log b log c
24. If = = , prove that aa ◊ bb ◊ cc = 1. Ê abc + 1ˆ
b-c c-a a-b ÁË ˜ =2
1 4 bc ¯
25. Find the value of 81log5 3 + 27log9 36 + 3 log7 9 .
Ê Ê p ˆˆ 1
26. Prove that 51. If log10 Á sin Á x + ˜ ˜ = (log10 6 - 1), find the value
Ë Ë 4¯¯ 2
1 1
+ of log10 sin x + log10 cos x.
1 + log b a + logb c 1 + log c a + log cb
52. If a, b, c are in GP, prove that
1
+ =1 1 1 1
1 + log a b + log a c , , are in HP.
1 + log e a 1 + log eb 1 + log e c
27. Find x, if log2 x + log4 x + log8 x = 11.
25 53. Find x, if 5log10 x = 50 - x log10 5 .
28. Find x, if log 2 x + log 4 x + log8 x + log16 x =.
4 54. Find x, if log5 [2 + log (3 + x)] = 0.
29. If loga x = a, logb x = b, logc x = g and logd x = d, find Find the number of real solutions
the value of logabcd x. 55. log4 (x – 1) = log2 (x – 3)
30. If x = loga bc, y = logb ca and z = logc ab, find the value 56. log4 (x – 2) = log2 (x – 2)
1 1 1 57. log9 (x – 1) = log3 (x – 1)
of + + .
1+ x 1+ y 1+ z 58. log2 x + log2 (x + 3) = 1/4
1
59. log4 (x2 + x) – log4 (x + 1) = 2
31. If y = 2 log x 4 , find x.
60. 1 + 2 log(x+2) 5 = log5 (x + 2)
32. If N = 6log10 40 ◊ 5log10 36 , find the value of N + 10.
61. log2 x + log4 (x + 2) = 2
33. Find the value of
log 1 1 1
(0.5) 2 4 8 16
( to ). 62. log10 (x – 1)3 – 3 log10 (x – 3) = log10 8
34. If x = 2log10 3 and y = 3log10 2 , find a relation between x Solve for x:
and y. 63. log5 (x2 – 3x + 3) > 0
35. Find the value of 64. log7 [log5 (x2 – 7x + 15)] > 0
2log10 3 - log10 5 ¥ 3log10 5 - log10 2 ¥ 5log10 2 - log10 3 . 65. log(1/2) [log5 (x2 – 7x + 17)] > 0
36. If a = log30 3 and b = log30 5, find the value of log10 8. 66. log(1/2) (log5 (log2 (x2 – 6x + 40))) > 0
37. If a = log12 18, b = log24 54, prove that ab + 5(a – b) 67. log3 [log5 log2 (x2 – 9x + 50)] > 0
= 1.

