How to solve a power/polynomial equation












0












$begingroup$


Is there a method to solve such equations : $AB^{x} + C x = D$ ? with $A$, $B$, $C$ and $D$ real parameters and $xin mathbb{R}$ and $B>0$?










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$endgroup$








  • 2




    $begingroup$
    what is $x$? real?
    $endgroup$
    – José Alejandro Aburto Araneda
    Dec 29 '18 at 16:58






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Yes indeed, I corrected the question thank you.
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 16:59










  • $begingroup$
    Is $B$ assumed to be positive? If not then $B^x$ becomes problematic...
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 17:35










  • $begingroup$
    Yes B is assumed to B positive.
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 17:36
















0












$begingroup$


Is there a method to solve such equations : $AB^{x} + C x = D$ ? with $A$, $B$, $C$ and $D$ real parameters and $xin mathbb{R}$ and $B>0$?










share|cite|improve this question











$endgroup$








  • 2




    $begingroup$
    what is $x$? real?
    $endgroup$
    – José Alejandro Aburto Araneda
    Dec 29 '18 at 16:58






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Yes indeed, I corrected the question thank you.
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 16:59










  • $begingroup$
    Is $B$ assumed to be positive? If not then $B^x$ becomes problematic...
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 17:35










  • $begingroup$
    Yes B is assumed to B positive.
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 17:36














0












0








0





$begingroup$


Is there a method to solve such equations : $AB^{x} + C x = D$ ? with $A$, $B$, $C$ and $D$ real parameters and $xin mathbb{R}$ and $B>0$?










share|cite|improve this question











$endgroup$




Is there a method to solve such equations : $AB^{x} + C x = D$ ? with $A$, $B$, $C$ and $D$ real parameters and $xin mathbb{R}$ and $B>0$?







real-analysis algebra-precalculus exponential-function






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share|cite|improve this question













share|cite|improve this question




share|cite|improve this question








edited Dec 29 '18 at 23:49









Servaes

30.9k342101




30.9k342101










asked Dec 29 '18 at 16:57









AlexC75AlexC75

216




216








  • 2




    $begingroup$
    what is $x$? real?
    $endgroup$
    – José Alejandro Aburto Araneda
    Dec 29 '18 at 16:58






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Yes indeed, I corrected the question thank you.
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 16:59










  • $begingroup$
    Is $B$ assumed to be positive? If not then $B^x$ becomes problematic...
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 17:35










  • $begingroup$
    Yes B is assumed to B positive.
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 17:36














  • 2




    $begingroup$
    what is $x$? real?
    $endgroup$
    – José Alejandro Aburto Araneda
    Dec 29 '18 at 16:58






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Yes indeed, I corrected the question thank you.
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 16:59










  • $begingroup$
    Is $B$ assumed to be positive? If not then $B^x$ becomes problematic...
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 17:35










  • $begingroup$
    Yes B is assumed to B positive.
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 17:36








2




2




$begingroup$
what is $x$? real?
$endgroup$
– José Alejandro Aburto Araneda
Dec 29 '18 at 16:58




$begingroup$
what is $x$? real?
$endgroup$
– José Alejandro Aburto Araneda
Dec 29 '18 at 16:58




1




1




$begingroup$
Yes indeed, I corrected the question thank you.
$endgroup$
– AlexC75
Dec 29 '18 at 16:59




$begingroup$
Yes indeed, I corrected the question thank you.
$endgroup$
– AlexC75
Dec 29 '18 at 16:59












$begingroup$
Is $B$ assumed to be positive? If not then $B^x$ becomes problematic...
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 29 '18 at 17:35




$begingroup$
Is $B$ assumed to be positive? If not then $B^x$ becomes problematic...
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 29 '18 at 17:35












$begingroup$
Yes B is assumed to B positive.
$endgroup$
– AlexC75
Dec 29 '18 at 17:36




$begingroup$
Yes B is assumed to B positive.
$endgroup$
– AlexC75
Dec 29 '18 at 17:36










1 Answer
1






active

oldest

votes


















1












$begingroup$

First, three degenerate cases;




