SOLVING LOGARITHMIC EQUATIONS

Note:

If you would like an in-depth review of logarithms, the rules of logarithms, logarithmic functions and logarithmic equations, click on logarithmic function.

Solve for x in the following equation.

Example 5:

$\log _{x}\left( 6\right) =10$

Note that the domain of $\log _{x}\left( 6\right)$ is the set of real numbers greater than zero and not equal to 1 because of the base restrictions on logarithmic functions.

The exact value is $x=\sqrt[10]{6}$ and the approximate value is 1.19623119885. $x\approx 1.19623119885.\bigskip\bigskip\bigskip$

Check the solution $x=6\cdot \left( \displaystyle \frac{3}{5}\right) ^{\displaystyle \frac{6}{7}}$ by substituting $x\approx 1.19623119885$ 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.

Left Side: $\qquad \log _{x}\left( 6\right) =10\approx \log _{1.19623119885}\left( 6\right)... ...aystyle \frac{\ln \left( 6\right) }{\ln \left( 1.19623119885\right) }\approx 10$
Right Side: $\qquad 10$

Since the left side of the original equation is equal to the right side of the original equation after we substitute the value 1.19623119885 for x, then $x\approx 1.19623119885$ is a solution.

You can also check your answer by graphing $\quad f(x)=\log _{x}\left( 6\right) -10\quad$ (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 1.19623119885. This means that 1.19623119885 is the real solution.

If you have trouble graphing $\quad f(x)=\log _{x}\left( 6\right) -10,$ convert it to the equivalent equation $\quad f(x)=\displaystyle \frac{\log \left( 6\right) }{\log \left( x\right) }-10$

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 back to the equation table of contents, click on Contents.
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Author: Nancy Marcus