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Is there a formula that determinants the exponent used to get to an answer?

n^x = y

x = ?

n and y are known

ex: 2^x = 128 how do we get to x = 7?

ToMakPo
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    Take the log of both sides to get $x \log n = \log y$, then divide both sides by $\log n$. –  Dec 05 '16 at 19:49

1 Answers1

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That's what logarithms are for:

  • If we start with $ n^x = y $ (where $n$ is called the base you take to the exponent to)
  • Then $ log_n(y) = x $ (the subscript $n$ is still called the base)
  • Also, for calculators, you can input the base like this: $ log(y)/log(n) = x $
Chai T. Rex
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