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If log1824=p\log_{18} 24 = p, then log96108\log_{96} 108 equals

Solution

Correct Option: 2

Switch everything to base 22 and base 33. Let L2=log2L_2 = \log 2 and L3=log3L_3 = \log 3.

log24=log(233)=3L2+L3\log 24 = \log(2^3 \cdot 3) = 3L_2 + L_3

log18=log(232)=L2+2L3\log 18 = \log(2 \cdot 3^2) = L_2 + 2L_3

p=3L2+L3L2+2L3p = \dfrac{3L_2 + L_3}{L_2 + 2L_3}


Similarly:

log108=log(2233)=2L2+3L3\log 108 = \log(2^2 \cdot 3^3) = 2L_2 + 3L_3

log96=log(253)=5L2+L3\log 96 = \log(2^5 \cdot 3) = 5L_2 + L_3

log96108=2L2+3L35L2+L3\log_{96} 108 = \dfrac{2L_2 + 3L_3}{5L_2 + L_3}


Let t=L2L3t = \dfrac{L_2}{L_3}. Divide top and bottom of each fraction by L3L_3:

p=3t+1t+2p = \dfrac{3t + 1}{t + 2}, which gives t=2p13pt = \dfrac{2p - 1}{3 - p}


Substitute into the target expression:

log96108=2t+35t+1\log_{96} 108 = \dfrac{2t + 3}{5t + 1}

Numerator =2(2p1)3p+3=4p2+93p3p=p+73p= \dfrac{2(2p-1)}{3-p} + 3 = \dfrac{4p - 2 + 9 - 3p}{3-p} = \dfrac{p + 7}{3-p}

Denominator =5(2p1)3p+1=10p5+3p3p=9p23p= \dfrac{5(2p-1)}{3-p} + 1 = \dfrac{10p - 5 + 3 - p}{3-p} = \dfrac{9p - 2}{3-p}


The (3p)(3-p) cancels:

log96108=p+79p2\log_{96} 108 = \dfrac{p + 7}{9p - 2}

Answer =p+79p2= \dfrac{p+7}{9p-2}

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