Logs Questions

Logarithms - Past Edexcel Exam Questions

1. (Question 7 - C2 May 2018)

(i) Find the value of y for which

1.01y−1 = 500.

Give your answer to 2 decimal places. [2]

(ii) Given that
5
2 log4 (3x + 5) = log4 (3x + 8) + 1, x>−
3
(a) show that
9x2 + 18x − 7 = 0.
[4]
(b) Hence solve the equation
5
2 log4 (3x + 5) = log4 (3x + 8) + 1, x>−
3
[2]

2. (Question 7 - C2 May 2017)

(i)
2 log(x + a) = log 16a6 ,


where a is a positive constant.
Find x in terms of a, giving your answer in its simplest form. [3]
(ii)
log3 (9y + b) − log3 (2y − b) = 2, where b is a positive constant.
Find y in terms of b, giving your answer in its simplest form. [4]

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3. (Question 8 - C2 May 2016)

(i) Given that

log3 (3b + 1) − log3 (a − 2) = −1, a>2
express b in terms of a. [3]
(ii) Solve the equation
22x+5 − 7 (2x ) = 0
giving your answer to 2 decimal places. [4]
(Solutions based entirely on graphical or numerical methods are not acceptable)

4. (Question 7 - C2 May 2015)

(i) Use logarithms to solve the equation 82x+1 = 24, giving your answer to 3 decimal
places. [3]
(ii) Find the values of y such that
3
log2 (11y − 3) − log2 3 − 2 log2 y = 1, y>
11
[6]

5. (Question 8 - C2 May 2014)

(a) Sketch the graph of

y = 3x , x∈R
showing the coordinates of any points at which the graph crosses the axes. [2]
(b) Use algebra to solve the equation

32x − 9 (3x ) + 18 = 0

giving your answers to 2 decimal places where appropriate. [5]

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6. (Question 7 - C2 May 2013)

(i) Find the exact value of x for which

log2 (2x) = log2 (5x + 4) − 3

[4]
(ii) Given that
loga y + 3 loga 2 = 5,
express y in terms of a.
Give your answer in its simplest form. [3]

7. (Question 6 - C2 January 2013)

Given that
2 log2 (x + 15) − log2 x = 6,

(a) show that x2 − 34x + 225 = 0. [5]

(b) Hence, or otherwise, solve the equation

2 log2 (x + 15) − log2 x = 6

[2]

8. (Question 2 - C2 May 2012)

Find the values of x such that

2 log3 x − log3 (x − 2) = 2

[5]

9. (Question 4 - C2 January 2012)

Given that y = 3x2 ,

(a) show that log3 y = 1 + 2 log3 x. [3]

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 Logs Questions

(b) Hence, or otherwise, solve the equation [3]

1 + 2 log3 x = log3 (28x − 9).

10. (Question 3 - C2 May 2011)

Find, giving your answer to 3 significant figures where appropriate, the value of x for
which

(a) 5x = 10, [2]

(b) log3 (x − 2) = −1. [2]

11. (Question 8 - C2 January 2011)

(a) Sketch the graph of y = 7x , x ∈ R, showing the coordinates of any points at which
the graph crosses the axes. [2]
(b) Solve the equation
72x − 4 (7x ) + 3 = 0,
giving your answers to 2 decimal places where appropriate. [6]

12. (Question 7 - C2 June 2010)

(a) Given that

2 log3 (x − 5) − log3 (2x − 13) = 1,
show that x2 − 16x + 64 = 0. [5]
(b) Hence, or otherwise, solve 2 log3 (x − 5) − log3 (2x − 13) = 1. [2]

13. (Question 5 - C2 January 2010)

(a) Find the positive value of x such that

logx 64 = 2.

[2]

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(b) Solve for x

log2 (11 − 6x) = 2 log2 (x − 1) + 3
[6]

14. (Question 8 - C2 June 2009)

(a) Find the value of y such that

log2 y = −3
[2]
(b) Find the values of x such that

log2 32 + log2 16
= log2 x
log2 x

[5]

15. (Question 4 - C2 January 2009)

Given that 0 < x < 4 and

log5 (4 − x) − 2 log5 x = 1,

find the value of x. [6]

16. (Question 4 - C2 June 2008)

(a) Find, to 3 significant figures, the value of x for which 5x = 7. [2]

(b) Solve the equation
52x − 12 (5x ) + 35 = 0
[4]

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17. (Question 5 - C2 January 2008)

Given that a and b are positive constants, solve the simultaneous questions
a = 3b,
log3 a + log3 b = 2
Give your answers as exact numbers. [6]

18. (Question 6 - C2 May 2007)

(a) Find, to 3 significant figures, the value of x for which 8x = 0.8. [2]
(b) Solve the equation
2 log3 x − log3 7x = 1
[4]

19. (Question 4 - C2 January 2007)

Solve the equation
5x = 17,
giving your answer to 3 significant figures. [3]

20. (Question 3 - C2 May 2006)

(a) Write down the value of log6 (36). [1]

(b) Express 2 loga (3) + loga (11) as a single logarithm to the base a. [3]

21. (Question 2 - C2 June 2005)

Solve

(a) 5x = 8, giving your answer to 3 significant figures, [3]

(b) log2 (x + 1) − log2 (x) = log2 (7). [3]

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Solutions

1. (i) 625.56
(ii) (a) -
1
(b) x = 3

2. (i) x = 4a3 − a
10
(ii) y = 9
b
a−5
3. (i) b = 9

(ii) x = −2.19

4. (i) x = 0.264
(ii) y = 13 , 32

5. (a) See Figure below.

(b) x = 1, x = 1.63
4
6. (a) x = 11
a5
(b) y = 8

7. (a) -
(b) x = 9, x = 25

8. x = 3, x = 6

9. (a) -
(b) x = 31 , x = 9

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10. (a) x = 1.43

7
(b) x = 3

11. (a) See Figure below.

(b) x = 0, x = 0.56

12. (a) -
(b) x = 8

13. (a) x = 8
3
(b) x = 2
1
14. (a) y = 8
1
(b) x = 8
,8
4
15. x = 5

16. (a) 1.21

(b) x = 1, x = 1.21
√ √
17. a = 3 3, b = 3

18. (a) −0.107

(b) x = 21

19. x = 1.76

20. (a) 2
(b) loga 99

21. (a) x = 1.29

1
(b) x = 6

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