Exponential Equations

Exponential equations, as the name suggests, involve exponents. We know that the
exponent of a number (base) indicates the number of times the number (base) is
multiplied. But, what happens if the power of a number is a variable? When the power
is a variable and if it is a part of an equation, then it is called an exponential equation.
We may need to use the connection between the exponents and logarithms to solve the
exponential equations.

Let us learn the definition of exponential equations along with the process of solving
them when the bases are the same and when the bases are not the same along with a
few solved examples and practice questions.

What are Exponential Equations?

An exponential equation is an equation with exponents where the exponent (or) a part
of the exponent is a variable. For example, 3x = 81, 5x - 3 = 625, 62y - 7 = 121, etc… are
some examples of exponential equations. We may come across the use of exponential
equations when we are solving the problems of algebra, compound
interest, exponential growth, exponential decay, etc.

Types of Exponential Equations

There are three types of exponential equations. They are as follows:

 Equations with the same bases on both sides. (Example: 4x = 42)

The equations in algebra involving variable exponents are called equations with
exponents or exponential equations. In other words, we can say that algebraic
equations in which variables occur as exponents are known as the equations with
exponents. Some of the examples of such an equation are, 3x + 4 = 81, -23y-7 = -64,
etc.

Exponential Equations Formulas

While solving an exponential equation, the bases on both sides may be the same or
may not be the same. Here are the formulas that are used in each of these cases,
which we will learn in detail in the upcoming sections.

Note: Logarithms will be

Property of Equality for Exponential Equations

This property is useful to solve an exponential equation with the same bases. It says
when the bases on both sides of an exponential equation are equal, then the exponents
must also be equal. i.e.,

ax = ay ⇔ x = y.

Solving Exponential Equations with Same Bases

Sometimes, an exponential equation may have the same bases on both sides of the
equation. For example, 5x = 53 has the same base 5 on both sides. Sometimes, though
the exponents on both sides are not the same, they can be made the same. For
example, 5x = 125. Though it doesn't have the same bases on both sides of the
equation, they can be made the same by writing it as 5x = 53 (as 125 = 53). To solve
the exponential equations in each of these cases, we just apply the property of equality
of exponential equations, using which, we set the exponents to be the same and solve
for the variable.

Here is another example where the bases are not the same but can be made the same.

Example: Solve the exponential equation 7𝑦+1 = 343𝑦 .

Solution:

We know that 343 = 73 (using prime factorization). Using this, the given equation can
be written as,

7𝑦+1 = (73 )𝑦

Now the bases on both sides are the same. So we can set the exponents to be the
same.

𝑦 + 1 = 3𝑦

𝑦 − 𝑦 + 1 = 3𝑦 − 𝑦

1 2𝑦
=
2 2
1
=𝑦
2
 27
Example 1: Solve = 36 .
3−𝑥

Solution: We know that 27 = 33 . We can make the bases to be the same on both
sides using this.

33
= 36
3−𝑥
𝑎𝑚
Using the quotient property of exponents = 𝑎𝑚−𝑛 we can say:
𝑎𝑛

33−(−𝑥) = 36

33+𝑥 = 36

Now the bases on both sides are the same. So we can set the exponents to be
equal.

3+𝑥 = 6

3−3+𝑥 = 6−3

𝑥=3

Therefore, the solution of the given exponential equation is x = 3.

Example 2: Solve for x:

269𝑥+5 = 1

Knowing that 𝑥 0 = 1, we can say:

Now the bases on both sides are the same. So we can set the exponents to be equal.

9𝑥 + 5 = 0
9𝑥 + 5 − 5 = 0 − 5
9𝑥 −5
=
9 9
−5
𝑥=
9
Example 3: Solve for x:

273𝑥−2 = 812𝑥+7

Knowing that 33 = 27 and 34 = 81, we can say:

(33 )3𝑥−2 = (34 )2𝑥+7

Using the power rule (𝑎𝑚 )𝑛 = 𝑎𝑚∗𝑛 , we multiply the powers using the distributive
property:

39𝑥−6 = 38𝑥+28

Now the bases on both sides are the same. So we can set the exponents to be equal.

9𝑥 − 6 = 8𝑥 + 28
9𝑥 − 8𝑥 − 6 = 8𝑥 − 8𝑥 + 28
𝑥 − 6 + 6 = 28 + 6
𝑥 = 34

Example 4: Solve for x:

192
= 16𝑥−2
48

Using prime factorization we find that 192 = 2 × 2 × 48, and 16 = 24 , we can say that:

22 × 48
= (24 )𝑥−2
48

By simplifying 48 in both the numerator and denominator we’re left with:

22 = 24𝑥−8

Now the bases on both sides are the same. So we can set the exponents to be equal.

2 = 4𝑥 − 8
2 + 8 = 4𝑥 − 8 + 8
10 4𝑥
=
4 4
𝑥 = 2.5
Example 5: Solve for x:

1
47−3𝑥 =
16
1
Knowing that 16 = 42 , and the negative exponent rule 𝑥 −𝑦 = 𝑥 𝑦 we can say:

1
47−3𝑥 =
42

47−3𝑥 = 4−2

Now the bases on both sides are the same. So we can set the exponents to be equal.

7 − 3𝑥 = −2

7 − 7 − 3𝑥 = −2 − 7

−3𝑥 −9
=
−3 −3

𝑥=3