Section 4.

5 Exponential and Logarithmic Equations

Exponential Equations
An exponential equation is one in which the variable occurs in the exponent. EXAMPLE: Solve the equation 2x = 7. Solution 1: We have 2x = 7 [ [ ] x log2 2 = log2 7 x = log2 7 2.807 Solution 2: We have 2x = 7 ln 2x = ln 7 x ln 2 = ln 7 x= EXAMPLE: Solve the equation 4x+1 = 3. Solution 1: We have 4x+1 = 3 ] log4 4x+1 = log4 3 [ ] (x + 1) log4 4 = log4 3 x + 1 = log4 3 x = log4 3 1 Solution 2: We have 4x+1 = 3 ln 4x+1 = ln 3 (x + 1) ln 4 = ln 3 x+1= x= EXAMPLE: Solve the equation 3x3 = 5. 1 ln 3 ln 4 ln 3 1 ln 4 [ ln 7 2.807 ln 2 log2 2x = log2 7 ]

EXAMPLE: Solve the equation 3x3 = 5. Solution 1: We have 3x3 = 5 x 3 = log3 5 x = log3 5 + 3 Solution 2: We have 3x3 = 5 ln 3x3 = ln 5 (x 3) ln 3 = ln 5 x3= x= ln 5 ln 3 ln 5 +3 ln 3

EXAMPLE: Solve the equation 8e2x = 20. Solution: We have 8e2x = 20 e2x = 20 5 = 8 2 5 2

2x = ln

ln 5 1 5 x = 2 = ln 2 2 2 EXAMPLE: Solve the equation e32x = 4 algebraically and graphically. Solution: We have e32x = 4 3 2x = ln 4 2x = ln 4 3 x= ln 4 3 3 ln 4 = 0.807 2 2 2

EXAMPLE: Solve the equation e2x ex 6 = 0. Solution 1: We have e2x ex 6 = 0 (ex )2 ex 6 = 0 (ex 3)(ex + 2) = 0 ex 3 = 0 ex = 3 or ex + 2 = 0 ex = 2

The equation ex = 3 leads to x = ln 3. But the equation ex = 2 has no solution because ex > 0 for all x. Thus, x = ln 3 1.0986 is the only solution. Solution 2: Put ex = w. Then e2x ex 6 = 0 w2 w 6 = 0 (w 3)(w + 2) = 0 w3=0 w=3 ex = 3 or w+2=0 w = 2 ex = 2

The equation ex = 3 leads to x = ln 3. But the equation ex = 2 has no solution because ex > 0 for all x. Thus, x = ln 3 1.0986 is the only solution. EXAMPLE: Solve the equation e2x 3ex + 2 = 0.

EXAMPLE: Solve the equation e2x 3ex + 2 = 0. Solution 1: We have e2x 3ex + 2 = 0 (ex )2 3ex + 2 = 0 (ex 1)(ex 2) = 0 ex 1 = 0 ex = 1 x=0 Solution 2: Put ex = w. Then w2 3w + 2 = 0 (w 1)(w 2) = 0 w1=0 w=1 ex = 1 x=0 or w2=0 w=2 ex = 2 x = ln 2 or ex 2 = 0 ex = 2 x = ln 2

EXAMPLE: Solve the equation 72x 3 7x + 1 = 0. Solution: Put 7x = w. Then = w = ( ) 3 3 5 5 so 7x = , therefore x = log7 . 2 2 w2 3w + 1 = 0 (3) (3)2 4 1 1 3 5 = 21 2

EXAMPLE: Solve the equation 72x 7x 1 = 0. Solution: Put 7x = w. Then w w 1 = 0 = 1 5 Since < 0, it follows that 2
2

w=

(1)

(1)2 4 1 (1) 1 5 = 21 2 ( ) 1+ 5 2

1 + 5 7x = 2

x = log7

EXAMPLE: Solve the equation 3xex + x2 ex = 0. Solution: We have 3xex + x2 ex = 0 xex (3 + x) = 0 x(3 + x) = 0 x=0 x=0 or 3+x=0 x = 3

Logarithmic Equations
A logarithmic equation is one in which a logarithm of the variable occurs. EXAMPLE: Solve the equation ln x = 8. Solution: We have ln x = 8 ] [ ln x e = e8 x = e8

EXAMPLE: Solve the equation log2 (x + 2) = 5. Solution: We have log2 (x + 2) = 5 [ 2log2 (x+2) = 25 x + 2 = 25 x = 25 2 = 30 EXAMPLE: Solve the equation log7 (25 x) = 3. Solution: We have log7 (25 x) = 3 [ log (25x) ] 7 7 = 73 25 x = 73 x = 25 73 = 318 EXAMPLE: Solve the equation 4 + 3 log(2x) = 16. ]

EXAMPLE: Solve the equation 4 + 3 log(2x) = 16. Solution: We have 4 + 3 log(2x) = 16 3 log(2x) = 12 log(2x) = 4 2x = 104 x= 104 = 5000 2

EXAMPLE: Solve the equation log(x + 2) + log(x 1) = 1 algebraically and graphically. Solution: We have log(x + 2) + log(x 1) = 1 log[(x + 2)(x 1)] = 1 (x + 2)(x 1) = 10 x2 + x 2 = 10 x2 + x 12 = 0 (x + 4)(x 3) = 0 or x3=0 x=3

x+4=0 x = 4

We check these potential solutions in the original equation and nd that x = 4 is not a solution (because logarithms of negative numbers are undened), but x = 3 is a solution. To solve the equation graphically we rewrite it as log(x + 2) + log(x 1) 1 = 0 and then graph y = log(x + 2) + log(x 1) 1. The solutions are the x-intercepts of the graph.

