Answer
... we equate the exponents and continue solving an equation that is no longer exponential.
(see details in "step by step")
Work Step by Step
If we can write both sides as powers of the same base,
$ b^{M}=b^{N}\qquad$, where M and N are expressions in x,
we use the Basic Logarithmic Property $\log_{b}b^{x}=x$,
apply $\log_{b}$() to both sides, and the equation becomes
$M=N\qquad $...( equate the exponents)
that is, it is not an exponential equation any more...
We continue solving with conventional methods.
