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Solving Logarithmic Equations

Applicable when doing Additional mathematics

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athabang534
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5 views

Solving Logarithmic Equations

Applicable when doing Additional mathematics

Uploaded by

athabang534
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PRECALCULUS TUTORIALS

Solving Logarithmic Equations


-A logarithmic equation is simply an equation that contains a logarithm.
-When solving a logarithmic equation, you want to make sure that you contract any logs on
either side of the equation.
-Once all logs are contracted, exponentiate to get rid of logs.
-Solve the resulting algebraic equation.
-Check for extraneous solutions.

Example 1: Solve the following logarithmic equation.


log(𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 5) = 0
SOLUTION:
-Since all logs are contracted, we will start by exponentiating. Since this is a log base 10, we
will raise 10 to the power of both sides of this equation.
2 −𝑥−5)
10log(𝑥 = 100
-On the left side of the equation the 10 and the log base 10 will cancel out, on the right side
100 = 1. Therefore, this will simplify to the equation seen below.
𝑥2 − 𝑥 − 5 = 1
-Now that we have a quadratic, we will set it equal to 0.
𝑥2 − 𝑥 − 6 = 0
-Next, we factor and solve the quadratic.
(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 + 2) = 0
𝑥=3 𝑥 = −2
-Next, we check both solutions by plugging them into the original log equation.
𝑥=3 log((3)2 − (3) − 5) = 0 log(1) = 0 0=0 
𝑥 = −2 log((−2)2 − (−2) − 5) = 0 log(1) = 0 0=0 

-Since both solutions check out, our solutions are 3, and -2.
PRECALCULUS TUTORIALS

Example 2: Solve the following logarithmic equation.


ln(2𝑥 − 3) − ln(𝑥 + 5) = 0

SOLUTION:
-We begin by contracting the logarithms on the left side using the quotient rule.
2𝑥 − 3
ln ( )=0
𝑥+5
-Next, we exponentiate on the sides by raising e to the power of each side of this equation.
2𝑥−3
𝑒 ln( 𝑥+5 ) = 𝑒 0
-The e and the ln cancel out and 𝑒 0 = 1 so, our equation simplifies to the equation below.
2𝑥 − 3
=1
𝑥+5
-Next, we will multiply both sides by (x+5) in order to get rid of the fraction.
2𝑥 − 3
(𝑥 + 5) ( ) = (𝑥 + 5)(1)
𝑥+5
-This simplifies as the following equation.
2𝑥 − 3 = 𝑥 + 5
-To solve this, we add 3 to both sides of the equation.
2𝑥 = 𝑥 + 8
-Then, we subtract x from both sides.
𝑥=8

-Next, we check this solution by plugging into the original logarithm.

𝑥=8 ln(2(8) − 3) − ln((8) + 5) = 0 ln 13 − ln 13 = 0 0=0 

-Since this check’s out, the solution to this equation is 𝑥 = 8.


PRECALCULUS TUTORIALS

Example 3: Solve the following logarithmic equation.


log 6 (𝑥 + 2) + log 6 (𝑥 − 3) = 1

SOLUTION:
-The first thing is to contract the logarithms on the left side by reversing the product rule.
log 6 [(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 3)] = 1

-Next, we will exponentiate by raise 6 to the power of both sides of this equation thereby
undoing the logarithm.

6log6[(𝑥+2)(𝑥−3)] = 61

-This will simplify as the below equation.


(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 3) = 6

-Now, we will FOIL and simplify the left side of the equation.
𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 2𝑥 − 6 = 6 → 𝑥2 − 𝑥 − 6 = 6
-We need to set it equal to 0, so, we will subtract 6 from both sides to get.
𝑥 2 − 𝑥 − 12 = 0
-Next, we factor and solve.
(𝑥 − 4)(𝑥 + 3) = 0
𝑥 = 4 , 𝑥 = −3
-We will test these values in the table below.
𝑥=4 log 6 (4 + 2) + log 6 (4 − 3) = 1 log 6 6 + log 6 1 = 1 1=1 

𝑥 = −3 log 6 (−3 + 2) + log 6 (−3 − 3) = 1 log 6 −1 + log 6 −6 = 1 ∅ 

-3 will not compute because it creates a negative in the logarithm, it is therefore not a
solution.

-Therefore, the solution to our logarithmic equation is 𝑥 = 4.


PRECALCULUS TUTORIALS

Example 4: Solve the following logarithmic equation.


log 7 3𝑥 + log 7 (2𝑥 − 1) = log 7 (16𝑥 − 10)
SOLUTION:
-First, we contract the left side of the logarithm by reversing the product rule.
log 7 [3𝑥(2𝑥 − 1)] = log 7 (16𝑥 − 10)
-Now, we exponentiate on both sides using 7.

7log7 [3𝑥(2𝑥−1)] = 7log7(16𝑥−10)


-Both logs cancel leaving us with the following equation.
3𝑥(2𝑥 − 1) = 16𝑥 − 10
-Below, we will solve this equation using methods from algebra.
3𝑥(2𝑥 − 1) = 16𝑥 − 10
6𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 = 16𝑥 − 10
6𝑥 2 − 19𝑥 + 10 = 0
(6𝑥 2 − 4𝑥) + (−15𝑥 + 10) = 0
2𝑥(3𝑥 − 2) − 5(3𝑥 − 2) = 0
(3𝑥 − 2)(2𝑥 − 5) = 0
2 5
𝑥= , 𝑥=
3 2
-Next, we test both solutions.
2 2 2 2 2 2 2 
𝑥= log 7 3 ( ) + log 7 (2 ( ) − 1) log 7 ( ) = log 7 ( ) =
3 3 3 3 3 3 3
2
= log 7 (16 ( ) − 10)
3

5 5 5 log 7 30 = log 7 30 30 
𝑥= log 7 3 ( ) + log 7 (2 ( ) − 1)
2 2 2 = 30
5
= log 7 (16 ( ) − 10)
2

2 5
-Since both solutions check out, our solutions are 𝑥 = 3 and 𝑥 = 2.

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