7.

Equivalent Forms of Exponential Equations

The Great One

How many names do people have? How many do you have? People can be identied in more ways than you may immediately realize. For example, consider how the names and terms on this visual could be used to describe the same person. In this way, numbers are like people. They can be represented in a variety of ways, depending on the situation. Think about powers. Can any number be written as a power of any other number? If so, how and why might this be useful?
#99

Wayne

Wayne Gretzky

Husband

Daddy

<< P7-3>>
Coach

Captain

Brother

Son

Investigate
Tools

How can exponential growth be modelled in di erent ways?

1. a) Use linking cubes to model the growth of bacteria in a petri dish.

linking cubes graphing calculator or computer with The Geometers Sketchpad

b) Explain how these models illustrate the sequence 4n, n 0, 1, 2, . . . . c) Build a model to represent the next term in this pattern, 43. 2. a) Build or examine the following models.

b) Explain how these models illustrate the sequence 22n, n c) Build a model to represent the next term in this pattern, 2

0, 1, 2, . . . .
2(3)

3. a) Compare the number of cubes in each stage of both patterns. Are they the same? b) How can you represent the next term in each pattern? Will this require the same number of cubes in each case? 364 MHR Advanced Functions Chapter 7

4. R e f l e c t a) What do these observations suggest about the functions f(x) g(x) 22x? 4x and

b) Predict the results when f and g are graphed on the same set of axes. Use graphing technology to verify this relationship for x . c) Apply algebraic reasoning to prove this relationship.

Exponential functions can be represented in many different ways. It is often useful to express an exponential expression using a different base than the one that is given.

Example 1

Change the Base of Powers

c) 16 ( 32)
5

Express in terms of a power with a base of 2. a) 8 b) 43

3

d) 12

Solution
a) 8 b) 4
3

23 (2 ) 26
2 3

8 is the third power of 2. Write 4 as 22. Apply the power of a power law.
3

c) 16

( 32)

16 2
4 _

1 _ 1 _

32 5
15 _

3 _

Write radicals in exponential form.

3 _

(24) 2 22 2 2 d) 12
2 5

(25) 5 25 2
3

Express the bases as powers of 2. Apply the power of a power law and simplify.

This cannot be solved by inspection as in part a). To express 12 as a power of 2, solve the equation 2k 12 for k. 2k log 2
k

12 log 12 log 12 log 12 __ log 2 Take the common logarithm of both sides. Apply the power law of logarithms. Divide both sides by log 2.

k log 2 k

Therefore, 12 can be written as power of 2:

log 12 __

12

2 log 2

This result can be veried by using a calculator.

7.1 Equivalent Forms of Exponential Equations MHR 365

The result of Example 1d) suggests that any positive number can be expressed as a power of any other positive number.

Example 2
a) 4
x 5

Solve an Equation by Changing the Base

x

Solve each equation. 64 8

x

b) 42x

Solution
a) 4 CONNECTIONS x x log x a log x b a log x b log x a b Two exponents are equal if their exponential expressions have the same base and are equal.
a b x 5

64

Method 1: Apply a Change of Base

4 4 4 x
x x 5 5 5

64 4

x x

(43)
3x

Express the base on the right side as a power with base 4. Apply the power of a power law. Equate exponents. Solve for x.

5 5 x

3x 2x 5 _ 2

Method 2: Use a Graphing Calculator

Enter the left side of the equation as one function and the right side as another function and identify where the graphs intersect. It may be necessary to experiment with the window settings in order to view the point of intersection.

Use the Intersect operation to determine the coordinates of the point of intersection.

The solution is x

2.5.

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MHR Advanced Functions Chapter 7

b)

42x (22)2x 2
4x

8 2

3 x 9 3

(23)
3x

Express bases as powers of 2. Apply the power of a power law. Equate exponents. Solve for x.

4x x

3x 9

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KEY CONCEPTS

>

Exponential functions and expressions can be expressed in different ways by changing the base. Changing the base of one or more exponential expressions is a useful technique for solving exponential equations. Graphing technology can be used to solve exponential equations.

