SOLVING EXPONENTIAL EQUATIONS

WORKSHEET & CHANGE OF BASE

PAPER 1: NON-CALCULATOR

1. Solve without logs. When solving algebraically, the base of the exponent must be the
same, then you can equate the exponents.

a) 2 b) 3x = 81
y =9
3

c) 9 x = 27 d) 2x-2 = 42 x+5
e) 3 x-2 f) x
æ1ö x -1 æ1ö
ç ÷ =8 ç ÷ = 2(8 )
2 x-1

è4ø 2
è ø

g) 82 x-5 + 1 = 2

PAPER 2: CALCULATOR

2. Solve the following exponential equations using a GDC and then using logs.

a) 3x = 17 b) 2 x+1 = 34

c) 3x = 52 x-1 d) 55 x -1 = 31-2 x

e) −
1
m 4
=5

3. Use the change of base formula to evaluate each log expression. Check your answer
by writing it in exponential form.

a) log 194 b) log 2.6

! 16 ! 14

4. Show that log 8 1000 = log 2 10 algebraically. Hint – change the base to base 2….
!

YEAR 11 UPPER CANADA COLLEGE MHF4U

CHALLENGE:

5. Solve the equations without a calculator; then, with a calculator:

a) 2 x = 32 ( 2 4 x ) b)
2 x−2
⎛ 1⎞
⎜⎝ ⎟⎠ = 3 ( 27 x+1 )
9

c) 4x - ( 3) 2x + 2 = 0 d) 22 x+3 - 7(2x+1 ) + 5 = 0

YEAR 11 UPPER CANADA COLLEGE MHF4U