Name:

Gr 10 Date: Term 1 Time: 1 HR

CAPS Reference
Exponents
Topic Exponential equations

1. GOT IT! [15 MIN]

Solve for 𝑥𝑥, in the following exponential equations.

Example 1:
Take Nota!!!
3𝑥𝑥+1 = 9
𝑥𝑥 + 1 is the exponent.
3𝑥𝑥+1 = 32
Express both sides of the equal sign as powers
𝑥𝑥 + 1 = 2
of the same base.
𝑥𝑥 = 2 − 1
As soon as the bases are the same, we equate
𝑥𝑥 = 1 exponents
Then make use of basic rule of solving for 𝑥𝑥.

Example 2:
2.7𝑥𝑥−2 = 686 1) Take the 2 over, the idea is to get the power on its
7𝑥𝑥−2 = 686 ÷ 2 own.

7𝑥𝑥−2 = 343
2) The base of the power is 7…that is
7 𝑥𝑥−2
=7 3
your hint…. You should change 343 to a power
𝑥𝑥 − 2 = 3 with 7 as a base
𝑥𝑥 = 3 − 2
3) Bases are the same solve for 𝑥𝑥 by equating
𝑥𝑥 = 1 exponents.
Example 3:
1 𝑥𝑥−2
4. � � = 36
27
Take Nota
1 𝑥𝑥−2
� 3� = 36 ÷ 4 1
3 = 3−3
27

(3−3 )𝑥𝑥−2 = 9

3−3𝑥𝑥+6 = 32
−3𝑥𝑥 + 6 = 2
−3𝑥𝑥 = 2 − 6
−3𝑥𝑥 = −4
4
𝑥𝑥 =
3

2. GO AHEAD [20 MIN]

Solve for 𝒙𝒙, in the following exponential equations.: Make sure you show all your work

2.1 3. 2𝑥𝑥 = 12 2.2 6𝑥𝑥+3 = 1

2.3 7𝑥𝑥+4 = 49 1
2.4 9𝑥𝑥+2 =
81

2.5 (52𝑥𝑥 )2 = 125 2.6 4𝑥𝑥+5 = 16𝑥𝑥−2

2.7 5𝑥𝑥 + 5𝑥𝑥+1 = 30 2.8 3𝑥𝑥+2 − 3𝑥𝑥 = 72

2.9 (2𝑥𝑥 )𝑥𝑥−2 = 8 2

2.10 4𝑥𝑥 = 16𝑥𝑥−4

3. CHECK YOUR WORK! [10 MIN]

 Name: Answers

Gr 10 Date: Term 1 Time: 1 HR

CAPS Reference
Exponents
Topic Exponential equations

2.1 3. 2𝑥𝑥 = 12 2.2 6𝑥𝑥+3 = 1

2𝑥𝑥 = 12 ÷ 3 6𝑥𝑥+3 = 60
2𝑥𝑥 = 4 𝑥𝑥 + 3 = 0
2𝑥𝑥 = 22 𝑥𝑥 = −3
𝑥𝑥 = 2

2.3 7𝑥𝑥+4 = 49 1
2.4 9𝑥𝑥+2 =
7𝑥𝑥+4 = 72 81
𝑥𝑥 + 4 = 2 𝑥𝑥+2
1
9 = 2
𝑥𝑥 = 2 − 4 9
𝑥𝑥 = −2 9𝑥𝑥+2 = 9−2
𝑥𝑥 + 2 = −2
𝑥𝑥 = −2 − 2
𝑥𝑥 = −4

2.5 (52𝑥𝑥 )2 = 125 2.6 4𝑥𝑥+5 = 16𝑥𝑥−2

54𝑥𝑥 = 53 4𝑥𝑥+5 = (42 )𝑥𝑥−2
4𝑥𝑥 = 3 4𝑥𝑥+5 = 42𝑥𝑥−4
3 𝑥𝑥 + 5 = 2𝑥𝑥 − 4
𝑥𝑥 =
4 5 + 4 = 2𝑥𝑥 − 𝑥𝑥
9 = 𝑥𝑥

2.7 5𝑥𝑥 + 5𝑥𝑥+1 = 30 2.8 3𝑥𝑥+2 − 3𝑥𝑥 = 72

5𝑥𝑥 (1 + 51 ) = 30 3𝑥𝑥 (32 − 1) = 72
5𝑥𝑥 (6) = 30 3𝑥𝑥 (9 − 1) = 72
5 𝑥𝑥 = 30 ÷ 6 3𝑥𝑥 (8) = 72
5 𝑥𝑥 = 5 3 𝑥𝑥 = 72 ÷ 8
𝑥𝑥 = 1 3 𝑥𝑥 = 9
3 𝑥𝑥 = 32
𝑥𝑥 = 2

2.9 (2𝑥𝑥 )𝑥𝑥−2 = 8 2

2.10 4𝑥𝑥 = 16𝑥𝑥−4
2
2𝑥𝑥 −2𝑥𝑥 = 23 2
4𝑥𝑥 = (42 )𝑥𝑥−4
𝑥𝑥 2 − 2𝑥𝑥 − 3 = 0 2
4𝑥𝑥 = 42𝑥𝑥−8
(𝑥𝑥 − 3)(𝑥𝑥 + 1) = 0 𝑥𝑥 2 = 2𝑥𝑥 − 8
𝑥𝑥 − 3 = 0 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑥𝑥 + 1 = 0 2
𝑥𝑥 − 2𝑥𝑥 + 8 = 0
𝑥𝑥 = 3 𝑥𝑥 = −1 (𝑥𝑥 + 2)(𝑥𝑥 − 4) = 0
𝑥𝑥 + 2 = 0 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑥𝑥 − 4 = 0
𝑥𝑥 = −2 𝑥𝑥 = 4