Exponents and Logarithms

Solutions
1. We have logx (2 · 4 · 8) = 1 which implies that logx (64) = 1. Therefore, x = 64.

2. Since 12 = 22 · 3 it follows that

122x+1 = 23x+7 · 33x−4

22(2x+1) · 32x+1 = 23x+7 · 33x−4
22(2x+1)−3x−7 = 33x−4−2x−1
2x−5 = 3x−5

The graphs of y = 2x−5 and y = 3x−5 intersect only at x = 5 and y = 1. (Since 2z = 3z only
for z = 0.) Therefore, x = 5 is the only solution.
   
3 4 5 200 200
3. This expression equals log10 · · ...... = log10 = log10 100 = 2.
2 3 4 199 2
4. For the first equation we know that x, y 6= 0. The second equation states xy −2 = 3−3 which
gives us x3 y −6 = 3−9 after cubing both sides. Since neither side of this new equation is 0 we
can divide the first equation by this new equation to eliminate x.

x3 y 5 211 313
=
x3 y −6 3−9
y 11 = 211 · 322
y 11 = 211 · (32 )11
y 11 = (2 · 9)11
y = 18.

y2
Therefore, x = = 12.
27
1 1 1 1
5. log8 (18) = log8 2 + log8 9 = + log8 32 = + 2 log8 3 = + 2k = 2k +
3 3 3 3
6. Solution 1
We express the logarithms in exponential form to arrive at: 2x = 2y and x = 4y . Thus,

2y = 2(4y )
2y = 2(22y )
2y = 22y+1
y = 2y + 1
y = −1
 
1 1
Thus, x = 4−1 = . Therefore, the point of intersection is , −1 .
4 4
 Solution 2
Substituting one equation into the other we obtain

log2 2x = log4 x
log 2x log x
=
log 2 log 4
log 2x log x
=
log 2 log 22
log 2x log x
=
log 2 2 log 2
2 log 2x = log x
2 log 2 + 2 log x = log x
log x = −2 log 2
log x = log 2−2
1
log x = log
4
1
Therefore, x = . Substituting this value back into either of the original equations and we
4  
1
obtain that y = −1. Therefore, the point of intersection is , −1 .
4
y
7. 
We note first that  x = a for all points on the curve. The midpoint of AB is given by
x1 + x2 y 1 + y 2 y1 + y2
, . Since we draw a horizontal line through the midpoint, y3 = , we
2 2 2
have that

(x3 )2 = (ay3 )2
y1 +y2
= (a 2 )2
= (ay1 )(ay2 )
= x1 x2 .

8. Given that the graph of the function passes through (2, 1), we know that a 6= 0. We have
1 = a(2r ) and 4 = a(32r ). Since neither side of the first equation is 0, we can divide the second
32r 2r · 16r 1
equation by the first to obtain 4 = r = r
= 16r . Therefore, r = .
2 2 2
9. Factoring both sides of the equation 2x+3 + 2x = 3y+2 − 3y gives

(23 + 1)2x = (32 − 1)3y

9 · 2x = 8 · 3y
32 · 2x = 23 · 3y
2x−3 = 3y−2

Since x and y are integers, and the only integer power of 2 that is also an integer power of 3 is
the number 1 = 20 = 30 , we have x = 3 and y = 2.
10. If f (x) = 24x−2 , then f (x) · f (1 − x) = 24x−2 · 24(1−x)−2 = 24x−2+4−4x−2 = 20 = 1.

11. Observe that the argument of both logarithms must be positive and so x > 6. Now

log5 (x − 2) + log5 (x − 6) = 2
log5 ((x − 2)(x − 6)) = 2
(x − 2)(x − 6) = 25
x2 − 8x − 13 = 0
√
x=4± 29
√
However, since x > 6, we have that x = 4 + 29.
   
b c b c
12. If a, b, c is a geometric sequence, then = . It follows that logx = logx which
a b a b
implies logx b − logx a = logx c − logx b. Therefore, the logarithms form an arithmetic sequence.
If logx a, logx b, logx c form an arithmetic sequence, then

logx b − logx a = logx c − logx b

 
b c
logx = logx
a b
b c
= since the log function takes on each value only once
a b
Thus, a, b, c form a geometric sequence.

13. Using exponent rules and arithmetic, we manipulate the given equation:

3x+2 + 2x+2 + 2x = 2x+5 + 3x

3x 32 + 2x 22 + 2x = 2x 25 + 3x
9(3x ) + 4(2x ) + 2x = 32(2x ) + 3x
8(3x ) = 27(2x )
3x 27
=
2x 8
 x  3
3 3
=
2 2

Since the two expressions are equal and the bases are equal, then the exponents must be equal,
and so x = 3.

14. Let a = log10 x. Then (log10 x)log10 (log10 x) = 10 000 becomes alog10 a = 104 .
Taking the base 10 logarithm of both sides and using the fact that log10 (ab ) = b log10 a, we obtain
(log10 a)(log10 a) = 4 or (log10 a)2 = 4. Therefore, log10 a = ±2 and so log10 (log10 x) = ±2.
If log10 (log10 x) = 2, then log10 x = 102 = 100 and so x = 10100 .
If log10 (log10 x) = −2, then log10 x = 10−2 = 1
100
and so x = 101/100 . Therefore, x = 10100 or
x = 101/100 .
15. Note that x 6= 1 since 1 cannot be the base of a logarithm. This tells us that log x 6= 0.
log b
Using the fact that loga b = and then using other logarithm laws, we obtain the following
log a
equivalent equations:
7
log4 x − logx 16 = 6
− logx 8
log x log 16 7 log 8
− = − (note that x 6= 1, so log x 6= 0)
log 4 log x 6 log x
log x 7 log 16 − log 8
= +
log 4 6 log x
16
log x 7 log( 8 )
= +
log(22 ) 6 log x
log x 7 log 2
= +
2 log 2 6 log x
 
1 log x 7 log 2
= +
2 log 2 6 log x

log x
Letting t = = log2 x and noting that t 6= 0 since x 6= 1, we obtain the following equations
log 2
equivalent to the previous ones:
t 7 1
= +
2 6 t
2
3t = 7t + 6 (multiplying both sides by 6t)
2
3t − 7t − 6 = 0
(3t + 2)(t − 3) = 0

Therefore, the original equation is equivalent to t = − 23 or t = 3.

Converting back to the variable x, we obtain log2 x = − 32 or log2 x = 3, which gives x = 2−2/3
or x = 23 = 8.