  1. If $C=0$ and $B=1$ then the equation reduces to $A=D$, and there is nothing to solve.

  2. If $C=0$ and $Bneq1$ then $AB^x=D$ and hence $x=frac{ln{frac{D}{A}}}{ln{B}}$.

  3. If $Cneq0$ and $B=1$ then $A+Cx=D$ and hence $x=frac{D-A}{C}$.


If $Cneq0$ and $Bneq1$ then setting $a:=frac{A}{C}$ and $d:=frac{D}{C}$ yields
$$aB^x=d-x.$$
Setting $y:=d-x$ and $v:=B^{-1}$ and $u:=aB^d$ then yields
$$y=aB^{d-y}=aB^dB^{-y}=uv^y=ue^{yln{v}},$$
where $e$ denotes Euler's constant. Finally setting $z:=-yln{v}$ and rearranging yields the equation
$$ze^z=-uln{v},$$
which has no 'elementary' closed form solution in general. The solution to this is precisely what the Lambert W function denotes. That is, by definition we have $z=W(-uln{v})$. Substituting everything back yields
$$-left(frac{D}{C}-xright)ln{B^{-1}}=Wleft(-frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B^{-1}}right),$$
and isolating $x$ shows that
$$x=frac{D}{C}-frac{1}{ln{B}}Wleft(frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B}right).$$
Finding exact values of the Lambert W function in terms of elementary functions is in general not possible, though of course there are practical algorithms for numerical approximations.






share|cite|improve this answer











$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Thank you very much for this, very interesting stuff. What would be the conditions on A,B,C and D for which $Wleft(frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B^{-1}}right)$ could be expressed in terms of elementary function ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 17:59












  • $begingroup$
    See the wikipedia section on special values for a few known values of $W(z)$, which you can then translate to conditions on $A$, $B$, $C$ and $D$. One condition that particularly jumps out is $A=0$, and then obviously $x=frac{D}{C}$, but otherwise the expression seems too convoluted to say anything nice about. But I could be wrong.
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:03












  • $begingroup$
    Thanks a lot. Do you know if this list is exhaustive ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:11












  • $begingroup$
    I have no doubt there are much more extensive lists, though I don't know where to find them. If there are particular values you are interested in, perhaps wolfram alpha can help you.
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:21






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Should it not be $ze^z = - u ln(v) $ ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 30 '18 at 17:28














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1 Answer
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1 Answer
1






active

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active

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active

oldest

votes









1












$begingroup$

First, three degenerate cases;




  1. If $C=0$ and $B=1$ then the equation reduces to $A=D$, and there is nothing to solve.

  2. If $C=0$ and $Bneq1$ then $AB^x=D$ and hence $x=frac{ln{frac{D}{A}}}{ln{B}}$.

  3. If $Cneq0$ and $B=1$ then $A+Cx=D$ and hence $x=frac{D-A}{C}$.


If $Cneq0$ and $Bneq1$ then setting $a:=frac{A}{C}$ and $d:=frac{D}{C}$ yields
$$aB^x=d-x.$$
Setting $y:=d-x$ and $v:=B^{-1}$ and $u:=aB^d$ then yields
$$y=aB^{d-y}=aB^dB^{-y}=uv^y=ue^{yln{v}},$$
where $e$ denotes Euler's constant. Finally setting $z:=-yln{v}$ and rearranging yields the equation
$$ze^z=-uln{v},$$
which has no 'elementary' closed form solution in general. The solution to this is precisely what the Lambert W function denotes. That is, by definition we have $z=W(-uln{v})$. Substituting everything back yields
$$-left(frac{D}{C}-xright)ln{B^{-1}}=Wleft(-frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B^{-1}}right),$$
and isolating $x$ shows that
$$x=frac{D}{C}-frac{1}{ln{B}}Wleft(frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B}right).$$
Finding exact values of the Lambert W function in terms of elementary functions is in general not possible, though of course there are practical algorithms for numerical approximations.






share|cite|improve this answer











$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Thank you very much for this, very interesting stuff. What would be the conditions on A,B,C and D for which $Wleft(frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B^{-1}}right)$ could be expressed in terms of elementary function ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 17:59












  • $begingroup$
    See the wikipedia section on special values for a few known values of $W(z)$, which you can then translate to conditions on $A$, $B$, $C$ and $D$. One condition that particularly jumps out is $A=0$, and then obviously $x=frac{D}{C}$, but otherwise the expression seems too convoluted to say anything nice about. But I could be wrong.
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:03












  • $begingroup$
    Thanks a lot. Do you know if this list is exhaustive ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:11












  • $begingroup$
    I have no doubt there are much more extensive lists, though I don't know where to find them. If there are particular values you are interested in, perhaps wolfram alpha can help you.
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:21






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Should it not be $ze^z = - u ln(v) $ ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 30 '18 at 17:28


















1












$begingroup$

First, three degenerate cases;




