Exponential functions and logarithms: Logarithmic functions
Isolating variables
Using what we learned when rewriting logarithms, we can rewrite exponential functions to a function of the form #x=\ldots#. We call this isolating #x#.
We can rewrite the function #y=5\cdot 4^{x-1}# as an equation of the form #x=\blue{a}+\log_{\green{b}}\left(\purple{c}\cdot y\right)#.
\[\begin{array}{rcl}5\cdot 4^{x-1}&=&y\\&& \blue{\text{original equation}}\\4^{x-1}&=&\frac{y}{5}\\&&\blue{\text{both sides divided by }5}\\x-1&=&\log_4\left(\frac{y}{5}\right)\\&&\blue{a^b=c\text{ gives }b=\log_a\left(c\right)}\\x&=&\log_4\left(\frac{y}{5}\right)+1\\&&\blue{\text{add }1\text{ on both sides}}\end{array}\]
We can also isolate #x# from more difficult functions, as we can see in the following examples.
Isolate #x# from the following equation.
\[y=37+4^{1.6\cdot x+8}\]
\[y=37+4^{1.6\cdot x+8}\]
#x=# #\frac{\log_{4}\left(y-37\right)-8}{1.6}#
\(\begin{array}{rcl}
y&=&37+4^{1.6\cdot x+8}\\
&&\phantom{xxx}\blue{\text{the original equation}}\\
4^{1.6\cdot x+8}&=&y-37\\
&&\phantom{xxx}\blue{\text{swapped and moved the constant term to the right}}\\
1.6\cdot x+8&=&\log_{4}\left(y-37\right)\\
&&\phantom{xxx}\blue{a^b=c \text{ gives } b=\log_a\left(c\right)}\\
1.6\cdot x&=&\log_{4}\left(y-37\right)-8\\
&&\phantom{xxx}\blue{\text{moved the constant term to the right}}\\
x&=&\dfrac{\log_{4}\left(y-37\right)-8}{1.6}\\
&&\phantom{xxx}\blue{\text{both sides divided by }1.6}
\end{array}\)
\(\begin{array}{rcl}
y&=&37+4^{1.6\cdot x+8}\\
&&\phantom{xxx}\blue{\text{the original equation}}\\
4^{1.6\cdot x+8}&=&y-37\\
&&\phantom{xxx}\blue{\text{swapped and moved the constant term to the right}}\\
1.6\cdot x+8&=&\log_{4}\left(y-37\right)\\
&&\phantom{xxx}\blue{a^b=c \text{ gives } b=\log_a\left(c\right)}\\
1.6\cdot x&=&\log_{4}\left(y-37\right)-8\\
&&\phantom{xxx}\blue{\text{moved the constant term to the right}}\\
x&=&\dfrac{\log_{4}\left(y-37\right)-8}{1.6}\\
&&\phantom{xxx}\blue{\text{both sides divided by }1.6}
\end{array}\)
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