Solve the exponential equation?

To solve an exponential equation, we need to isolate the variable in the exponent.

For example, let's solve the equation 2^x = 16.

To isolate the variable x, we can rewrite 16 as a power of 2:

16 = 2^4

Now, we have:

2^x = 2^4

Since the bases are the same, we can set the exponents equal to each other:

x = 4

Therefore, the solution to the equation 2^x = 16 is x = 4.

$$7^{x - 3} = 49$$