Logarithms

2x
 6  1
1. Given that 9x × 22x = 54x – 1, show that    .
 25  5
Hence, find the value of x, correct to 3 significant figures.

Solutions
(32)x × 22x = (52)2x × 5-1
62x = 252x × 1/5
(6/25)2x = 1/5 (shown)

lg (6/25)2x = lg (1/5)
2x lg (6/25) = lg (1/5)
2x = lg (1/25) ÷ lg (6/25)
x = 0.56387 ≈ 0.564

2. Given that logx 2 = a and logx 3 = b, express each of the following in terms of a and b.

(a) logx 2¼

8x 3
(b) log x
27

(c) log6 x

Solutions
(a) logx (9/4) = logx 9 – logx 4
= logx 32 – logx 22
= 2 logx 3 – 2 logx 2
= 2b – 2a
= 2(b – a)

(b) logx 8 + logx x3 – logx √27

= logx 23 + 3 logx x – logx 33/2
= 3 logx 2 + 3 – 3/2 logx 3
= 3a + 3 – 3/2 b
= 3(a + 1 – ½b)

log x x 1 1 1 1
(c)    
log x 6 log x 6 log x  2  3 log x 2  log x 3 a  b

3. Solve the following equations.

(a) 32 + n + 33 – n = 84

Solutions
32 × 3n + 33 × 3-n = 84
9 × 3n + 27/3n = 84
Let u = 3n
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 9u + 27/u = 84
9u2 + 27 = 84u
9u2 – 84u + 27 = 0
3u2 – 28u + 9 = 0
(u – 9)(3u – 1) = 0
u = 9 or u = 1/3
3n = 9 or 3n = 1/3
3n = 32 3n = 3-1
n = 2 or n = -1

1 
(b) lg  3   1  lg x
x 

Solutions
 1  3x 
lg   lg x  1
 x 
 1  3x 1 
lg   1
 x x
1  3x
 10
x2
1 + 3x = 10x2
10x2 – 3x – 1 = 0
(2x – 1)(5x + 1) = 0
x = ½ or x = -1/5 (rejected)

(c) 1 + log2 y = logy 64

Solutions
log 2 64
1  log 2 y 
log 2 y
Let u = log2 y
1 + u = log2 26/u
u + u2 = 6
u2 + u – 6 = 0
(u + 3)(u – 2) = 0
u = -3 or u = 2
log2 y = -3 log2 y = 2
y = 2-3 y = 22
= 1/8 =4

4. Solve the equation 9x – 12(3x – 1) = 5.

Solutions
32x – 12(3x ·3-1) – 5 = 0
32x – 4(3x) – 5 = 0
Let u = 3x
u2 – 4u – 5 = 0
(u + 1)(u – 5) = 0

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 u = -1 or u = 5
3x = -1 (rejected) 3x = 5
lg 3x = lg 5
x lg 3 = lg 5
x = lg 5/lg 3
x = 1.46 (3 sig. fig.)

5. Solve the equation 5 lg x + 3 logx 10 = 8.

Solutions
3 lg 10
5 lg x  8  0
lg x
3
5 lg x  8  0
lg x
Let u = lg x
5u + 3/u – 8 =0
5u2 + 3 – 8u = 0
5u2 – 8u + 3 = 0
(5u – 3)(u – 1) = 0
u = 3/5 or u = 1
lg x = 3/5 lg x = 1
x = 103/5 x = 10
= 3.98 (3 sig. fig.)

6. (a) Solve log9 y + log3 y = 6.

Solutions
log 3 y
 log 3 y  6
log 3 9
log 3 y
 log 3 y  6
log 3 3 2
log 3 y
 log 3 y  6
2
3/2 log3 y = 6
log3 y = 6 × 2/3
=4
y = 34
= 81

(b) Calculate the value of x for which 2e2x – 3ex = 5.

Solutions
Let u = ex
2u2 – 3u = 5
2u2 – 3u – 5 = 0
(2u – 5)(u + 1) = 0
u = 5/2 or u = -1
ex = 5/2 ex = -1 (rejected)

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 x = ln 2.5
= 0.916 (3 sig. fig.)

7. Given that e6x – 7 = yx and that ln y + 7 = 6x, calculate the values of x and y.

Solutions
e6x – 7 = yx
ln e6x – 7 = ln yx
(6x – 7) ln e = x ln y
6x – 7 = x ln y ------- (1)

ln y + 7 = 6x
ln y = 6x – 7 ------ (2)
x ln y = ln y
x ln y – ln y = 0
ln y (x – 1) = 0
ln y = 0 or x = 1
y = e0 = 1
When y = 1, ln 1 + 7 = 6x
x = 7/6
When x = 1, ln y = 6 – 7 = -1
y = e-1 = 0.368 (3 sig. fig.)
Ans: x = 1, y = 0.368 or x = 7/6, y = 1

8. Given that log8 (p + 2) + log8 q = r – ⅓ and that log2 (p – 2) – log2 q = 2r + 1, show that p2
= 4 + 32r. If r = 1, find the values of p and q.

Solutions
log8 (p + 2) + log8 q = r – 1/3
log8 q(p + 2) = r – 1/3
q(p + 2) = 8r – 1/3
q(p + 2) = (23)r – 1/3
q(p + 2) = 23r – 1 -------- (1)

log2 (p – 2) – log2 q = 2r + 1
p2
log 2  2r  1
q
p2
 2 2 r 1 ------- (2)
q

(1) × (2), (p + 2)(p – 2) = 23r – 1 · 22r + 1

p2 – 4 = 25r
p2 = 4 + 32r (shown)

If r = 1, p2 = 4 + 32 = 36
p = 6 or p = -6 (rejected)
q(6 + 2) = 22
q = 4/8 = ½

~End~
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