Solve Inverse Function: g^-1(6) for g(x) = 5 + x + e^x

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on finding the inverse function g^-1(6) for the function g(x) = 5 + x + e^x. The correct approach involves substituting g(x) with y, leading to the equation y - 5 = x + e^x. The key insight is recognizing that to find the inverse, one must solve for x when g(x) equals 6, simplifying to x + e^x = 1. The solution reveals that x = 0 satisfies this equation, confirming that g^-1(6) = 0.

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Question:
If g(x) = 5 + x + e^x, find g^-1(6) [inverse of g, not g to the power of -1]

Attempted:
So I first substitued g(x) to y

So y = 5 + x + e^x
then I tried isolating the x
So y - 5 = x + e^x
Then I applied ln to both sides
ln(y) - ln(5) = ln(x) + ln(e^x)
Due to the log rules, I can take down the x from ln(e^x)
So it becomes ln(y) - ln(5) = ln(x) + x(ln(e))
And since ln(e) = 1, that means
ln(y) - ln(5) = ln(x) + x

Ok. So now I'm stuck.
Where should I go from here?? I know I'm missing something extremely crucial here, but I'm really not seeing it :(
Please help! And thanks a bunch!
 
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You applied the ln incorrectly. You'd be getting ln (y-5), not ln y - ln 5.

See if you can go from there :smile:

Anyway, the idea for finding an inverse function like this is, replace all the y with x, and replace all the x with y. Then solve for the new y, which is the inverse function. Then plug in the given x.
 
Oh, really? XD
So if it's ln(y - 5) then x and e^x would be ln(x + e^x) right?
I.. don't know where to go from there.. :(
 
You could think of the question as saying: What value of x would make 5+x+e^x=6?

In other words, find x, if x+e^x = 1.

Now, you can either take the log of both sides here, but really its just easy to see that its 0.
 
Oh wow.. so I was making this question harder than it seems XD
Thanks so much, Gib Z! :D
Brownie points for you :D :D
 

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