SOLVING EXPONENTIAL EQUATIONS
SOLVING EXPONENTIAL EQUATIONS 
Note:
If you would like an in-depth review of exponents, the rules of exponents, exponential functions and exponential equations, click on exponential function.
Solve for x in the following equation.
Example 4:
In order to solve this equation, we have to isolate the exponential term.
Since we cannot easily do this in the equation's present form, let's tinker
with the equation until we have it in a form we can solve.
We cannot easily factor this problem. Therefore, let's see if we can use the
Quadratic Formula to solve the problem even thought the equation does not
look like a quadratic equation. In fact, it is a quadratic equation in 
Let's rewrite the equation 
with the following
substitutions: 
and 
Now you should recognize this as a quadratic equation in p where a=1,
b=6, and c=-15.
We have two answers for p. However, the original equation did not contain a
p. We used p to put the original equation into an equation we could solve.
Now, take the p back to
Take the natural logarithm of both sides of the equation 
The exact solution is 
and the
approximate solution is 
This answer may or may
not be the solution. You must check it in the original equation.
Check the answers in the original equation.
Check the solution by substituting
0.641316629016 in the original equation for x. If the left side of the
equation equals the right side of the equation after the substitution, you
have found the correct answer.
You can also check your answer by graphing f(x)= 
(formed by subtracting the right side of the
original equation from the left side). Look to see where the graph crosses
the x-axis; that will be the real solution. Note that the graph crosses the
x-axis at one place: 0.641316629016. This means that 0.641316629016 is
the real solution.
If you would like to work another example, click on Example
If you would like to test yourself by working some problems similar to this
example, click on Problem
If you would like to go to the next section, click on Next
If you would like to go back to the equation table of contents, click on
Contents.
Do you need more help? Please post your question on our
S.O.S. Mathematics CyberBoard.
