Name Class Date

16.2 Solving Exponential Equations

Essential Question: What are some ways you can solve an equation of the form ab x = c,
where a and c are nonzero real numbers and b is greater than 0 and
not equal to 1?
Resource
Locker

Explore Solving Exponential Equations Graphically

One way to solve exponential equations is graphically. First, graph each side of the equation separately. The point(s)
at which the two graphs intersect are the solutions of the equation.

 First, look at the equation 275e 0.06x = 1000. To solve the equation graphically, split it into
two separate equations.

y1 =

y2 =

B What will the graphs of y 1 and y 2 look like?

 Graph y 1 and y 2 using a graphing calculator.

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 The x-coordinate of the point of intersection is approximately .

 So, the solution of the equation is x ≈ .

 Now, look at the equation 10 2x = 10 4. Split the equation into two separate equations.

y1 =

y2 =

Module 16 799 Lesson 2

 What will the graphs of y 1 and y 2 look like?

 Graph y 1 and y 2 using a graphing calculator.

 The x-coordinate of the point of intersection is .

 So, the solution of the equation is x ≈ .

Reflect

1. How can you check the solution of an exponential equation after it is found graphically?

Explain 1 Solving Exponential Equations Algebraically

In addition to solving exponential equations graphically, exponential equations can be solved algebraically. One way to
solve exponential equations is to rewrite them in logarithmic form. Another way is to use the Property of Equality for
Logarithmic Equations which states that for any positive numbers x, y, and b (b ≠ 1), log b x = log b y if and only if x = y.

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Example 1 Solve the equations. Give the exact solution and an approximate solution
to three decimal places.

 10 = 5e 4x

10 = 5e 4x Original equation

2 = e 4x Divide both sides by 5.

ln 2 = 4x Rewrite in logarithmic form.

___
ln 2
= __
4x
Divide both sides by 4.
4 4
___ = x
ln 2
Simplify.
4
0.173 ≈ x Evaluate. Round to three decimal places.

Module 16 800 Lesson 2

 B ​5 ​ ​- 4 = 7
x

​5 ​x​ - 4  = 7 Original equation

​5 ​x​ - 4 +   = 7 + Add to both sides.

​5 ​x​  =  Simplify.

log​5x​ ​  = log  Take the common logarithm of both sides.

  =  log 11 Power Property of Logarithms

 log 
x  =  _
​   ​   Divide both sides by log 5.
 log 

x≈ Evaluate. Round to three decimal palces.

Reflect

2. Consider the equation 2​  ​x - 3​ = 85. How can you solve this equation using logarithm base 2?

3. Discussion  When solving an exponential equation with base e, what is the benefit of taking the natural
logarithm of both sides of the equation?
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Your Turn

Solve the equations. Give the exact solution and an approximate solution to three
decimal places.
4. 2​e x​ - 1​ + 5 = 80 5. ​6 ​3x​= 12

Module 16 801 Lesson 2

 Explain 2 Solve a Real-World Problem by Solving
an Exponential Equation
Suppose that $250 is deposited into an account that pays 4.5% compounded quarterly. The equation A = P (1 + __4r )
n

gives the amount A in the account after n quarters for an initial investment P that earns interest at a rate r. Solve for n
to find how long it will take for the account to contain at least $500.

Analyze Information
Identify the important information.

• The initial investment P is $ .

• The interest rate is %, so r is .

• The amount A in the account after n quarters is $ .

Formulate a Plan
( )
n
Solve the equation for A = P 1 + __4r for by substituting in the known
information and using logarithms.

Solve

( )
n

= 1+_ Substitute.
4

( )
n
0.045
= 1+_ Divide both sides by 250.
4

2= n
Evaluate the expression in
parentheses.

log 2 = log 1.01125 n Take the common logarithm of

both sides.

log 2 =

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log Power Property of Logarithms

log
__ = n Divide both sides by log 1.01125.
log

≈n Evaluate.

Module 16 802 Lesson 2

 Justify and Evaluate

It will take about quarters, or about years, for the account to

contain at least $500.
Check by substituting this value for n in the equation and solving for A.

( 0.045
A = 250 1 + _
4 ) Substitute.

= 250( )
61.96

Evaluate the expression in parentheses.

≈ 250 ( ) Evaluate the exponent.

≈ Multiply.

So, the answer is reasonable.

Your Turn

6. How long will it take to triple a $250 initial investment in an account that pays 4.5% compounded
quarterly?

Elaborate
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7. Describe how to solve an exponential equation graphically.

8. Essential Question Check-In Describe how to solve an exponential equation algebraically.

Module 16 803 Lesson 2

 Evaluate: Homework and Practice
• Online Homework
Solve the equations graphically. • Hints and Help
• Extra Practice
1. 4e 0.1x = 60

2. 120e 2x = 75e 3x

3. 5 = 625e 0.02x

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Module 16 804 Lesson 2

 Solve the equations graphically. Then check your
solutions algebraically.

4. ​ ​= 5​e ​-3x​
10​e 6x 5. 450​e ​0.4x​= 2000

Solve the equations. Give the exact solution and an approximate

solution to three decimal places.
6. ​6 ​3x - 9​ - 10 = -3 7. 7​e ​3x​= 42
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2x - ​
​  _ 1 
1​1 ​6x + 2​ = 12 ​ = 250
 
8. 9. ​e  ​ 3

Module 16 805 Lesson 2

 x  ​ 
10. ​​(1​0 ​x​)​ ​ + 90 = 105
​ _
11. ​5 ​ 4 ​ = 30
2

Solve.

