Solve LaTeX:  \displaystyle \log_{ 12 }(x + 16) + \log_{ 12 }(x + 1732) = 4

Using the product rule for logarithms gives LaTeX:  \displaystyle \log_{ 12 }(\left(x + 16\right) \left(x + 1732\right))  and rewriting in exponential form gives LaTeX:  \displaystyle \left(x + 16\right) \left(x + 1732\right) = 20736 expanding and setting the equation equal to zero gives LaTeX:  \displaystyle x^{2} + 1748 x + 6976 = 0 . Factoring gives LaTeX:  \displaystyle \left(x + 4\right) \left(x + 1744\right)=0 . This gives two possible solutions LaTeX:  \displaystyle x=-1744 or LaTeX:  \displaystyle x=-4 . LaTeX:  \displaystyle x=-1744 is an extraneous solution. The only soution is LaTeX:  \displaystyle x=-4 .