Step by step
The question
Question: solve 4 times 3 to the power x = 36.
x is up in the power.
Careful!
The power is only on the 3.
Powers come before times.
So we can't join 4 and 3 first.
1 Get the power alone
First the power must be alone: nothing added to it, nothing times it.
The power is times 4.
To remove times 4, we divide by 4.
We do it on both sides.
Why both sides?
The = sign means both sides are the same amount.
If we change only one side, they are not the same any more.
4 divided by 4 is 1.
So just the power is left.
36 divided by 4 is 9.
Now we have 3ˣ = 9.
2 Write 9 as a power of 3
9 is 3 times itself, 2 times.
So 9 is 3².
Now both sides are 3 to a power.
3 The powers are equal
Both sides are 3 to a power.
Same base, and they are equal.
So the powers must be equal too.
So x = 2!
4 Check
Let's check in the question: put 2 in place of x.
We get 36, the same as the right side.
So x = 2 is right!
Let's look back.
First: get the power alone.
Then: write 9 as a power of 3.
Then: the powers are equal.
Last: check.