SOURCE: PEARSON SAMPLE TEST #1
2^x - 2^(x-2) = 3(2^13)
What is the value of x?
A. 9
B. 11
C. 13
D. 15 (correct answer)
E 17
Can someone show me the work of how to calculate this?
Exponential Problem -Problem solving help needed
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Notice that:docxyz wrote:g2000 wrote:Let y = 2^x and we have
y - y/4 = 3 * (2^13)
3y / 4 = 3 * (2^13)
y = 2^13 *4
y = 2^15
plug it back to the original equ.
2^15 = 2^x
x = 15 (ans)
how did u get y/4?.. kindly explain.
2^(x-2) = (2^x)*(2^(-2)) = (2^x)*(1/4)
by the familiar exponent rules. If y = 2^x, then 2^(x-2) will equal y/4.
Still, I find it unnecessary to introduce a new letter y here. We know that:
2^x - 2^(x-2) = 3(2^13)
If you see that you can factor out a 2^(x-2) on the left side of this equation, the rest of the algebra becomes easy enough:
(2^(x-2))*(2^2 - 1) = 3(2^13)
(2^(x-2))*3 = 3(2^13)
2^(x-2) = 2^13
x-2 = 13
x = 15
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