WLB10002/10603 Mathematics 1 Exponents & Logarithms

Tutorial 1

1. Solve each equation in Problem (a) – (h) for x.

(a) 4 x −1 = 16 (d) e ln x = 2 x − 2 (g) e 3 ln x = 8
2 1
(b) 2 x + 4 x = −2
2 (e) log 3 ( x − 1) 2 = 2 (h) e x +3 = π x

(c) 32 x −1 = 6 x 31− x 3
(f) 3 x = 9 x

2. Graph the following functions.

(a) y = 3 x 1
−x
(c) y = 3e − x
(b) y =  
 3

(d) y = 3 x −1

3. The growth of a bacteria is given by the equation N = N o 3t where N o = initial

number of bacteria and t = elapsed time.
(a) Graph the relationship between N and t if N o = 100.
(b) Using the graph, find the number of bacteria at the end of 4 hours.
Verify your answer using a calculator.

4. A biologist finds that bacteria in a Petri dish grow at a rate of 1.8% each hour. If
the biologist starts the culture with 750 cells, how many cells of the culture will she
have at the end of 8 hours? (Use y = ae nx )

5. Convert the following logarithmic expressions into exponential form.

(a) log 4 64 = 3 (b) log343 49 = 2 / 3 (c) ln 148.41 = 5

6. Convert the following exponential expressions into logarithmic form.

(a) 43 = 64 (b) e 4 = 54.6 (c) 125−1 / 3 = 1 / 5

7. Solve the following equations for the variable.

2
(a) log 2 2 x = 4 (e) log x + log 2 = 1
(b) log 4 x( x − 15) = 1 (f) x 2 ln x − 49 ln x = 0
(g) 2 ln e 2 x −3 = 9
(c) log 2 x + log 2 ( x − 15) = 4
(h) x 2 ln x − 18 ln x 2 = 0
(d) ln( x − 1) + ln( x + 1) = 2 ln 12 (i) ln(4 − x ) + ln 2 = 2 ln x

8. Graph the following functions.

(a) y = 2 log x (b) y = ln( x + 3)

1
WLB10002/10603 Mathematics 1 Exponents & Logarithms

9. Evaluate the logarithms by using the properties of logarithms.

(a) log 3 (81 × 27) 4 × 64 (f) log 2 (16 8 )
(d) log 2 ( )
16
 256 
(b) log 4  
 16  64
(e) log 4
(c) log 2 16 3 16

10. Express a single logarithmic expression and simplify, if possible.

(a) 3 log x − 2 log( y + 1)
(b) log x − 2 log y + log( x + 1) − log( y + 3)

11. Given that log 2 = 0.3010, log 3 = 0.4771, and log 5 = 0.6990, find the following
logarithms by using the properties of logarithms.
(a) log12  16   81 
(d) log  (f) log 
(b) log 45 3  25 
(c) log 8 (e) log 200

12. Use the formula for changing bases to evaluate the following expressions.
(a) log 6 2020
(b) log 2 0.0068

13. In chemistry the pH of a solution is given by

pH = -log(H+)

where H+ is hydrogen ion concentration. If the pH of a solution is 8.763, find the

hydrogen ion concentration.

14. Newton’s law cooling states that when a heated object is immersed in a cooling
solution, the temperature T of the object at any time t after immersion is given by

T = To e −0.4t

where To = initial temperature of the cooling solution. Find T when To = 230o and
t = 5s.

15. Bacteria grow rapidly in a certain rich culture, at a rate proportional to their
current number. If 100,000 bacteria grow in number to 150,000 in 2 hours, how many
bacteria will be present after 5 hours?