$\log_2\left(x-5\right)=\log_5\left(2x+7\right)$ I have to solve this but my answer vary from x = 7, x = -9, x = 5/3 and I don't know why this happens. Here is my approach:
$\frac{\log_5\left(x-5\right)}{\log_5\left(2\right)}=\log_5\left(2x+7\right)$
$\frac{\log_5\left(x-5\right)}{\log_5\left(2x+7\right)}=\log_5\left(2\right)$
$\log_{2x+7}\left(x-5\right)=\log_5\left(2\right)$
Conditions: x > 5
So we are left with: x - 5 = 2 => x = 7 (verifies the conditions)
2x + 7 = 5 => x = -1 (does not verify the conditions)
Therefore, x = 7.
But when you plug in x = 7 => $\log_2\left(2\right)=\log_5\left(21\right)$ which are not equal.
I guessed a solution that works which is x = 9.
trying to solve that system, i found another way to solve it
x - 5 = 2 | *(-1)
2x + 7 = 5
=> - x + 5 = -2
2x + 7 = 5
We add them up and we have:
x + 12 = 3 => x = -9 which does not verify the condition.
What am I doing wrong?
$\log_2(x-5) = \log_5(2x+7)=k$
$2^k = x-5$ so $x = 2^k + 5$. $5^k =2x - 7$ so $x = \frac {5^k -7}2$
Or $2*2^k +10 = 5^k - 7$
$2^{k+1} = 5^k-17$
[cute that $2^{k+1} -8 = 5^k -25$... but, I'll assume I wasn't clever enough to see that.]
At this point we can really only guess but clearly if we increase $k$ by small incrementss the RHS will increase more than the LHS, so there is only one solution and we can hone in on values. If the RHS is larger than the LHS we take smaller values of $k$ and vice versa.
$2^{1+1} > 5^1 - 17$ so $k > 1$
And $2^{3 + 1} < 5^3 - 17$ so $k < 3$
It's simple enough to discover $k = 2$ is a solution..
(Even simpler if we noticed $2^{k+1} - 8 = 5^k - 25$ so $2^3 - 8 = 5^2 - 25 = 0$)
So $x = 2^2 + 5 = \frac{5^2 - 7}2 = 9$.