12. The price P of a gallon of gas after t years is given by the

equation P = ​​P 0​ ​​( 1 + r )​  t​​, where P
​  ​0​is the initial price of gas and
r is the rate of inflation. If the price of a gallon of gas is currently
$3.25, how long will it take for the price to rise to $4.00 if the
rate of inflation is 10.5%?

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13. Finance  The amount A in a bank account after t years is given by the equation
A = ​A 0​ ​​​(1 + _​  6r ​ )​​ ​, where ​A 0​ ​is the initial amount and r is the interest rate. Suppose
6t

there is $600 in the account. If the interest rate is 4%, after how many years will the
amount triple?

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Module 16 806 Lesson 2

 14. A baseball player has a 25% chance of hitting a home run during a game. For how
many games will the probability of hitting a home run in every game drop to 5%?

15. Meteorology  In one part of the atmosphere where the temperature is a constant
-70 °F, pressure can be expressed as a function of altitude by the equation
P​(h)​= 128​​(10)-0.682h
​​ ​, where P is the atmospheric pressure in kilopascals (​ kPa)​ and
h is the altitude in kilometers above sea level. The pressure ranges from 2.55 kPa to
22.9 kPa in this region. What is the range of altitudes?
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Module 16 807 Lesson 2

16. You can choose a prize of either a $20,000 car or one penny on the first day, double
that (​ 2 cents)​on the second day, and so on for a month. On what day would you
receive at least the value of the car?

17. Population  The population of a small coastal resort

town, currently 3400, grows at a rate of 3% per year. This
growth can be expressed by the exponential equation
P = 3400​​(1 + 0.03)​​ ​, where P is the population after
t

t years. Find the number of years it will take for the

population to reach 10,000.

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18. A veterinarian has instructed Harrison to give his 75-lb

(t)©Destinations/Corbis; (b)©Birgid Allig/Corbis

dog one 325-mg aspirin tablet for arthritis. The amount of
aspirin A remaining in the dog’s body after t minutes can
()
t__
​    ​ 
be expressed by A = 325​​ __
​  12 ​ ​​ 15 ​. How long will it take for the
amount of aspirin to drop to 50 mg?

Module 16 808 Lesson 2

 19. Agriculture  The number of farms in Iowa (​ in thousands)​can be modeled by
N​(t)​= 119​​(0.987)​ ​ ​, where t is the number of years since 1980. According to the
t

model, when will the number of farms in Iowa be about 80,000?

20. Match the equations with the solutions.

​ ​= 27
e 3x
a. 9​      x ≈ 1.099
e ​ ​= 27
b. 9​ x
     x ≈ 1.022
e ​
c. 9​ ​ = 27
3x - 4
     x ≈ 0.366
e ​ ​+ 2 = 27
d. 9​ 3x
     x ≈ 1.700
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Module 16 809 Lesson 2

 H.O.T.   Focus on Higher Order Thinking

21. Explain the Error  A student solved the equation e​  ​4x​- 6 = 10 as shown. Find and
correct the student’s mistake. Is there an easier way to solve the problem? Verify that
both methods result in the same answer.
e ​4x​- 6 = 10
​
​ ​= 16
e 4x
​
​ ​= log 16
log ​e 4x
4x log e = log 16
4x​(1)​ = log 16
log 16
x=_ ​   ​   
4
x ≈ 0.301

22. Multi-Step  The amount A in an account after t years is given by the equation
A = P​e ​rt​, where P is the initial amount and r is the interest rate.
Find an equation that models approximately how long it will take for the initial
a. 
amount P in the account to double with the interest rate r. Write the equation in
terms of the interest rate expressed as a percent.

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Module 16 810 Lesson 2

 The Rule of 72 states that you can find the approximate time it will take to double
b. 
your money by dividing 72 by the interest rate. The rule uses 72 instead of 69
because 72 has more divisors, making it easier to calculate mentally. Use the Rule
of 72 to find the approximate time it takes to double an initial investment of $300
with an interest rate of 3.75%. Determine that this result is reasonable by solving
the equation A = ​P 0​ ​​​(1.0375)​ ​ ​, where A is the amount after t years and P
t
​  0​ ​is the
initial investment.

23. Represent Real-World Problems  Suppose you have an initial mass M ​  0​ ​of a
radioactive substance with a half-life of h. Then the mass of the parent isotopes at
time t is P​(t)​= ​M 0​ ​​​( __
​  12 ​  )​ ​​ h  ​​. Since the substance is decaying from the original parent
__t

isotopes into the new daughter isotopes while the mass of all the isotopes remains
constant, the mass of the daughter isotopes at time t is D​(t)​= ​M 0​ ​ - P​(t)​. Find
when the masses of the parent isotopes and daughter isotopes are equal. Explain the
meaning of your answer and why it makes sense.

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Module 16 811 Lesson 2

Lesson Performance Task
The frequency of a note on the piano, in Hz, is related to its
position on the keyboard by the function f ​(n)​= 440 ⋅ ​2 ​​  12  ​ ​, where
__
n

n is the number of keys above or below the note concert A,

concert A being the A key above middle C on the piano. Using
this function, find the position n of the key that has a frequency of
110 Hz. Why is this number a negative value?

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Module 16 812 Lesson 2