Exponents & Logarithms

2x
1. Solve the equation 9x–1 =  1  .
3 [4]

2. Solve the equation 43x–1 = 1.5625 × 10–2. [4]

3. If loga 2 = x and loga 5 = y, find in terms of x and y, expressions for

(a) log2 5;

(b) loga 20. [4]

2
 P 
4. Let log10P = x , log10Q = y and log10R = z. Express log10   in terms of x , y and z.
3 
[4]
 QR 

1
5. Solve the equation log9 81 + log9 + log9 3 = log9 x. [4]
9

6. Solve the equation log27 x = 1 – log27 (x – 0.4). [6]

7. Consider the following statements

A: log10 (10x) > 0.

B: –0.5  cos (0.5x)  0.5.

π π
C: –  arctan x  .
2 2
(a) Determine which statements are true for all real numbers x. Write your answers (yes or
no) in the table below.

Statement (a) Is the statement true for all (b) If not true, example
real numbers x? (Yes/No)

(b) If a statement is not true for all x, complete the last column by giving an example of one
value of x for which the statement is false. [6]

8. Given that log5 x = y, express each of the following in terms of y.

(a) log5 x2 (b) log5  1  (c) log25 x [6]

 x

1
9. Let p = log10 x, q = log10 y and r = log10 z.

 x 
Write the expression log10  2  in terms of p, q and r. [6]
y z
 

10. Let a = log x, b = log y, and c = log z.

 x2 y 
Write log  3  in terms of a, b and c. [6]
 z 
 

11. Find the exact solution of the equation 92x = 27(1–x). [6]

12. (a) Given that log3 x – log3 (x – 5) = log3 A, express A in terms of x.

(b) Hence or otherwise, solve the equation log3 x – log3 (x – 5) = 1. [6]

13. (a) Let logc 3 = p and logc 5 = q. Find an expression in terms of p and q for

(i) log c 15 (ii) log c 25.

1
(b) Find the value of d if log d 6 = . [6]
2

14. Let ln a = p, ln b = q. Write the following expressions in terms of p and q.

 a
(a) ln a3b (b) ln  
 b 
  [6]

15. Given that p = loga 5, q = loga 2, express the following in terms of p and/or q.

(a) loga 10 (b) loga 8 (c) loga 2.5 [6]

Answers

1 7. 1
1. 10. 2a + b − 3c
2 2
A N x = –l (log10 0.1 = –1)
2 3
2. − 11.
3 B N x = 0 (cos 0 = 1) 7
C Y N/A x
y 12 (a) A = (b) 7.5
3. (a) (b) 2x + y x−5
x
8 (a) 2y (b) −y (c) ½ y 13 (a)(i) p + q (ii) 2q (b) 36
4. 2x – 2y – 6z
1
5. 27 9. p – 2q –
1
r 14 (a) 3p + q (b) p−q
2 2
6. 5.4
15 (a) p + q (b) 3q (c) p − q