Algebra_03.indd 9 1/6/2017 3:54:43 PM

 3.10 Algebra Booster

Ê x - 2ˆ 5. If log10 2, log10 (2x + 1), log10 (2x + 3) are in AP,

68. log 6 Á >0
Ë 6 - x ˜¯ (a) x = 0 (b) x = 1
1
69. log(1/2) x > log(1/3) x (c) x = log10 2 (d) x = log 2 5
2
70. log0.5 (x2 – 5x + 6) > –1 6. If loga (ab) = x, logb (ab) is
71. log8 (x2 – 4x + 3) < 1 x x x
(a) (b) (c) (d) none
Ê 35 - x 2 ˆ 1 1– x 1+ x x–2
72. log (1/4) Á ≥-
Ë x ˜¯ 2 7. The value of 42log9 3 is
73. log ( x3 + 6) ( x 2 - 1) = log (2 x2 + 5 x ) ( x 2 - 1) (a) 9 (b) 2 (c) 4 (d) 3
8. If log7 2 = x, log49 (28) is
74. log (3x2 + x – 3) = 3 log (3x – 2)
Ê 1ˆ Ê 1ˆ
75. log ( x2 -1) ( x + 6) = log ( x2 -1) (2x + 5x)
3 2
(a) ÁË x + ˜¯ (b) Á x - ˜
2 Ë 2¯
76. log3 (x2 – 3x – 5) = log3 (7 – 2x) Ê 1ˆ Ê 1ˆ
(c) - Á x - ˜ (d) - Á x + ˜
1 Ë 2¯ Ë 2¯
77. log( x - 1) + log(2x + 15) = 1
2 9. If log 2016 (log 5 ( 2x - 2 + 3)) = 0, x is
78. log(3x+4) (4x + 4x + 1) + log(2x+1) (6x2 + 11x + 4) = 4
2
(a) 1/3 (b) 1/2 (c) 3 (d) 2
log10 x log10 5
79. 5 = 50 - x 10. If
1
+
1
> x, x is
log9 x log 2p log 6p
80. 4 - 6.2log9 x + 2log3 27 = 0
(a) 2 (b) 3 (c) 4 (d) 5
Solve the in-equality wherever base is not given, take it
11. The value of 5 -7
log 2 7 log 2 5
is
as 10:
2 (a) 5 (b) 0 (c) 7 (d) 2
Ê Ê x5 ˆ ˆ
81. (log 2 x) - Á log1/2 ÁË ˜¯ ˜ - 20 log 2 x + 148 < 0
4 12. If log10 2 = x, log10 5 is
Ë 4 ¯ (a) 1 (b) 1 – x (c) x + 1 (d) 2x
82. (log 100x)2 + (log 10x)2 + log x £ 14 13. The number of real solutions of log2 x + log4 (x + 2) = 2
83. log1/2 (x + 1) > log2 (2 – x) is
84. log1/5 (2x2 + 5x + 1) < 0 (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 0
14. The number of real solutions of 1 + log2 (x – 1) =
85. log1/2 x + log3 x > 1
log(x–1) 4 is
Ê 4x + 5 ˆ (a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 3 (d) 0
86. log x Á < -1
Ë 6 - 5x ˜¯ 15. The number of real solutions of x x
log ( x - 2)
= 9 is
Ê x + 2ˆ (a) 4 (b) 3 (c) 2 (d) 1
87. log 0.2 ÁË ˜ £1 Ê 1 1 ˆ
x ¯ 16. The value of Á + lies in between
Ë log 3p log 4p ˜¯
88. log10 (x2 – 16) £ log10 (4x – 11)
(a) (1, 2) (b) (2, 3) (c) (3, 4) (d) (0, 1)
17. The number of real roots of x ln x – 1 = 0 is
LEVEL II (a) 2 (b) 1 (c) 3
18. The number of real roots of 2 – x ln x = 0 is
(d) infinite
(Mixed Problems)
(a) 1 (b) 2 (c) 0 (d) infinite
1. If a, b, c are in GP, log2016 a, log2016 b, log2016 c are in 19. If 3x = 10 – log2 x, x is
(a) GP (b) AP (c) HP (d) AGP (a) 0 (b) 1 (c) 2 (d) 3
1 20. If |1 – log1/5 x| + 2 = |3 – log1/5 x|, x is
2. If y = 3
log x 9
, x is (a) 2 (b) 5 (c) 1 (d) 3
(a) y (b) y (c) y2 (d) y3

3. If
1
+
1
=
2
log a x log c x log b x
, a, b, c are in LEVEL III
(Problems for JEE-Advanced)
(a) AP (b) GP (c) HP (d) AGP
4. If x = log3 5 and y = log27 25, 1. If a4b5 = 1, find the value of loga (a5b4).
(a) x > y (b) x = y (c) x < y (d) x2 = y 2. If x = log10 5 ¥ log10 20 + log102 2 and

Algebra_03.indd 10 1/6/2017 3:54:44 PM

 Logarithm 3.11

2 log 2 + log 3 21. Solve for x:

