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Section 4.4 Logarithmic and
Exponential Equations

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Logarithmic Equations
Let u, v, and a be positive real numbers, with a  1.
If log a u = log a v, then u = v.

If a and u are positive real numbers, with a  1, then

a loga u = u.

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Exponential Equations

Let a be a positive real number, with a  1.

If a u = a v , then u = v.

If u and r are real numbers, with u positive, then

ln u r = r ln u.

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summary
log a xy = log a x + log a y log a a r = r;
x
log a = log a x − log a y a loga x = x.
y
log a x = r log a x
r

ln x
log a x = .
ln a
If log a u = log a v, then u = v.

ln u r = r ln u.

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Example 13
Solve log x = log( x + 3) − log( x − 1).

𝑥+3
log 𝑥 = log
𝑥−1
𝑥+3
𝑥=
𝑥−1

𝑥 𝑥−1 =𝑥+3

𝑥2 − 𝑥 = 𝑥 + 3

𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 3 = 0 𝑥 = −1; 𝑥 = 3

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Example 13
Solve log x = log( x + 3) − log( x − 1).
Solution: First, use the quotient property of logarithms to write the right side as
a single logarithm:
log x = log( x + 3) − log( x − 1)
 x +3
log( x) = log  . Quotient property of logarithms
 x − 1 
The fact on the preceding slide now shows that
x+3
x=
x −1
x( x − 1) = x + 3 Cross multiply.
x2 − x = x + 3 Distributive Property
x2 − 2 x − 3 = 0 Add − x − 3 to each side and combine like terms
( x − 3)( x + 1) = 0 Factor.
x=3 or x = −1 Set each factor to 0 and solve for x.
Since log x is not defined when x = −1, the only possible solution is x = 3.
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Example 14
Solve log 5 (2𝑥 − 3) = 2

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Example 15
Solve log(𝑥 − 16) = 2 − log(𝑥 − 1)

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Example 16
ln 2𝑥 + 1
Solve =2
ln 3𝑥 − 1

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Example 17
Solve log 2 log 2 𝑥 = 1

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Example 18
1
Solve 5−2𝑥 =
25

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Example 19
2 +𝑥
Solve 5𝑥 =1

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Example 20
Solve 3𝑥 = 5

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Example 21
Solve 32𝑥−1 = 4𝑥+2

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Example 22
Solve 𝑥2
3𝑒 = 600

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Example 23

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Example 23

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