Math 131/331

E-Portfolio

By Stephen Cummings
4/22/2014 4/25/2014
Throughout the week of April 22 to April 25 we
learned and reviewed several Algebraic concepts
Such concepts included:
Logarithms and the rules of logarithms
Logarithmic equations
Exponential equations
Solving quadratic in form
Absolute value equations and inequalities
Practical application through word problems

Logarithms & the Rules of
Logarithms
There is no
distributive property
of logarithms
The 1
st
listed is the
product rule
The 2
nd
is the
quotient rule
The third is based on
the assumption that
there is a distributive
property of logs
which is countered
by the example

Cannot distribute
the ln (natural
log)
*Natural log is a
logarithm to the
base e which is
roughly
equivalent to
2.72

Logarithmic Equations
In this logarithmic equation
the only suggestion that Dr.
Chang made was to put a
bracket around the x(x+5)
to distinguish that they are
a part of the log
6

The logarithmic equation
becomes a quadratic
equation and is solved by
the Zero Product Property
The answer is then checked
to verify its validity
This logarithmic equation
is different from the
previous example
because it required the
quadratic formula to
solve.
All of the steps were
executed correctly and
the answer should be
correct but
The answer was not
plugged into the original
equation to check
therefore the solution is
only a speculation.
Exponential Equations
In this exponential
equation, the variable X is
solved for by using
logarithms.
My first mistake here was
using a very dull marker.
(it was practically
invisible!)
Other than that the steps
are correct but I could
have made it easier by
recognizing that log10 is
equivalent to log
10
10
which is equivalent to 1
This exponential
equation was solved
using a different method
than What I typically use
but it comes to the same
result
The first step is to
include parenthesis to
indicate which
operations are taking
place in terms of the
(3
2
)
(x)
and the (3
3
)
(x-4)
There is an intermediate
step where log3
2x
is
divided by log3 and
log3
3x-2
is divided by log3
to eliminate log from the
equation which cannot
be done

Quadratic in Form
A quadratic in form can be
solved as a quadratic
equation when the equation
is seen as an equivalent to
the quadratic equation.
In this case the X
3
is
substituted by a U and the
X
6
is substituted with a U
2
The intermediate step
skipped was the factoring of
the quadratic equation but
the same answer was
reached anyway.
The value for U is then
converted back to X
2
This solution should be
correct but there is no
check to validate.

This quadratic in form
is from my test where I
completed almost all of
the steps correct until I
square rooted the X2
I didnt account for the
fact that the square
root of a number can
be a positive or a
negative number so my
solution should
potentially include 4
numbers opposed to
the two positive
numbers that I
presented
Absolute Value Inequalities
This absolute value
inequality was nearly
solved correctly except
for the direction of the
sign in the 3
rd
step
because of a skipped step
The suggested method
written in orange would
clear up any sign
direction issues
The graph in green is
also incorrect as it
reflects the opposite to
what is expressed in this
inequality
This inequality is set
up correctly which
results in the notion
that absolute value of
X-3 is a lesser value
than -1
This is impossible
therefore there is no
solution
The steps that were
crossed out indicate
that there is a solution
but there cannot be a
solution when an
absolute value is equal
to or less than a
negative number
Real Life Application
This formula is used
to find the values in
compound interest.
The Variable
represent:
A-Compound Interest
P-Principal
r-interest rate
n-number of times
compounded in a year
t-time in years

Using the
compound
interest formula
the variable t
(time in years)
can be solved for
to determine
when the total
will be at $7000
Since t is an
exponent
logarithms are
used to solve for
the value
The first step to
this problem is to
identify the one to
one property
Then using the
power rule the
base of the log
becomes the
exponent of the
non-log number
Then it becomes a
simple quadratic
equation that can
be factored then
solved using the
zero product
property
Transformation
Step 1: Graph
y=x
2

Step 2: Shift to
the left 2 units to
get y=(x+2)
2

Step 3: Stretch
vertically by the
power of 3 to get
y=3(x+2)
2

Step 4: Reflect to
get y=-3(x+2)
2

Step 5: Shift up 5
units to get y=
-3(x+2)
2
+5