I don't understand logarithms. Is there a way to solve exponential equations without doing them?
Ex, 10,000 = 394.970(1.259)^x
How do I solve for the x?
there is no way, in general, since logarithms are exponents.
Just as multiplication problems are solved by dividing, and
addition problems are solved by subtracting,
exponential problems are solved by using logs.
10,000 = 394.970(1.259)^x
10000/394.970 = 1.259^x
25.318 = 1.259^x
log25.318 = x log1.259
x = log25.318/log1.259 = 14.03
This is because 1.259 = 10^(log1.259)
so 1.259^x = 10^(log1.259 * x)
Logs confused be at first too. I got a D on the test on that unit, but a couple of weeks later, it all clicked for me. Just keep doing exercises, and you will no longer be outraged when someone says that logs are just exponents. We just don't have a handy operator like +-/*^ for logs