y= ,
log (48) - log 4 log10 (98 + x3 - x 2 - 12x + 36) = 2.
[Roorkee, 1975]
prove that x = y 22. Solve for x and y:
3. Find the sum of all the equations log10 x + log10 x1/2 + log10 x1/4 + … = y
2 log x – log (2x – 75) = 2
1 and 1 + 3 + 5 + … + (2y - 1) = 20
4. If log x (log18 ( 2 + 8)) = - , find x. 4 + 7 + 10 + … + (3y + 1) 7 log10 x
2
[Roorkee, 1987]
5. If log6 9 – log9 27 + log8 x = log64 x – log6 4, find the 23. Solve for x:
value of x. Ê xˆ
6 log a xlog10alog a 5 - 3log10 ÁË 10 ˜¯
6. If x = 12 + 6 3 + 12 - 6 3 , then find value of a = 9log100 x + log 4 2 .
5 [Roorkee, 1988]
log36 x.
24. No questions asked in between 1990-1997
7. If loga b = 2, logb c = 2 and log3 c = 3 + log3 a, find the 25. Solve for x and y:
value of (a + b + c) + 7. 1
log100 | x + y| =
7 3 2
8. If log 9 x + log 4 y = and log 9 x - log8 y = - , find
2 2 Ê yˆ
log100 Á ˜ = log100 4
the value of log4 (x + y – 3). Ë | x| ¯ [Roorkee-JEE-1998]
9. If a = log10 2, b = log10 3 such that 3x+2 = 5, find x (in 26. Find all real number x which satisfy the equation
terms of a and b). 2log 2log 2 x + log1/2log 2 (2 2 x) = 1 . [Roorkee, 1999]
10. Let the number N = 6 log10 2 + log10 31. If N lies be- 27. Solve for x:
tween two successive integers, find their sum. log3/4 log8 (x2 + 7) + log1/2 log1/4 (x2 + 7)–1 = –2.
Ê 1ˆ [Roorkee, 2000]
11. Let M = log 2 2 Á ˜ , N = log 32 2 (8) and
Ë 4¯ 28. Solve for x and y:
log2 x + log4 x + log8 x + … = y
P = log 5 (log 3 ( 5
9 )) ,
5 + 9 + 13 + º + (4y + 1)
= 4 log 4 x
ÊM ˆ 1 + 3 + 5 + º + (2y - 1)
find the value of Á + P + 3˜ . [Roorkee, 2001]
ËN ¯
29. If (a, b) and (c, d) are the solutions of the system of
12. If log3(x) = a and log7 (x) = b, then the value of log21 (x). ÏÔ log 225 (x) + log 64 (y ) = 4
equations Ì , find the value of
13. If x and y are satisfying the relations log8 x + log4 y2 = 5 ÔÓlog x (225) - log y (64) = 1
and log8 y + log4 x2 = 7 find the value of 2xy. 1
log 30 (abcd ).
14. If log10 (x2 + x) = log10 (x3 – x), find the product of all 2
30. If x = 1 + loga (bc), y = 1 + logb (ca) and z = 1 + logc
the solutions. xyz
(ab), find the value of .
15. If log10 (x – 2) + log10 y = 0 and xy + yz + zx
x+ y-2= x+ y ,
find the value of ( x + y - 2 2) .
LEVEL IV
(Tougher Problems for
7 JEE-Advanced)
16. If a, b ΠR+ such that log 27 a + log 9b = and
2 2
log 27b + log 9 a = , find ab. 1. Solve for x: x + log10 (1 + 2x) = x log10 5 + log10 6.
3
x2 - x - 1
17. Find the number of values of x satisfying the equation 2. Solve for x: log = 0.
logtan x (2 + 4 cos2 x) = 2 in [0, 2p]. x2 + x - 2
3. Solve for x: |4 + log17 x| = 2 + |2 + log1/7 x|.
Ê2 ˆ
18. If cos (ln x) = 0, find Á ¥ log ( x) + 10˜ . 4. Solve for x:
Ëp ¯
Ê 4ˆ Ê 4 ˆ Ê 2 ˆ
19. If c(a – b) = a(b – c) such that a π b π c, find the value log 2 Á1 + ˜ + log 2 Á 1 - = 2 log 2 Á -1 .
Ë x¯ Ë x + 4 ˜¯ Ë x - 1 ˜¯
log (a + c) + log(a - 2b + c)
of . 5. Solve the system of equations:
log (a - c)
Ï 8
Ôlog y x - log x y =
20. If x = log10 ( A + B ) is a solution of 10x + 10–x = 4 find Ì 3.
the value of (A + B + 3). ÔÓ xy = 16

