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)![]() ![]() 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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \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 \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( " \n" ); document.write( " |