The Mathematics Digital Library (mathematics-dl.

org)

Solutions to Exercise 7.5

(Ho Soo Thong, David Khor Nyak Hiong and Yan
Kow Cheong’s Additional Maths 360 ‒ ISBN
9789810117481)

Solved by:
Dr Lee Chu Keong
(ascklee@gmail.com)

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The Mathematics Digital Library (mathematics-dl.org)

Exercise 7.5 (p. 185186)

Basic
Question 1(a)
log 5 (𝑥 + 1) = log 5 3
𝑥+1=3
𝑥 =3−1
=2

Question 1(b)
log 2 (𝑥 − 1) = log 2 (4𝑥 − 7)
𝑥 − 1 = 4𝑥 − 7
7 − 1 = 4𝑥 − 𝑥
6 = 3𝑥
6
𝑥=
3
=2

Question 1(c)
log 3 𝑥 + log 3 (𝑥 + 2) = 1
log 3 𝑥 + log 3 (𝑥 + 2) = log 3 3
log 3 (𝑥 ⋅ (𝑥 + 2)) = log 3 3
𝑥 ⋅ (𝑥 + 2) = 3
𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 = 3
𝑥 2 + 2𝑥 − 3 = 0
(𝑥 + 3)(𝑥 − 1) = 0

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Question 2(a)
log 𝑥 25 + log 𝑥 5 = 3
log 𝑥 (25 ⋅ 5) = 3
𝑥 3 = 25 ⋅ 5
= 125
1
𝑥 = 1253
=5

Question 2(b)
3 log 𝑥 2 + log 𝑥 18 = 2
log 𝑥 23 + log 𝑥 18 = 2
log 𝑥 (23 ⋅ 18) = 2
𝑥 2 = 23 ⋅ 18
= 144
∴ 𝑥 = 12

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Question 3(a)
(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 2) = 2𝑥 − 1
𝑥 2 − 4 = 2𝑥 − 1
Rearranging:
𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 3 = 0
Factorising:
(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 + 1) = 0

Question 3(b)
(𝑥 − 2)(8 − 𝑥)
=8
𝑥−5
(𝑥 − 2)(8 − 𝑥) = 8(𝑥 − 5)
8𝑥 − 𝑥 2 − 16 + 2𝑥 = 8𝑥 − 40
Rearranging:
0 = 𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 − 24
Factorising:
0 = (𝑥 − 6)(𝑥 + 4)

Question 3(c)
(𝑥 − 1)2 = 4(𝑥 + 2)
𝑥 2 − 2𝑥 + 1 = 4𝑥 + 8
Rearranging:
𝑥 2 − 6𝑥 − 7 = 0
Factorising:
(𝑥 − 7)(𝑥 + 1) = 0

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Question 4(a)
log 3 𝑥 = 9 log 𝑥 3
9
log 3 𝑥 =
log 3 𝑥
(log 3 𝑥)2 = 9
log 3 𝑥 = ±3
log 3 𝑥 = 3 log 3 𝑥 = −3
𝑥 = 33 𝑥 = 3−3
= 27 1
=
27

Question 4(b)
3
log 3 𝑥 + 2 =
log 3 𝑥
Let 𝑝 = log 3 𝑥:
3
𝑝+2=
𝑝
Multiplying throughout by 𝑝:
𝑝2 + 2𝑝 = 3
Rearranging:
𝑝2 + 2𝑝 − 3 = 0
Factorising:
(𝑝 − 3)(𝑝 + 1) = 0

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Intermediate
Question 5
36
ln(3𝑥 − 𝑦) = ln ( )
9
ln(3𝑥 − 𝑦) = ln(4)
3𝑥 − 𝑦 = 4 … (1)
𝑒 2𝑥
= 𝑒1
𝑒𝑦
𝑒 2𝑥−𝑦 = 𝑒 1
2𝑥 − 𝑦 = 1 … (2)
(1) − (2):
𝑥=3
From (2):
𝑦 = 2𝑥 − 1
= 2(3) − 1
=6−1
=5

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Question 6
2𝑝+2 = 24 ⋅ 23𝑞
2𝑝+2 = 24+3𝑞
𝑝 + 2 = 4 + 3𝑞
Rearranging:
𝑝 = 2 + 3𝑞 … (1)
6
=2
15𝑞 − 3𝑝
6 = 2(15𝑞 − 3𝑝)
3 = 15𝑞 − 3𝑝 … (2)
Substituting (1) into (2):
3 = 15𝑞 − 3(2 + 3𝑞)
3 = 15𝑞 − 6 − 9𝑞
9 = 6𝑞
9
𝑞=
6
3
=
2
3
𝑝 = 2 + 3( )
2
9
= 2+
2
13
=
2

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Question 7(a)
log 5 𝑥
log 5 𝑥 2 + = 5 log 5 5
log 5 25
log 5 𝑥
log 5 𝑥 2 + = log 5 55
2
log 5 𝑥 2 + log 5 √𝑥 = log 5 55
log 5 (𝑥 2 ⋅ √𝑥) = log 5 55
𝑥 2 ⋅ √𝑥 = 55
5
𝑥 2 = 55
2
𝑥 = 55⋅5
= 52
= 25

Question 7(b)
log 2 𝑥 = log 4 (𝑥 + 6)
log 2 (𝑥 + 6)
=
log 2 4
log 2 (𝑥 + 6)
=
2
= log 2 √𝑥 + 6
𝑥 = √𝑥 + 6
Squaring both sides of the equation:
𝑥2 = 𝑥 + 6
Rearranging:
𝑥2 − 𝑥 − 6 = 0
Factorising:
(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 + 2) = 0

Question 7(c)
log 5 (5 − 4𝑥) = log √5 (2 − 𝑥)
log 5 (2 − 𝑥)
=
log 5 √5

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log 5 (2 − 𝑥)
=
1
2
= 2 log 5 (2 − 𝑥)
= log 5 (2 − 𝑥)2
5 − 4𝑥 = (2 − 𝑥)2
5 − 4𝑥 = 4 + 𝑥 2 − 4𝑥
𝑥2 = 1
𝑥 = ±1

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Question 8(a)
log 4 𝑦 = log 2 𝑥 + log 2 9 − log 2 3
log 2 𝑦 9𝑥
= log 2 ( )
log 2 4 3
log 2 𝑦
= log 2 (3𝑥)
2
log 2 √𝑦 = log 2 (3𝑥)

√𝑦 = 3𝑥
𝑦 = 9𝑥 2

Dr. Lee is an experienced teacher who has taught at the

Singapore and Temasek Polytechnics. He currently teaches
at the Nanyang Technological University. A chemical
engineer by training, Dr. Lee feels that everyone benefits
from a solid grounding in mathematics, and that this
grounding can only be obtained through sufficient practice
on a variety of question types.
The solutions to each question are developed with care with
the idea of deepening the student’s number sense and
strengthening his basic technique of solving mathematical
problems. To this end, great attention has been paid to the
steps and explanations leading to the final answer.
Dr. Lee is the founder of several mathematics-related
initiatives, and can be contacted at ascklee@gmail.com.