Mathematics

Logarithms

Unit 2.1: Log equations

Grade 12
Solving equations using Logarithms
Example 1:
Solve the following equation and round your answer off to three
decimal places: 2𝑥𝑥 = 3

Solution:
In grade 10, you would have used trial and error to find the solution to
this exponential equation as the bases can never be the same. It is
much easier to use logarithms to solve these types of equations.

Method 1:

Use the definition of logs

2𝑥𝑥 = 3

𝑥𝑥 = log 2 3 Use the definition to

change from exponential
to log form

𝑥𝑥 = 1.585 Use on the calculator

Method 2:

Take the log to base 10 on both sides

2𝑥𝑥 = 3

log 2𝑥𝑥 = log 3 If A = B, then

log 𝐴𝐴 = log 𝐵𝐵
∴ 𝑥𝑥 log 2 = log 3 Law 3

log 3 Divide both sides by log 2

∴ 𝑥𝑥 =
log 2
𝑥𝑥 = 1.585 Use your calculator
Example 2
Solve for 𝑥𝑥 and approximate the answer to 2 decimal
places.
20𝑥𝑥 − 60 = 0

Solution:

20𝑥𝑥 − 60 = 0

20𝑥𝑥 = 60 Isolate the x term

log 20𝑥𝑥 = log 60 Apply log to both sides

𝑥𝑥 log 20 = log 60 definition

log 60 Isolate the x term

𝑥𝑥 =
log 20
𝑥𝑥 = 1,37 Calculator use

Example 3
Solve for 𝑥𝑥 and approximate the answer to 2 decimal
places.
21𝑥𝑥
= 10
7𝑥𝑥

Solution:

21𝑥𝑥
= 10
7𝑥𝑥
21 𝑎𝑎𝑛𝑛 𝑎𝑎
( )𝑥𝑥 = 10 = ( )𝑛𝑛
7 𝑏𝑏 𝑛𝑛 𝑏𝑏
3 𝑥𝑥 = 10

𝑥𝑥 = log3 10 Definition

log 10 Law 4
𝑥𝑥 =
log 3
𝑥𝑥 = 2,10 Calculator
Before discussing the next example it is important to
remember the restrictions for the logarithmic expression
log 𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎 .

The expression log 𝑏𝑏 𝑎𝑎 is defined for 𝑎𝑎 > 0, 0 < 𝑏𝑏 < 1 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑏𝑏 > 1.
In other words, 𝑎𝑎 cannot be negative or zero, whereas the
base 𝑏𝑏 cannot be negative, zero or 1.

Example 4:
Solve the following equation log 𝑥𝑥 4 = 2

Solution:

log 𝑥𝑥 4 = 2

∴ 4 = 𝑥𝑥 2 Definition

∴ 𝑥𝑥 = ±2 Root both sides

∴ 𝑥𝑥 = 2 Since 𝑥𝑥 ≠ −2

Example 5:
Solve the following equation (3 − log 𝑥𝑥)(2 + log 𝑥𝑥) = 0

Solution:

(3 − log 𝑥𝑥)(2 + log 𝑥𝑥) = 0

3 − log 𝑥𝑥 = 0 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 2 + log 𝑥𝑥 = 0 Zero product

rule
3 = log 𝑥𝑥 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 log 𝑥𝑥 = −2

103 = 𝑥𝑥 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 10−2 = 𝑥𝑥 definition

1
𝑥𝑥 = 1000 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑥𝑥 =
100
Example 6
Solve for x in the following:
log 𝟐𝟐 𝒙𝒙 − 𝟐𝟐 + log 2 𝒙𝒙 − 𝟑𝟑 = 𝟏𝟏

Solution:

log 𝟐𝟐 𝒙𝒙 − 𝟐𝟐 + log 2 𝒙𝒙 − 𝟑𝟑 = 𝟏𝟏

log 2 𝑥𝑥 − 2 𝑥𝑥 − 3 = 1 Reverse of Law 1

21 = (𝑥𝑥 − 2)(𝑥𝑥 − 3) Definition

2 = 𝑥𝑥 2 − 3𝑥𝑥 − 2𝑥𝑥 + 6

𝑥𝑥 2 − 5𝑥𝑥 + 6 − 2 = 0

𝑥𝑥 2 − 5𝑥𝑥 + 4 = 0

𝑥𝑥 − 1 𝑥𝑥 − 4 = 0

𝑥𝑥 = 1 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑥𝑥 = 4 But 𝑥𝑥 ≠ 1 since 𝑥𝑥 − 2 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑥𝑥 −

3 from the original equation
will be negative for=x=1
𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑥𝑥 = 4
Exercise
Exercise
Solutions