<s>[INST] Solve $2\log_bx + 2\log_b(1-x) = 4$ I need to solve $$2\log_bx + 2\log_b(1-x) = 4.$$
I have found two ways to solve the problem. The first (and easiest) way is to divide through by $2$:
$$\log_bx + \log_b(1-x) = 2.$$ Then, combine the left side: $$\log_b[x(1-x)] = 2,$$ and convert to the equivalent exponential form, $$b^2 = x(1-x) \;\;\implies\;\; x^2 - x + b^2 = 0,$$ which by the quadratic equation, we get $$x = {1\over2}\left(1\pm\sqrt{1 - 4b^2}\right).$$
My question is: How do I know that neither solution is extraneous? These are the solutions in the back of the textbook, but I am left questioning when these are the solutions.

The alternative solution involves some more clever thinking:
$$\begin{align}2\log_bx + 2\log_b(1-x) &= 4\\\log_bx^2(1-x)^2 &= 4\\ b^4 &= x^2(x^2 - 2x + 1)\\ 0&=x^4 - 2x^3 + x^2 - b^4\\ &=x^2(x - 1)^2 - b^4\\ & = [x(x-1)]^2 - (b^2)^2 \\ &= [x(x-1) + b^2][x(x-1) - b^2],\end{align}$$ which implies that $$x = {1\over2}\left(1 \pm\sqrt{1 + 4b^2}\right) \;\;\;\text{or} \;\;\; {1\over2}\left(1 \pm\sqrt{1 - 4b^2}\right),$$
which is even worse, because now there are $4$ solutions to check.

The most I know is that since $b$ is a logarithmic base, $b>0$ and $b\ne 1$. But what happens when $b$ is something like $2$? Then you end up with a complex number under the root (of the solutions from the easier way), and that doesn't necessarily make sense if I'm trying to solve the logarithmic equation over the reals.
 [/INST] You have to see that your equation $b^2=x(1-x)$ it has two unknowns actually so there are more than one solution. In fact you have the equation of the circle
$$(x-\frac12)^2+y^2=(\frac12)^2$$
The conclusion is that all the points $(x,b)$ in this semi-circle with $b$ positive are solutions of your problem.
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