math help (logs)

  • Guest, it's time once again for the massively important and exciting FoH Asshat Tournament!



    Go here and give us your nominations!
    Who's been the biggest Asshat in the last year? Give us your worst ones!

koljec_sl

shitlord
845
2
Not sure how to handle this problem. Any help would be appreciated.

ln^2(X) + ln(X)^3 + 2 = 0

In the first term the exponent is with the natural log. In the second term the exponent is with the X value.

I know it can be written like this:

ln^2(X) + 3ln(X) + 2 = 0

But I don't know how to deal with the first term.

If it helps, the answers are supposed to bex=e^-1orx=e^-2.
 

Noodleface

A Mod Real Quick
38,268
15,089
you can factor it, does this help? It's been forever since I did stuff with logs

(1+ln(x))(2+ln(x)) = 0
 

koljec_sl

shitlord
845
2
yeah, it definitely does factor. I think the squared log on the first term can be viewed as the first term of a polynomial to the second power...so i'm going with something like:

let ln^2(X) = t^2
let ln(X)^3 = 3t

and rewrite:
t^2+3t+2=0
(t+1)(t+2)=0

t=-1 or -2

Now I'm wondering if there is a more direct way to deal with the natural log form...
 

Noodleface

A Mod Real Quick
38,268
15,089
So for the first factor;:

1+ln(x) = 0 OR ln(x) = -1

Then

e^(ln(x)) = e^(-1)

x = e^(-1)


For the second same thing:
e^(ln(x)) = e^(-2)

e^(lnx)) = x is the golden rule
 

Noodleface

A Mod Real Quick
38,268
15,089
I took so many math courses (some as my electives... what was I thinking
frown.png
), I was only 3 away from a BS or BA in mathematics, can't remember which.
 

Phelps McManus

<Silver Donator>
215
144
yeah, it definitely does factor. I think the squared log on the first term can be viewed as the first term of a polynomial to the second power...so i'm going with something like:

let ln^2(X) = t^2
let ln(X)^3 = 3t

and rewrite:
t^2+3t+2=0
I think you can start with refactoring to ln(x)^2 + 3 ln(x) + 2 = 0, substitute t = ln(x), and just go straight to the rewrite.
 

Cad

scientia potentia est
<Bronze Donator>
25,426
49,040
I took so many math courses (some as my electives... what was I thinking
frown.png
), I was only 3 away from a BS or BA in mathematics, can't remember which.
I did too but it was... a long time ago. And contrary to popular belief you do not use calculus in software development. At least I never did.
 

DickTrickle

Definitely NOT Furor Planedefiler
13,403
15,563
I have forgotten most of the math I learned and I never used it in the real world. Getting a Computer Science degree prepares you more for further work in academia than the real world, imo.
 

ToeMissile

Pronouns: zie/zhem/zer
<Gold Donor>
3,159
2,049
Wolfram alpha says to eliminate the quadratic term by substituting x = 1/3 + log(x)