SolvingExponentialEquations

DecidingHowtoSolveExponentialEquations

Whenaskedtosolveanexponentialequationsuchas2x+ 6 =32or52x 3 =18,thefirstthingweneedtodo

istodecidewhichwayisthebestwaytosolvetheproblem.Someexponentialequationscanbesolvedby
rewritingeachsideoftheequationusingthesamebase.Otherexponential equationscanonlybesolvedby
usinglogarithms.Howdowedecidewhatisthebestwaytosolveanexponentialequation? Thekeyisto
lookatthebaseoftheexponentialequationanddetermineiftheeachsideoftheproblemcanberewritten
usingthesamebase.

Ifweconsidertheproblem2x+ 6 =32,thebaseoftheexponentis2andweneedtodecideifwecanrewrite
thenumber32usingonlythenumber2.Inthiscaseitispossibletowritethenumber32usingonly2s,32
=22222 =25. Thismeansthatthebestwaytosolvetheproblem2x+6 =32istorewritetheproblem
usingthebase2.Ifweconsidertheproblem52x 3 =18,thebaseoftheexponentis5andweneedtodecide
ifwecanrewritethenumber18usingonlythenumber5.Inthiscaseitisimpossibletowritethenumber18
usingonly5s,18=233=232.Thismeansthatthebestandonlywaytosolvetheproblem52x 3 =18is
touselogarithms.

SolvingExponentialEquationswiththeSameBase

Afterdecidingthebestwaytosolveanexponentialequationisby rewritingeachsideoftheequationusing
thesamebase,whatisnext?

SolvingExponentialEquationswiththeSameBase

IfBM =BN,thenM=N.

Thisstatementsimplysaysthatifthebasesarethesamethentheexponentsmustbethesame.Tosolvean
exponentialequationwiththesamebase,firstweneedtorewritetheproblemusingthesamebaseandafter
gettingthebasesthesamewecandropthebasesandsettheexponentsequaltoeachother.

Letsfinishsolvingtheproblem 2x+6 =32frombefore.Inthisproblem wehavealreadyseenthatboth2

and32canbewrittenusingthenumber2.Ifwecontinuefromthereweget:

2 x + 6 = 25 Rewritetheproblemusingthesamebase.

x+6=5 Sincethebasesarethesame,wecandropthebasesandsetthe
exponentsequaltoeachother.

x=1 Finishsolvingbysubtracting6fromeachside.

Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblem2x+6 =32isx=1.
 Thereisanotherexample,solve92x 5 =27.

92x 5 =27 Determineif9and27canbewrittenusingthesamebase.Inthis

caseboth9and27canbewrittenusingthebase3.

2 2x -5 Rewritetheproblemusingthesamebase.
( 3 ) =33

34x -5 = 33 Usethepropertiesofexponentstosimplifytheexponents,whena
powerisraisedtoapower,wemultiply thepowers.

4x 5=3 Sincethebasesarethesame,wecandropthebasesandsetthe
exponentsequaltoeachother.

x=2 Finishsolvingby adding5toeachsideandthendividingeachside

by4.

Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblem92x 5 =27isx=2.

Nowthatwehavelookedatacoupleofexamplesofsolvingexponential equationswiththesamebase,lets
listthestepsforsolvingexponentialequationsthathavethesamebase.

StepsforSolvingExponentialEquationswiththeSameBase

Step1: Determineifthenumberscanbewrittenusingthesamebase.Ifso,gotoStep2.Ifnot,
stopanduseStepsforSolvinganExponentialEquationwithDifferentBases.

Step2: Rewritetheproblemusingthesamebase.

Step3: Usethepropertiesofexponentstosimplifytheproblem.

Step4: Oncethebasesarethesame,dropthebasesandsettheexponentsequaltoeachother.

Step5: Finishsolvingtheproblembyisolatingthevariable.

