how do you solve exponential and logarithmic equations and word problems of any kind?
Practice!!
Here are a few links to practice:
http://www.sosmath.com/algebra/logs/log5/log5.html
https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra2/exponential-and-logarithmic-functions/solving-exponential-models/e/exponential-models-word-problems
https://www.analyzemath.com/math_problems/exp_log_problems.html
~~Hypotenuisance