  1. If $C=0$ and $B=1$ then the equation reduces to $A=D$, and there is nothing to solve.

  2. If $C=0$ and $Bneq1$ then $AB^x=D$ and hence $x=frac{ln{frac{D}{A}}}{ln{B}}$.

  3. If $Cneq0$ and $B=1$ then $A+Cx=D$ and hence $x=frac{D-A}{C}$.


If $Cneq0$ and $Bneq1$ then setting $a:=frac{A}{C}$ and $d:=frac{D}{C}$ yields
$$aB^x=d-x.$$
Setting $y:=d-x$ and $v:=B^{-1}$ and $u:=aB^d$ then yields
$$y=aB^{d-y}=aB^dB^{-y}=uv^y=ue^{yln{v}},$$
where $e$ denotes Euler's constant. Finally setting $z:=-yln{v}$ and rearranging yields the equation
$$ze^z=-uln{v},$$
which has no 'elementary' closed form solution in general. The solution to this is precisely what the Lambert W function denotes. That is, by definition we have $z=W(-uln{v})$. Substituting everything back yields
$$-left(frac{D}{C}-xright)ln{B^{-1}}=Wleft(-frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B^{-1}}right),$$
and isolating $x$ shows that
$$x=frac{D}{C}-frac{1}{ln{B}}Wleft(frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B}right).$$
Finding exact values of the Lambert W function in terms of elementary functions is in general not possible, though of course there are practical algorithms for numerical approximations.






share|cite|improve this answer











$endgroup$













  • $begingroup$
    Thank you very much for this, very interesting stuff. What would be the conditions on A,B,C and D for which $Wleft(frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B^{-1}}right)$ could be expressed in terms of elementary function ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 17:59












  • $begingroup$
    See the wikipedia section on special values for a few known values of $W(z)$, which you can then translate to conditions on $A$, $B$, $C$ and $D$. One condition that particularly jumps out is $A=0$, and then obviously $x=frac{D}{C}$, but otherwise the expression seems too convoluted to say anything nice about. But I could be wrong.
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:03












  • $begingroup$
    Thanks a lot. Do you know if this list is exhaustive ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:11












  • $begingroup$
    I have no doubt there are much more extensive lists, though I don't know where to find them. If there are particular values you are interested in, perhaps wolfram alpha can help you.
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:21






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Should it not be $ze^z = - u ln(v) $ ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 30 '18 at 17:28
















1












1








1





$begingroup$

First, three degenerate cases;




  1. If $C=0$ and $B=1$ then the equation reduces to $A=D$, and there is nothing to solve.

  2. If $C=0$ and $Bneq1$ then $AB^x=D$ and hence $x=frac{ln{frac{D}{A}}}{ln{B}}$.

  3. If $Cneq0$ and $B=1$ then $A+Cx=D$ and hence $x=frac{D-A}{C}$.


If $Cneq0$ and $Bneq1$ then setting $a:=frac{A}{C}$ and $d:=frac{D}{C}$ yields
$$aB^x=d-x.$$
Setting $y:=d-x$ and $v:=B^{-1}$ and $u:=aB^d$ then yields
$$y=aB^{d-y}=aB^dB^{-y}=uv^y=ue^{yln{v}},$$
where $e$ denotes Euler's constant. Finally setting $z:=-yln{v}$ and rearranging yields the equation
$$ze^z=-uln{v},$$
which has no 'elementary' closed form solution in general. The solution to this is precisely what the Lambert W function denotes. That is, by definition we have $z=W(-uln{v})$. Substituting everything back yields
$$-left(frac{D}{C}-xright)ln{B^{-1}}=Wleft(-frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B^{-1}}right),$$
and isolating $x$ shows that
$$x=frac{D}{C}-frac{1}{ln{B}}Wleft(frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B}right).$$
Finding exact values of the Lambert W function in terms of elementary functions is in general not possible, though of course there are practical algorithms for numerical approximations.






share|cite|improve this answer











$endgroup$



First, three degenerate cases;




  1. If $C=0$ and $B=1$ then the equation reduces to $A=D$, and there is nothing to solve.

  2. If $C=0$ and $Bneq1$ then $AB^x=D$ and hence $x=frac{ln{frac{D}{A}}}{ln{B}}$.

  3. If $Cneq0$ and $B=1$ then $A+Cx=D$ and hence $x=frac{D-A}{C}$.


If $Cneq0$ and $Bneq1$ then setting $a:=frac{A}{C}$ and $d:=frac{D}{C}$ yields
$$aB^x=d-x.$$
Setting $y:=d-x$ and $v:=B^{-1}$ and $u:=aB^d$ then yields
$$y=aB^{d-y}=aB^dB^{-y}=uv^y=ue^{yln{v}},$$
where $e$ denotes Euler's constant. Finally setting $z:=-yln{v}$ and rearranging yields the equation
$$ze^z=-uln{v},$$
which has no 'elementary' closed form solution in general. The solution to this is precisely what the Lambert W function denotes. That is, by definition we have $z=W(-uln{v})$. Substituting everything back yields
$$-left(frac{D}{C}-xright)ln{B^{-1}}=Wleft(-frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B^{-1}}right),$$
and isolating $x$ shows that
$$x=frac{D}{C}-frac{1}{ln{B}}Wleft(frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B}right).$$
Finding exact values of the Lambert W function in terms of elementary functions is in general not possible, though of course there are practical algorithms for numerical approximations.