Communicate Your Understanding

C1 a) Explain how you can write 162 with base 4. b) Explain how you can write 162 with two other, different, bases. C2 Examine these graphing calculator screens.

a) What exponential equation is being solved? b) What is the solution? Explain how you know. C3 Can any number be written as a power of any other number? If yes, explain how, with a supporting example. If not, explain why not, with a counterexample.

7.1 Equivalent Forms of Exponential Equations MHR 367

Practise
For help with questions 5 and 6, refer to Example 2. 5. Solve. Check your answers using graphing technology. a) 24x b) 25x c) 3w
1 1 1

For help with questions 1 to 4, refer to Example 1. 1. Write each expression with base 2. 2 1 d) 14 a) 46 b) 83 c) _ 8

()

4x

2. Write each expression with base 3. 4 1 1 a) 272 b) _ c) 10 d) _ 3 2

()

53x 9w
1 5

3. a) Write 28 as a power of a number other than 2. b) Write 28 as a power with a base that is different than the one you chose in part a). c) Use a calculator to check that these powers are equivalent. 4. Write each expression as a single power of 4. a) ( 16)3 c) 64 ( 128)3
4 3 b) 16 d) ( 2)8

d) 363m

62m

6. Solve. Check your answers using graphing technology. a) 43x b) 27x c) 1252y d) 162k
3

8x 92x
1

3 3

25y 32k
3

( 2)4

Connect and Apply

Reasoning and Proving Representing Selecting Tools Problem Solving Connecting Re ecting

7. Consider the equation 102x 1002x 5. a) Solve this equation by expressing both sides as powers of a common base.

9. a) Identify two equivalent exponential expressions that have different bases. b) Build or draw a concrete model that illustrates their equality. c) Use graphical or algebraic reasoning to prove their equality. 10. Solve. Check your answers using graphing technology. a) ( 8)x b) 9k
1

Communicating

b) Solve the same equation by taking the common logarithm of both sides, as shown in Chapter 6. c) Reect on these techniques. Which do you prefer, and why? 8. a) Build or draw a concrete model that represents the rst few terms of the sequence described by f(n) (23)n, n 0, 1, 2, . . . . b) Repeat part a) for the sequence described by g(n) 8n, n 0, 1, 2, . . . . c) Explain how your model illustrates that f(n) g(n). d) Use graphical or algebraic reasoning to prove that f(n) g(n), n .

2x

( 27)2k 2x.

11. Consider the equation 10

a) Solve the equation for x by taking the common logarithm of both sides.
1 _

b) Use this result to show that 10

1 _

2 log 2 .

c) Apply algebraic reasoning to show that 10 3 log 3 .

12. Develop a formula that shows how 10 can be written as a power of any base b 0. 13. Apply algebraic reasoning to show that
log a _

b log b for any a, b

0.

368

MHR Advanced Functions Chapter 7

 Achievement Check
14. Consider the equation 812x 9x
3

a) Solve this equation by expressing both sides as a power with base 3. b) Solve the same equation by expressing both sides as a power with base 9. c) Use Technology Solve the same equation using graphing technology.

d) Reect on these methods. Which do you prefer, and why? e) Create an exponential equation that can be solved by choosing more than one common base. Solve the equation using multiple strategies.

Extend and Challenge

i) 2
3x x 2

15. a) Solve each inequality. 4

x 1

ii) 81

272x

b) Use Technology Use a sketch to help you explain how you can use graphing technology to check your answers. Use your method and check the answers. c) Create an inequality involving an exponential expression. Solve the inequality using graphing technology.

16. Use Technology The word exponential is often used to indicate very fast growth. But do exponential functions always grow faster than power functions? a) Look at the following pairs of functions in different viewing windows and make a note of what you see. i) y ii) y 2x and y 1.1x and y x3 x10

b) Use a graphing calculator to graph p(x) x4 and q(x) 3x. For what values of x is the exponential function growing faster than the quartic function?

CAREER CONNECTION
Rose is an electrical engineer. She works for a company that specializes in industrial and environmental noise control, vibration, and architectural acoustics. In her last project, she was involved in the design of a large performance theatre. Rose learned about ray tracing, sound transmission, and reverberation analysis. The new theatre was designed to have excellent acoustics and musical clarity. Rose trained for her career by taking a 4-year bachelor of engineering degree at Ryerson University.

7.1 Equivalent Forms of Exponential Equations MHR 369