To solve the equation \( x^9 = 3 \) using one of the four operations you mentioned (subtraction, multiplication, division, or addition), none of those directly applies for the majority of the operations. The best approach in this case is to discuss the operation that could be viewed as 'undoing' the equation, which is exponentiation's inverse, as mentioned before.
However, if you wanted to manipulate a simple algebraic expression involving the variable \( x \) and consider only the operations you mentioned, you might be looking for ways to isolate \( x \) in another context. But for the equation \( x^9 = 3 \), you must use exponentiation's inverse (taking the ninth root), and those four operations do not directly allow solving it.
Thus, it's important to note that none of subtraction, multiplication, division, or addition will directly isolate \( x \) in the case of exponentiation like \( x^9 = 3\).