Edexcel AS Maths Exponentials & logarithms

Section 1: Exponential functions and logarithms

Solutions to Exercise level 2

1. (i) log 12 = log(2 2  3) = log2 2 + log3 = 2 log2 + log3

 16   24 
(ii) log   = log  33  = log2 − log3 = 4log2 − 3log3
4 3

 27   

(iii) log 54 = log ( 2  33 ) 2 = log2 2 + log3 2 = 21 log2 + 23 log3

1 1 3

1
3 32 1
(iv) log = log 4 = log3 2 − log2 4 = 21 log3 − 4log2
16 2

2. (i) 2 x = 18
log2 x = log 18
x log2 = log 18
log 18
x= = 4.17 (3 s.f.)
log2

(ii) 5 x = 100
log 5 x = log 100
x log 5 = log 100
log 100
x= = 2.86 (3 s.f.)
log 5

(iii) 1.5 x = 0.001

log 1.5 x = log0.001
x log 1.5 = log0.001
log0.001
x= = −17.0 (3 s.f.)
log 1.5

(iv) 10 x = 2
log 10 x = log2
x log 10 = log2
log2
x= = 0.301 (3 s.f.)
log 10

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Edexcel AS Maths Exp and logs 1 Exercise solutions

3. (i) log3 x = − 21
− 21 1
x =3 =
3

(ii) 2 log x + log 10 = log 90

 log x 2 + log 10 = log 90
 10 x 2 = 90
 x2 = 9
x =3
(Note that x = -3 does not satisfy the equation, as log (-3) is undefined)

1
(iii) log10   = −3
x
1 −3 1
   = 10 =
x 1000
 x = 1000

(
(iv) log x + log y = 21 log 9 y 2 )
 log( xy ) = log(3 y )
 xy = 3 y
x =3

4. P = 500  1.04t
(i) (a)After 1 month, t = 1
12 .
1
P = 500  1.04 = 501.64
12

Amount after 1 month = £501.64.

(b)After 6 months, t = 0.5

P = 500  1.040.5 = 509.90
Amount after 6 months = £509.90.

(c)After 1 year, t = 1
P = 500  1.041 = 520
Amount after 1 year = £520.00.

(d)After 5 years, t = 5
P = 500  1.045 = 608.33
Amount after 5 years = £608.33.

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Edexcel AS Maths Exp and logs 1 Exercise solutions

(ii) 500  1.04t  800

1.04t  1.6
t log 1.04  log 1.6
t  11.98
11.98 years = 11 years 11.76 months
It will first exceed £800 after 12 years 0 months.

5. (i) 3a = 21
 a log3 = log21
log21
a = = 2.77 (3 s.f.)
log3

(ii) (1.005 )x = 1.1

 x log(1.005 ) = log(1.1)
log(1.1)
x= = 19.1 (3 s.f.)
log(1.005 )

1
(iii) 50 a = 10
1
 log 50 = log 10
a
log 50
a =  1.699 (3 d.p.)
log 10

12
x 
(iv)  1 +  = 1.25
 100 
x 
 12 log  1 +  = log(1.25 )
 100 
x  1
 log  1 + = log(1.25 ) = 0.0080758......
 100  12
x
1+ = 100.0080758 = 1.018769......
100
 x = 1.877 (3 d.p.)

6. The solution in 5(iv) shows that a monthly interest rate of approximately 1.877% is
equivalent to an annual rate of 25% on a debt.

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