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 3.12 Algebra Booster

6. Solve for x: 9. Let the number N = 6 log10 2 + log10 31. If N lies in

log (3x2 + 12x + 19) – log (3x + 4) + log32 4 between two successive integers, find their sum.
= 1 - log1/16 ( 5 256). 10. Find the value of the expression
7. Solve for x:
(0.16)
(
log 2.5 1 + 1 + 1 +º
3 32 33 ).
Ê 1ˆ Ê 1ˆ
log 2(4 - x) + log(4 - x) ◊ log Á x + ˜ - 2log 2 Á x + ˜ = 0.
Ë 2¯ Ë 2¯ 11. If a = log12 18, b = log24 54, find the value of
8. Solve for x: 5(a – b) + ab.
log3/4 [log8 (x2 + 7)] + log1/2 (log1/4 (x2 + 7)–1) = –2.
Comprehensive Link Passages
9. Solve for x:
log10 (x2 – x – 6) – x = log10 (x + 2) – 4. Passage I
10. Solve for x: Let A be the sum of the roots of
1 1 1 4
log 5 ( x + 5) + log5 ( x - 3) = log 5 (2x + 1). + = 3,
2 2 5 - 4 log 4 x 1 + log 4 x
11. Solve for x: B be the product of m and n, where 2m = 3 and 3n = 4, and C
3 be the sum of the integral roots of
log 4 ( x + 2) 2 + 3 = log 4 (4 - x)3 + log 4 (6 + x)3 .
2 Ê 3ˆ
log 3x Á ˜ + (log 3 x) 2 = 1.
12. Solve for x: Ë x¯
1 + log 2 ( x - 4) 1. The value of A + B is
= 1.
2log 2 ( x + 3 - x - 3) (a) 10 (b) 6 (c) 8 (d) 4
2. The value of B + C is
13. Solve for x:
(a) 6 (b) 2 (c) 4 (d) 8
Ê 1ˆ Ê x 3 + 27 ˆ 3. The value of (A + C ∏ B) is
ÁË1 + ˜¯ log 3 = log ÁË ˜.
2x 4 ¯ (a) 5 (b) 8 (c) 7 (d) 4
14. Solve for x: Passage II
4 log10 x +1
-6 log10 x
- 2.3 log10 x 2 + 2
= 0. A function f: R+ Æ R is defined as
15. Solve for x: f(x) = loga x, x > 0, a > 0, a π 1
log 3 ( x + | x - 1|) 2 = log 3 (4 3 - 3 + 4 | x - 1|). Then Df = R+ and Rf = R.
Ê x - 3ˆ
1. If f (x) = log Á , the domain of the function f(x)
Integer Type Questions is Ë 5 - x ˜¯
n -1 (a) (3, 5) (b) (– , 5) (c) (5, ) (d) none
Ê r + 2ˆ
99
1. If  log 2 ÁË r + 1 ˜¯ = ’ log r (r + 1) , 2. Let f(x) = (–x2 + 3x – 2). The domain of the function f(x)
r =0 r =10 is
find the value of n. (a) (–1, 2) (b) (1, 2) (c) (– , 1] (d) [2, )
2. Solve for x: 7log 2 x = 98 - x log 2 7 . 3. Let f (x) = x - 2 + 4 - x . The range of the function
3. Solve for x: 4log3 x = 32 - x log3 4 . f(x) is
4. If a and b be the roots of (a) [ 2, 2] (b) [1, 2]
3 logx 4 + 2 log4x 4 + 3 log16x 4 = 0, (c) (2, 4) (d) [2, 4]
1Ê 1 1ˆ
find the value of Á + ˜ .
2Ëa b¯
5. Solve for x: Matching List Type
x + log10 (2x + 1) = log10 6 + x log10 5. (Only One Option is Correct)
6. Find the integral value of x for which This section contains four questions, each having two match-
log(x+1) (x2 + x – 6)2 = 4. ing list. Choices for the correct combination of elements from
7. If a and b be the solutions of List I and List II are given as options (A), (B), (C) and (D),
3 out of which ONE is correct.
| x – 2|log 2 ( x ) - 3log x 4 = ( x - 2)3 ,
1. Match the following lists
find the value of (a + 2b + 3).
8. If a is the integral solutions of 6(logx 2 – log4 x) + 7 = List I List II
Ê 2a - 1ˆ (P) Ê log 2 32 ˆ (1) 2/7
0, find the value of ÁË ˜. The value of Á is
5 ¯ Ë log 3 243 ˜¯

Algebra_03.indd 12 1/6/2017 3:54:44 PM