EXAMPLE: Solve the following equations (a) log(x + 8) + log(x 1) = 1 (b) log(x2 1) log(x + 1) = 3 6

EXAMPLE: Solve the following equations (a) log(x + 8) + log(x 1) = 1 (b) log(x2 1) log(x + 1) = 3 Solution: (a) We have log(x + 8) + log(x 1) = 1 log[(x + 8)(x 1)] = 1 (x + 8)(x 1) = 10 x2 + 7x 8 = 10 x2 + 7x 18 = 0 (x + 9)(x 2) = 0 x+9=0 x = 9 or x2=0 x=2

We check these potential solutions in the original equation and nd that x = 9 is not a solution (because logarithms of negative numbers are undened), but x = 2 is a solution. (b) We have log(x2 1) log(x + 1) = 3 log x2 1 =3 x+1 x2 1 = 103 x+1 (x 1)(x + 1) = 1000 x+1 x 1 = 1000 x = 1001 EXAMPLE: Solve the equation x2 = 2 ln(x + 2) graphically. Solution: We rst move all terms to one side of the equation x2 2 ln(x + 2) = 0. Then we graph y = x2 2 ln(x + 2). The solutions are the x-intercepts of the graph.

EXAMPLE: Find the solution of the equation, correct to two decimal places. (a) 10x+3 = 62x (b) 5 ln(3 x) = 4 (c) log2 (x + 2) + log2 (x 1) = 2 7

EXAMPLE: Find the solution of the equation, correct to two decimal places. (a) 10x+3 = 62x (b) 5 ln(3 x) = 4 (c) log2 (x + 2) + log2 (x 1) = 2 Solution: (a) We have 10x+3 = 62x ln 10x+3 = ln 62x (x + 3) ln 10 = 2x ln 6 x ln 10 + 3 ln 10 = 2x ln 6 x ln 10 2x ln 6 = 3 ln 10 x(ln 10 2 ln 6) = 3 ln 10 x= 3 ln 10 5.39 ln 10 2 ln 6

(b) We have 5 ln(3 x) = 4 ln(3 x) = 4 5

3 x = e4/5 x = 3 e4/5 0.77 (c) We have log2 (x + 2) + log2 (x 1) = 2 log2 (x + 2)(x 1) = 2 (x + 2)(x 1) = 4 x2 + x 2 = 4 x2 + x 6 = 0 (x 2)(x + 3) = 0 x2=0 x=2 or x+3=0 x = 3

Since x = 3 is not from the domain of log2 (x + 2) + log2 (x 1), the only answer is x = 2. 8

Applications
EXAMPLE: If I0 and I denote the intensity of light before and after going through a material and x is the distance (in feet) the light travels in the material, then according to the BeerLambert Law ( ) 1 I ln =x k I0 where k is a constant depending on the type of material. (a) Solve the equation for I. (b) For a certain lake k = 0.025 and the light intensity is I0 = 14 lumens (lm). Find the light intensity at a depth of 20 ft. Solution: (a) We rst isolate the logarithmic term. 1 ln k ln ( ( I I0 I I0 ) =x ) = kx

I = ekx I0 I = I0 ekx (b) We nd I using the formula from part (a). I = I0 ekx = 14e(0.025)(20) 8.49 The light intensity at a depth of 20 ft is about 8.5 lm. EXAMPLE: A sum of $5000 is invested at an interest rate of 5% per year. Find the time required for the money to double if the interest is compounded according to the following method. (a) Semiannual (b) Continuous

EXAMPLE: A sum of $5000 is invested at an interest rate of 5% per year. Find the time required for the money to double if the interest is compounded according to the following method. (a) Semiannual (b) Continuous

Solution: (a) We use the formula for compound interest ( r )nt A(t) = P 1 + n with P = $5000, A(t) = $10, 000, r = 0.05, n = 2 and solve the resulting exponential equation for t. ( )2t 0.05 5000 1 + = 10, 000 2 (1.025)2t = 2 log 1.0252t = log 2 2t log 1.025 = log 2 t= The money will double in 14.04 years. (b) We use the formula for continuously compounded interest A(t) = P ert with P = $5000, A(t) = $10, 000, r = 0.05 and solve the resulting exponential equation for t. 5000e0.05t = 10, 000 e0.05t = 2 0.05t = ln 2 t= The money will double in 13.86 years. EXAMPLE: A sum of $1000 is invested at an interest rate of 4% per year. Find the time required for the amount to grow to $4000 if interest is compounded continuously. ln 2 13.86 0.05 log 2 14.04 2 log 1.025

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EXAMPLE: A sum of $1000 is invested at an interest rate of 4% per year. Find the time required for the amount to grow to $4000 if interest is compounded continuously. Solution: We use the formula for continuously compounded interest A(t) = P ert with P = $1000, A(t) = $4000, r = 0.04 and solve the resulting exponential equation for t. 1000e0.04t = 4000 e0.04t = 4 0.04t = ln 4 t= ln 4 34.66 0.04

The amount will be $4000 in about 34 years and 8 months.

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