3log(4x - 4) + 8 = 20
the first step, as per usual with log problems, is to isolate your logarithm:
3log(4x - 4) = 20 ... subtract 8
3log(4x - 4) = 12 ... divide by 3
log(4x - 4) = 4
now, you need to eliminate your log. the simplest way to do this is to set both sides of the equation as exponents to the number 10. this works because the base of common log is, by default, 10.
10^(log₁₀(4x - 4)) = 10⁴
i wrote in the default base 10 so you could visualize it. in this way, the 10 and the log₁₀ cancel out because exponents and logarithms are inverses. "4x - 4" drops down, and you're left with:
4x - 4 = 10000
4x = 10004
x = 2501
