+0  
 
0
647
2
avatar+386 

Hi!

 

I have log base x (16) = 4/3

 

Now I tried going:

 

16= x ^ 4/3

 

16 = (x^1/3)^4

 

then sqrt 4 on each side 

 

we then have:

 

2 = x^1/3

 

But here I am stuck. Anything I try goes nowhere from here. Maybe I didn't approach the problem the right way?

 

Thanks!

 Aug 1, 2016
 #1
avatar+23251 
0

You have:  (x1/3)4  =  16

 

Then you took the fourth root of both sides:

      this will give you either  x1/3  =  2    or    x1/3  =  -2

 

Now you need to cube both sides:

      (x1/3)3  =  (2)3          and         (x1/3)3  =  (-2)3    

              x  =  8                                    x  =  -8

 

But, unless you are using complex numbers, logs don't have negative numbers for bases, so the only answer is:  x = 8.

 

You started correctly, just keep going!

 Aug 1, 2016
 #2
avatar+9665 
0

\(\displaystyle\log_x16 = \dfrac{4}{3}\\ x^{\frac{4}{3}} = 16\\ x^4 = 16^3\\ \;\;\;\;=4096\\ x= \pm\sqrt[4]{4096}\\ \;\;=\pm 8\)

\(\text{log with base -8 is impossible} \therefore \text{x = 8}\)

Same as geno's answer

.
 Aug 1, 2016
edited by MaxWong  Aug 1, 2016

2 Online Users