SolvingExponentialEquationswiththeDifferent Bases

Afterdecidingtheonlywaytosolveanexponentialequationistouselogarithms,whatisnext? Thenext
stepistotakethecommonlogarithmornaturallogarithmofeachside.Bytakingthelogarithmofeachside,
wecanusethepropertiesoflogarithms,specifically property5fromourlistofproperties,torewritethe
exponentialproblemasamultiplicationproblem.Afterchangingtheproblemfromanexponentialproblem
toamultiplicationproblemusingthepropertiesoflogarithmswewillbeabletofinishsolvingtheproblem.
Letsfinishsolvingtheproblem52x 3 =18from before.Inthisproblemwehavealreadyseenthatitis
impossibletorewritethenumbers5and18usingthesamebase,sowemustuselogarithms.Continuingon
hereiswhatweget:

log(52x -3) =log(18) Takethecommonlogarithmornaturallogarithmofeachside.

(2x - 3)(log 5) =log18 Usethepropertiesoflogarithmstorewritetheproblem.Movethe

exponentoutfrontwhichturnsthisintoamultiplicationproblem.
log18 Divideeachsidebylog5.
2x - 3=
log 5

2x - 3 1.795889 Useacalculatortofindlog18dividedbylog5.Roundtheanswer
asappropriate,theseanswerswilluse6decimalplaces.

x 2.397944 Finishsolvingtheproblembyadding3toeachsideandthen
dividingeachsideby2.

Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblem52x 3 =18isx 2.397944.

Thedirectionssay,Takethecommonlogarithmornaturallogarithmofeachside.Youwillgetthe
sameanswernomatterwhichlogarithmyouuse,itisamatterofpersonalpreference.Theonlytime
thatyoushouldspecificallyuseanaturallogarithmiswhendealingwiththebasee.

Hereisanotherexample,solve84x+1 =205.

84x + 1= 205 Determineif8and205canbewrittenusingthesamebase.Inthis

case8and205cannotbewrittenusingthesamebase,sowemust
uselogarithms.

log(84x + 1) =log(205) Takethecommonlogarithmornaturallogarithmofeachside.

(4x + 1)(log 8) =log 205 Usethepropertiesoflogarithmstorewritetheproblem.Movethe

exponentoutfrontwhichturnsthisintoamultiplicationproblem.
log 205
4x + 1= Divideeachsidebylog8.
log 8

4x + 1 2.559827 Useacalculatortofindlog205dividedbylog8. Roundthe

answerasappropriate,theseanswerswilluse6decimalplaces.

x 0.389957 Finishsolvingtheproblemby subtracting1from eachsideand

thendividingeachsideby 4.

Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblem 84x + 1 =205isx 0.389957.

Nowthatwehavelookedatacoupleofexamplesofsolvingexponentialequationswithdifferentbases,
letslistthestepsforsolvingexponentialequationsthathavedifferentbases.
 SolvingExponentialEquationswithDifferentBases

Step1: Determineifthenumberscanbewrittenusingthesamebase.Ifso,stopanduseStepsfor
SolvinganExponentialEquationwiththeSameBase.Ifnot,gotoStep2.

Step2: Takethecommonlogarithmornaturallogarithmofeachside.

Step3: Usethepropertiesoflogarithmstorewritetheproblem.Specifically,useProperty5which
says log a x y = y log a x.

Step4: Divideeachsidebythelogarithm.

Step5: Useacalculatortofindthedecimalapproximationofthelogarithms.

Step6: Finishsolvingtheproblembyisolatingthevariable.

ExamplesNowletsusethestepsshownabovetoworkthroughsomeexamples.Theseexampleswillbea
mixtureofexponentialequationswiththesamebaseandexponentialequationswith differentbases.

Example1:Solve53x+7 =311

5 3x + 7 =311 Determineif5and311canbewrittenusingthesamebase.Inthis
case5and311cannotbewrittenusingthesamebase,sowemust
uselogarithms.

log(53x + 7) =log(311) Takethecommonlogarithmornaturallogarithmofeachside.

(3x + 7)(log 5) =log 311 Usethepropertiesoflogarithmstorewritetheproblem.Movethe

exponentoutfrontwhichturnsthisintoamultiplicationproblem.
log 311
3x + 7= Divideeachsidebylog5.
log 5

3x + 7 3.566334 Useacalculatortofindlog311dividedbylog5. Roundthe

answerasappropriate,theseanswerswilluse6decimalplaces.

x -1.144555 Finishsolvingtheproblemby subtracting7from eachsideand

thendividingeachsideby 3.

Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblem53x+7 =311isx 1.144555.

