SOLVING EXPONENTIAL AND LOGARITHMIC

EQUATIONS
SOLVING EQUATIONS WITH THE SAME BASE
To solve an exponential equation, the following property is sometimes helpful:
If a > 0 , a 1 , and

a x = a y , then x = y.

Similarly, we have the following property for logarithms:

If

log x = log y , then x = y .

_______________________________________________________________________
Example: Solve log3 (5 x 6) = log3 ( x + 2) for x:
Solution:
log3 (5 x 6) = log3 ( x + 2)
5x 6 = x + 2
5x x = 2 + 6
4x = 8
x=2
_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Example: Solve 2 x +1 = 8 for x.
Solution: Here, the bases are not the same, but we find that we are able to manipulate the
right-hand side to make the bases the same.
2 x +1 = 8

2 x +1 = 2 3
x +1 = 3
x=2
_______________________________________________________________________

CANCELLATION LAWS
Since the exponential and logarithmic functions are inverse functions, cancellation laws
apply to give:
log a (a x ) = x for all real numbers x

a log a x = x for all x > 0

We know that e is the most convenient base to work with for exponential and logarithmic
functions. The same cancellation laws apply for the natural exponential and the natural
logarithm:

ln(e x ) = x

for all real numbers x

e ln x = x

for all x > 0

These last two cancellation laws will be especially useful if you study calculus. To solve
a simple exponential equation, you can take the natural logarithm of both sides.
(Technically, you can take the logarithm with any base, but the natural log is often the
easiest.) Similarly, to solve a simple logarithmic equation, you can take the natural
exponential of both sides. At this point, the equation can be solved using basic algebra.
_______________________________________________________________________
Example: Solve e 2 x = 8 for x.
Solution:

e2x = 8
ln(e 2 x ) = ln(8)
2 x = ln(8)
x=

ln(8)
2

_______________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________
Example: Solve ln( x + 5) = 4 for x.
Solution:

ln( x + 5) = 4
e ln( x +5 ) = e 4
x + 5 = e4
x = e4 5

_______________________________________________________________________