share|cite|improve this answer














share|cite|improve this answer



share|cite|improve this answer








edited Jan 1 at 21:09

























answered Dec 29 '18 at 17:48









ServaesServaes

30.9k342101




30.9k342101












  • $begingroup$
    Thank you very much for this, very interesting stuff. What would be the conditions on A,B,C and D for which $Wleft(frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B^{-1}}right)$ could be expressed in terms of elementary function ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 17:59












  • $begingroup$
    See the wikipedia section on special values for a few known values of $W(z)$, which you can then translate to conditions on $A$, $B$, $C$ and $D$. One condition that particularly jumps out is $A=0$, and then obviously $x=frac{D}{C}$, but otherwise the expression seems too convoluted to say anything nice about. But I could be wrong.
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:03












  • $begingroup$
    Thanks a lot. Do you know if this list is exhaustive ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:11












  • $begingroup$
    I have no doubt there are much more extensive lists, though I don't know where to find them. If there are particular values you are interested in, perhaps wolfram alpha can help you.
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:21






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Should it not be $ze^z = - u ln(v) $ ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 30 '18 at 17:28




















  • $begingroup$
    Thank you very much for this, very interesting stuff. What would be the conditions on A,B,C and D for which $Wleft(frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B^{-1}}right)$ could be expressed in terms of elementary function ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 17:59












  • $begingroup$
    See the wikipedia section on special values for a few known values of $W(z)$, which you can then translate to conditions on $A$, $B$, $C$ and $D$. One condition that particularly jumps out is $A=0$, and then obviously $x=frac{D}{C}$, but otherwise the expression seems too convoluted to say anything nice about. But I could be wrong.
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:03












  • $begingroup$
    Thanks a lot. Do you know if this list is exhaustive ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:11












  • $begingroup$
    I have no doubt there are much more extensive lists, though I don't know where to find them. If there are particular values you are interested in, perhaps wolfram alpha can help you.
    $endgroup$
    – Servaes
    Dec 29 '18 at 18:21






  • 1




    $begingroup$
    Should it not be $ze^z = - u ln(v) $ ?
    $endgroup$
    – AlexC75
    Dec 30 '18 at 17:28


















$begingroup$
Thank you very much for this, very interesting stuff. What would be the conditions on A,B,C and D for which $Wleft(frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B^{-1}}right)$ could be expressed in terms of elementary function ?
$endgroup$
– AlexC75
Dec 29 '18 at 17:59






$begingroup$
Thank you very much for this, very interesting stuff. What would be the conditions on A,B,C and D for which $Wleft(frac{A}{C}B^{frac{D}{C}}ln{B^{-1}}right)$ could be expressed in terms of elementary function ?
$endgroup$
– AlexC75
Dec 29 '18 at 17:59














$begingroup$
See the wikipedia section on special values for a few known values of $W(z)$, which you can then translate to conditions on $A$, $B$, $C$ and $D$. One condition that particularly jumps out is $A=0$, and then obviously $x=frac{D}{C}$, but otherwise the expression seems too convoluted to say anything nice about. But I could be wrong.
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 29 '18 at 18:03






$begingroup$
See the wikipedia section on special values for a few known values of $W(z)$, which you can then translate to conditions on $A$, $B$, $C$ and $D$. One condition that particularly jumps out is $A=0$, and then obviously $x=frac{D}{C}$, but otherwise the expression seems too convoluted to say anything nice about. But I could be wrong.
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 29 '18 at 18:03














$begingroup$
Thanks a lot. Do you know if this list is exhaustive ?
$endgroup$
– AlexC75
Dec 29 '18 at 18:11






$begingroup$
Thanks a lot. Do you know if this list is exhaustive ?
$endgroup$
– AlexC75
Dec 29 '18 at 18:11














$begingroup$
I have no doubt there are much more extensive lists, though I don't know where to find them. If there are particular values you are interested in, perhaps wolfram alpha can help you.
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 29 '18 at 18:21




$begingroup$
I have no doubt there are much more extensive lists, though I don't know where to find them. If there are particular values you are interested in, perhaps wolfram alpha can help you.
$endgroup$
– Servaes
Dec 29 '18 at 18:21




1




1




$begingroup$
Should it not be $ze^z = - u ln(v) $ ?
$endgroup$
– AlexC75
Dec 30 '18 at 17:28






$begingroup$
Should it not be $ze^z = - u ln(v) $ ?
$endgroup$
– AlexC75
Dec 30 '18 at 17:28




















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