document.write( "Question 863604: How to solve 2log(x+1) - log (x+3) = log1 \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #520486 by Theo(13342)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
rules of log that apply (rule numbers are mine created for this problem only):
\n" ); document.write( "rule 1:
\n" ); document.write( "a*log(b) = log(b^a)
\n" ); document.write( "rule 2:
\n" ); document.write( "log(a) - log(b) = log(a/b)
\n" ); document.write( "rule 3:
\n" ); document.write( "if log(a) = log(b) then a = b
\n" ); document.write( "rule 4:
\n" ); document.write( "you cannot take the log of a negative number\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "original problem:
\n" ); document.write( "2log(x+1) - log(x+3) = log(1)
\n" ); document.write( "apply rule 1 to get:
\n" ); document.write( "log((x+1)^2) - log(x+3) = log(1)
\n" ); document.write( "apply rule 2 to get:
\n" ); document.write( "log((x+1)^2)/(x+3)) = log(1)
\n" ); document.write( "apply rule 3 to get:
\n" ); document.write( "(x+1)^2/(x+3) = 1
\n" ); document.write( "multiply both sides of this equation by (x+3) to get:
\n" ); document.write( "(x+1)^2 = (x+3)
\n" ); document.write( "subtract (x+3) from both sides of this equation to get:
\n" ); document.write( "(x+1)^2 - (x+3) = 0
\n" ); document.write( "simplify by performing indicated operations to get:
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 + 2x + 1 - x - 3 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "simplify by combining like terms to get:
\n" ); document.write( "x^2 + x - 2 = 0
\n" ); document.write( "factor to get:
\n" ); document.write( "(x+2) * (x-1) = 0
\n" ); document.write( "solve for x to get:
\n" ); document.write( "x = -2
\n" ); document.write( "x = 1
\n" ); document.write( "apply rule 4 to reject x = -2 as a valid answer because 2log(x+1) becomes 2log(-1).\r
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\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "your solution is x = 1.
\n" ); document.write( "substitute for x in the original equation to confirm this solution is good.\r
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