SolvingLogarithmicEquations

DecidingHowtoSolveLogarithmicEquation

Whenaskedtosolvealogarithmicequationsuchas log 2(5x + 7) =5 orlog 3 (7x + 3) = log 3(5x +9), thefirst

thingweneedtodecideishowtosolvetheproblem.Somelogarithmicproblemsaresolvedbysimply
droppingthelogarithmswhileothersaresolvedbyrewritingthelogarithmicprobleminexponentialform.
Howdowedecidewhatisthecorrectwaytosolvealogarithmicproblem? Thekeyistolookattheproblem
anddecideiftheproblemcontainsonlylogarithmsoriftheproblem hastermswithoutlogarithms.

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

Whensolvinglogarithmicequation,wemayneedtousethepropertiesoflogarithmstosimplifythe
problemfirst.Thepropertiesoflogarithmsarelistedbelowasareminder.

PropertiesforCondensingLogarithms
Property1: 0 =log a1 ZeroExponentRule

Property2: 1 =log a a

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

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

SolvingLogarithmicEquationsContainingOnlyLogarithms

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).

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

sidesoftheequalsign,theproblemcanbesolvedby
droppingthelogarithms.

7x + 3 = 5x +9 Dropthelogarithms.

x =3 Finishsolvingbysubtracting5xfromeachside,subtracting
3fromeachside,andfinallydividingeachsideby2.

x =3 Checktheanswerthisisanacceptableanswerbecausewe
getapositivenumberwhenitispluggedbackin.

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

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

log 7 ((x - 2)(x + 3)) =log 714 Thisproblem canbesimplifiedbyusingProperty3which

changestheaddition of logarithmstomultiplication.

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

x 2 - x - 6 =14 SimplifytheproblembydistributingorFOILingand
combiningliketerms.

x 2 - x - 20 = 0 Solvetheproblembysubtracting14fromeachtogetit
equaltozero,andthenfactoringor usingthequadratic
(x + 4)(x - 5) = 0 formulatofindthevaluesofx.
x = -4 or x =5

x=5 Checktheanswers,onlyoneanswerisacceptablebecause
theotheranswerproducesanegativenumberwhenitis
pluggedbackin.

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.

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

SolvingLogarithmicEquationsContainingTermswithoutLogarithms

Afterobservingthatthelogarithmicequationcontainstermswithoutlogarithms,whatisthenextstep?The
nextstepistosimplifytheproblemusingthepropertiesoflogarithmsandthentorewritethelogarithmic
probleminexponentialform.Afterrewritingtheprobleminexponentialformwewillbeabletosolvethe
resultingproblem.

Letsfinishsolvingtheproblem log 2(5x + 7) =5 fromearlier.

log 2(5x + 7) =5 Thisproblemdoesnotneedtobesimplifiedbecausethere

isonlyonelogarithmintheproblem.

5x + 7 =25 Rewritetheprobleminexponentialformbymovingthe
baseofthelogarithmtotheotherside.

5x + 7 =32 Simplifytheproblem byraising2tothefifthpower.

x =5 Solveforxbysubtracting7fromeachsideandthen
dividingeachsideby 5.

x=5 Checktheanswerthisisanacceptableanswerbecausewe
getapositivenumberwhenitispluggedbackin.

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

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

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.

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

Nowthatwehavelookedatacoupleofexamplesofsolvinglogarithmicequationscontainingtermswithout
logarithms,letslistthestepsforsolvinglogarithmicequationscontainingtermswithoutlogarithms.

StepsforSolvingLogarithmicEquationsContainingTermswithoutLogarithms

Step1: Determineiftheproblemcontainsonlylogarithms.Ifso,stop anduseStepsforSolving

LogarithmicEquationsContainingOnlyLogarithms.Ifnot,gotoStep2.

Step2: Usethepropertiesoflogarithmstosimplifytheproblemif needed.Iftheproblemhas

morethanonelogarithmoneithersideoftheequalsignthentheproblemcanbe
simplified.

Step3: Rewritetheprobleminexponentialform.

Step4: Simplifytheproblem.

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

log 3(9x + 2) = 4 Thisproblemcontainstermswithoutlogarithms.

log 3(9x + 2) =4 Thisproblemdoesnotneedtobesimplifiedbecausethere

isonlyonelogarithmintheproblem.

