Help using the scientific calculator downloaded from the clep site

[purp!chickpot822]

Sorry to bother you but will you consider helping me with the following problems using the calculator?

Solve for x:

9 to the (1-2x) power = 3 (answer is 0.25)
4 to the (x-1) power = 14 (answer is 2.90)
8 to the (3+6x) = 4 (answer is -0.389)

For the last problem, I type ln(4)/ln(8) into the calculator which gives me 0.666, then I take that number and subtract 3 which gives me -2.333, then I divide by 6 which gives me -0.3888 which rounds to the answer of -0.389.

My problem is that I do not know for sure if this is the correct way to come up with the answer because it is not consistent with other problems and there are no instructions for how to solve these problems on a calculator.

[bluebooger]

8^(3+6x) = 4

the key here is to recognize that
8 and 4 are both powers of 2

now go here
https://www.mathsisfun.com/algebra/exponent-laws.html

scroll down to the section named
------
Laws of Exponents
Here are the Laws (explanations follow):
-----

now study the chart

see the row that says
(x^m)^n = x^mn

so
8^(3+6x) = 4
is the same as
(2^(3))^(3+6x) = 2^2

yes, that line is confusing
so look at it again

because now we're going to use the law we just learned and rewrite that line so it becomes
2^(3*(3+6x)) = 2^2

now the bases are the same
so it's basically
2^something = 2^of something else
so
something = something else

so
(3*(3+6x)) = 2
so
9 + 18x = 2
18x = -7
x = -7/18
x = -0.389

but the entire point of this problem is is to recognize that
8 and 4 are both powers of 2
and to know that law of exponents

[purp!chickpot822]

Thank you BlueBooger this is very helpful, and the chart on the website is very explanatory. I am really hoping that someone can give me some tips on how to input these problems into the scientific calculator so I can get a speedier result in solving these equations.

Your reply and detailed explanations are very much appreciated! Have you taken the college algebra clep exam?

[bluebooger]

..
Your reply and detailed explanations are very much appreciated! Have you taken the college algebra clep exam?

I took it and failed

LOL,

math ? I don't need to study math -- I took algebra in high school 20 years ago -- numbers haven't changed -- what do I need to study for ?

ha ha

well, it turns out sitting at a computer and having that stupid little clock on the corner of the screen ticking down every second can really screw with your mind

I think I spent more time looking at that clock and figuring out how many seconds I had for each question than I did doing the actual exam

seriously, every single question --- ok, I have 24:17 left and 34 questions, so that's ... round it down to 24 minutes times 60 to get seconds, divided by 34 .. so that leaves 42 seconds per question

I did that for EVERY SINGLE question
that clock freaked me out

I think if I had spent even just one week studying and gone in more "test ready" I wouldn't have had any problem

I need to take this exam again some time -- I still need the math credits
just lazy

his videos are really good
PatrickJMT

[purp!chickpot822]

I have not used any algebra since 1983 and if I cannot clep out of college algebra by next semester I will not be able to get my B.A. I am freaked out by this and totally stressed out. I HATE math! As an accountant for 20+ years I was dependent on spreadsheets, not actually having to do long-hand algebra in order to solve problems.

I have been studying seriously since June 19, as long as 9+ hours a day, and I still do not feel even close to being ready to take the exam. So far, this is the best tool I have found. The many books published on how to take the Clep exam for College Algebra are practically useless.

Your post is amusing - I can imagine that stupid little clock! How frustrating that would be to spend more time thinking about how much time you have left instead of focusing more on the problems.