Example2:Solve252x 1 =1253x+4

25 2x -1 = 125 3x + 4 Determineif25and125canbewrittenusingthesamebase.Inthis
caseboth25and125canbewrittenusingthebase5.
2 2x -1 3x + 4
(5 ) ( )
= 53 Rewritetheproblemusingthesamebase.

5 4 x - 2 =5 9x +12 Usethepropertiesofexponentstosimplifytheexponents,whena
powerisraisedtoapower,wemultiplythepowers.

4x 2=9x+12 Sincethebasesarethesame,wecandropthebasesandsetthe
exponentsequaltoeachother.

14 Finishsolvingby adding2toeach side,subtracting9xfromeach

x= -
5 side,andthendividingeachsideby 5.
14
Therefore, thesolutiontotheproblem252x 1 =1253x+4 isx = - .
5

Example3:Solvee4x 9 =56

e4x -9 =56 Determineif eand56canbewrittenusingthesamebase.Inthis

caseeand56cannotbewrittenusingthesamebase,sowemust
uselogarithms.

ln(e 4x -9) =ln(56) Takethecommonlogarithmornaturallogarithmofeachside.In

thiscase,weshouldusethenaturallogarithmbecausethebaseise.

(4x - 9)(ln e) =ln 56 Usethepropertiesoflogarithmstorewritetheproblem.Movethe

exponentoutfrontwhichturnsthisintoamultiplicationproblem.

(4x - 9)(1) =ln 56 Usethepropertiesoflogarithmstofindlne.Property2statesthat

lne=1.

4x - 9 4.025352 Useacalculatortofindln 56.Roundtheanswerasappropriate,

theseanswerswilluse6decimalplaces.

x 3.256338 Finishsolvingtheproblemby adding9toeachsideandthen

dividingeachsideby 4.

Therefore,thesolutiontotheprobleme4x 9 =56isx 3.256338.

Example4:Solve75x+3 =512

75x +3 = 312 Determineif7and312canbewrittenusingthesamebase.Inthis

case7and312cannotbewrittenusingthesamebase,sowemust
uselogarithms.

log(7 5x +3) =log(312) Takethecommonlogarithmornaturallogarithmofeachside.

(5x + 3)(log 7) =log 312 Usethepropertiesoflogarithmstorewritetheproblem.Movethe

exponentoutfrontwhichturnsthisintoamultiplicationproblem.
log 312
5x + 3= Divideeachsidebylog7.
log 7

5x + 3 2.951320 Useacalculatortofindlog312dividedbylog7. Roundthe

answerasappropriate,theseanswerswilluse6decimalplaces.

x -0.009736 Finishsolvingtheproblemby subtracting3from eachsideand

thendividingeachsideby 5.

Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblem75x+3 =312isx 0.009736.

x - 2
2x -3 1
Example5:Solve8 =
16
x - 2
1 Determineif 8and1/16canbewrittenusingthesamebase.Inthis
82x -3 =
16 caseboth 8and1/16canbewrittenusingthebase2.

3 2x -3 x -2
Rewritetheproblemusingthesamebase.Notethat1/16=1/24 =
(2 ) ( )
= 2 -4
24.

26x -9 =2 -4x +8 Usethepropertiesofexponentstosimplifytheexponents,whena

powerisraisedtoapower,wemultiplythepowers.

6x - 9 = -4x +8 Sincethebasesarethesame,wecandropthebasesandsetthe
exponentsequaltoeachother.

17 Finishsolvingby adding9toeachside,adding4xtoeachside,
x = andthendividingeachsideby 10.
10
x - 2
1 17
Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblem82x -3 = is x = .
16 10
AdditionExamples

Ifyouwouldliketoseemoreexamplesof solvingexponential equations,justclickonthelinkbelow.

Additional Examples

PracticeProblems

Nowitisyourturntotryafewpracticeproblemsonyourown.Workoneachoftheproblemsbelowand
thenclickonthelinkattheendtocheckyouranswers.

Problem1:Solve: 43x +5 =84x -3

Problem2:Solve: e8-3x =268

Problem 3:Solve: 56x + 7 =761

3x +1
1
Problem 4:Solve: 92x +3 =
27

Problem5:Solve: 32x -5 =87

Problem6:Solve: 4e3x -5 =195

SolutionstoPracticeProblems