9x + 2 =34 Rewritetheprobleminexponentialformbymovingthe
baseofthelogarithmtotheotherside.

9x + 2 =81 Simplifytheproblem by raising3tothefourthpower.

79 Solveforxbysubtracting2fromeachsideandthen
x = dividingeachsideby9.
9

79 Checktheanswer thisisanacceptableanswerbecausewe
x = getapositivenumberwhenitispluggedbackin.
9

79
Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblemlog 3(9x + 2) =4 isx = .
9

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

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

log 4(x(x - 12)) =3 Thisproblem canbesimplifiedbyusingProperty3which

changestheaddition of logarithmstomultiplication.

x(x - 12) =43 Rewritetheprobleminexponentialformbymovingthe

baseofthelogarithmtotheotherside.

x 2 - 12x =64 Simplifytheproblem bydistributingandcubingthe4.

x 2 - 12x - 64 = 0 Solvetheproblemby subtracting64fromeachtogetit

equaltozero, andthenfactoringor usingthequadratic
(x + 4)(x - 16) = 0 formulatofindthevaluesofx.
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 Thisproblem canbesimplifiedbyusingProperty4which
log 4 (2x + 1) = log4
3 changesthesubtraction of logarithmstodivision.

x + 2
2x + 1= Dropthelogarithms.
3

3(2x + 1) = x +2 Simplifytheproblembycrossmultiplyingtogetridofthe
fractions.

6x + 3 = x + 2 Solvetheproblemby distributingthe3,subtractingxfrom
eachside,subtracting3from eachside,andfinallydividing
1 by5.
x= -
5

NoSolution Checktheanswers,thisproblemhasNoSolution
becausetheonlyanswerproducesanegativenumberand
wecanttakethelogarithmofanegativenumber.

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

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

log(5x - 11) =2 Thisproblemcontainstermswithoutlogarithms.

log(5x - 11) =2 Thisproblemdoesnotneedtobesimplifiedbecausethere

isonlyonelogarithmintheproblem.

5x - 2 =102 Rewritetheprobleminexponentialformbymovingthe
baseofthelogarithmtotheotherside.Forcommon
logarithmsthebaseis10.

5x - 2 =100 Simplifytheproblem bysquaringthe10.

102 Solveforxby adding2toeachsideandthendividingeach

x = sideby 5.
5

102 Checktheanswerthisisanacceptableanswerbecausewe
x =
5 getapositivenumberwhenitispluggedbackin.

102
Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblem log(5x - 11) =2 isx = .
5
Example5:Solve log 2 (x + 1) - log 2(x - 4) =3

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

x + 1 Thisproblem canbesimplifiedbyusingProperty4which
log 2 = 3
x - 4 changesthesubtraction of logarithmstodivision.

x + 1 3 Rewritetheprobleminexponentialformbymovingthe
= 2
x -4 baseofthelogarithmtotheotherside.
x + 1 Simplifytheproblem bycubingthe2.
= 8
x -4

x + 1 = 8(x - 4) Solveforxby crossmultiplying,distributing,subtracting

8xfromeachside,subtracting1fromeachside,andfinally
x + 1 = 8x - 32 dividingeachsideby 7.
33
x=
7
33 Checktheanswerthisisanacceptableanswerbecausewe
x = getapositivenumberwhenitispluggedbackin.
7

33
Therefore,thesolutiontotheproblemlog 2 (x + 1) - log 2(x - 4) =3 isx = .
7

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

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

log 6 ((x + 4)(x - 2)) =log 6(4x) Thisproblem canbesimplifiedbyusingProperty3which

changestheadditionoflogarithmstomultiplication.

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

x 2 + 2x - 8 =4x Simplifytheproblem bydistributingorFOILingand

combiningliketerms.

x 2 - 2x - 8 = 0 Solvetheproblembysubtracting4xfromeachtogetit
equaltozero,andthenfactoringor usingthequadratic
(x + 2)(x - 4) = 0 formulatofindthevaluesofx.
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

Ifyouwouldliketoseemoreexamplesofsolvinglogarithmicequations,justclickonthelinkbelow.

Additional Examples

PracticeProblems

Nowitisyourturntotryafewpracticeproblemsonyourown.Workoneachoftheproblemsbelowand
thenclickonthelinkattheendtocheckyouranswers.

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

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

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

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

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

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

SolutionstoPracticeProblems