document.write( "Question 416851: log base 2 (x-2)+log base 2(8-x)-log base 2(x-5)=3 \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #853637 by MathTherapy(10699)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
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document.write( "log base 2 (x-2)+log base 2(8-x)-log base 2(x-5)=3\r\n" );
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document.write( "\"log+%282%2C+%28x+-+2%29%29+%2B+log+%282%2C+%288+-+x%29%29+-+log+%282%2C+%28x+-+5%29%29+=+3\"\r\n" );
document.write( " Looking at the above, we see that x - 5 is SMALLER than x - 2, so we'll have: x - 5 > 0, which means that x > 5. \r\n" );
document.write( " Also, 8 - x MUST be > 0, so - x > - 8, and x < \"%28-+8%29%2F%28-+1%29\", so x < 8. We now get: \r\n" );
document.write( "\"log+%282%2C+%28x+-+2%29%29+%2B+log+%282%2C+%288+-+x%29%29+-+log+%282%2C+%28x+-+5%29%29+=+3\", with 5 < x < 8 \r\n" );
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document.write( "            \"log+%282%2C+%28%28%28x+-+2%29%288+-+x%29%29%2F%28x+-+5%29%29%29+=+3\"\r\n" );
document.write( "                  \"%28%28x+-+2%29%288+-+x%29%29%2F%28x+-+5%29+=+2%5E3\"\r\n" );
document.write( "                  \"%28%28x+-+2%29%288+-+x%29%29%2F%28x+-+5%29+=+8\"\r\n" );
document.write( "                 (x - 2)(8 - x) = 8(x - 5)\r\n" );
document.write( "                 \"8x+-+x%5E2+-+16+%2B+2x+=+8x+-+40\"\r\n" );
document.write( "          \"-+x%5E2+%2B+10x+-+8x+-+16+%2B+40+=+0\"\r\n" );
document.write( "                   \"-+x%5E2+%2B+2x+%2B+24+=+0\" <=== As seen HERE, the quadratic equation is NOT x^2 - 18x - 24 = 0, as @Stanbon states. \r\n" );
document.write( "               \"-+x%5E2+%2B+6x+-+4x+%2B+24+=+0\" \r\n" );
document.write( "          - x(x - 6) - 4(x - 6) = 0\r\n" );
document.write( "               (x - 6)(- x - 4) = 0\r\n" );
document.write( "                x - 6 = 0       OR    - x - 4 = 0\r\n" );
document.write( "                   x = 6       OR    - 4 = x (IGNORE)\r\n" );
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document.write( "Of the 2 solutions above, ONLY the value 6, for x, is > 5, but < 8. This is why x = 6 is ACCEPTED as a solution, while x = - 4\r\n" );
document.write( "is IGNORED/REJECTED!!
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