top of page

Random Problems I found on the net - 1 (Exponents)!

These posts will just feature a set of random problems I find on the net, which I will try to solve!

Interesting one is not it?

6^(x) + 6^(y) = 42

x + y = 3

Instead of taking logarithms, we will try our best to solve this the lazy way, if there is.

Alright, so let us divide 42 in such a way, we put it in exponents of 6.

We can crazily figure out:

42 is just 6(2) = 36, (+), 6(1) = 6

36 + 6 = 42.

The problem is solved:

Better representation:

6^(x) + 6^(y) = 6^(2) + 6^(1)

x = 2, y=1

2 + 1 = 3.

Thus if x = 2, y = 1

or x = 1, y = 2.


Problem 2)

Try solving the problem in a similar way I did before.

4^(x-1) + 4(3-x) = 257

Just by looking at 257 = (256 + 1)

At 256 looks like a multiple which can be expressed in terms of an even power.

4^(4) = 4 x 4 x 4 x 4 = 256

The better way to write the equation is:

4^(x-1) + 4^(3-x) = 4^(4) + 4^(0) [Because anything to power 0 is simply 1]

Note that RHS can also be inverted so two cases of x exist.

Check for which case of x the statement equals 257.

Accordingly x-1 = 4 and 3-x = 0

x = 5 , x = 3 ( x cannot be two values simultaneously)

So x - 1 = 0 and 3 - x = 4

x = 1 and x = -1.

Thus x = -1 or x = 3!

This is the perfect case!

Comments


bottom of page