Exponential Functions

More Mathematical Modeling

 Internet Technology
• The Internet is growing faster
than all other technologies
that have preceded it.
• Radio existed for 38 years
before it had 50 million
listeners.
• Television took 13 years to
reach that mark.
• The Internet crossed the line
in just four years.
 Internet Traffic
• In 1994, a mere 3 million
people were connected to
the Internet.
• By the end of 1997, more
than 100 million were
using it.
• Traffic on the Internet has
doubled every 100 days.
• Source: The Emerging Digital
Economy,
April 1998 report of the
United States Department of
Commerce.
 Exponential Functions
• A function is called an exponential function if
it has a constant growth factor.
• This means that for a fixed change in x, y gets
multiplied by a fixed amount.
• Example: Money accumulating in a bank at a
fixed rate of interest increases exponentially.
 Exponential Functions
• Consider the following example, is this
exponential?
x y
5 0.5
10 1.5
15 4.5
20 13.5
 Exponential Functions
• For a fixed change in x, y gets multiplied by a fixed
amount. If the column is constant, then the
relationship is exponential.

x y
5 0.5
10 1.5 1.5 / 0.5 3
15 4.5 4.5 / 1.5 3
20 13.5 13.5 / 4.5 3
 Exponential Functions
• Consider another example, is this exponential?

x y
0 192
1 96
2 48
3 24
 Exponential Functions
• For a fixed change in x, y gets multiplied by a fixed
amount. If the column is constant, then the
relationship is exponential.

x y
0 192
1 96 192 / 96 0.5
2 48 96 / 48 0.5
3 24 48 / 24 0.5
 Other Examples of
Exponential Functions
• Populations tend to growth exponentially not linearly.
• When an object cools (e.g., a pot of soup on the
dinner table), the temperature decreases exponentially
toward the ambient temperature.
• Radioactive substances decay exponentially.
• Viruses and even rumors tend to spread exponentially
through a population (at first).
Let’s examine exponential functions. They are
different than any of the other types of functions we’ve
studied because the independent variable is in the
exponent.

Let’s look at the graph of

this function by plotting
x 2x
3 8 f ( x) = 2 x some points.8
7
6
2 4 5
BASE
1 2 4
3
0 1 Recall what a
2
1
-1 1/2 negative exponent -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
-2 1/4 means:
-2
-3
-3 1/8 1 -4
f ( − 1) = 2 =
−1 -5
-6
2 -7
 Compare the graphs 2x, 3x , and 4x
f ( x) = 4x
Characteristics about the
Graph of an Exponential
Function f ( x ) = a where a > 1
x

f ( x ) = 3x
1. Domain is all real numbers
2. Range is positive real numbers f ( x) = 2x
3. There are no x intercepts because
there is no x value that you can put Can
What
Whatyou
is
isthe
the
seerange
x
What
Are these
is the ythe
in the function to make it = 0 of
intercept
horizontal
domain
an exponential
of
of
intercept
exponentialofan
these
these
4. The y intercept is always (0,1) function?
exponential
asymptote
exponential
exponential
functions for
because a 0 = 1 functions?
these
function?
functions?
functions?
increasing or
5. The graph is always increasing decreasing?
6. The x-axis (where y = 0) is a
horizontal asymptote for x → - ∞
y=2 x All of the transformations that you
learned apply to all functions, so what
would the graph of y = 2 + 3
x

look like?
up 3

right 2 down 1
Reflected over x−2
up 1 x axis y=2 −1
y = 1− 2 x
Reflected about y-axis This equation could be rewritten in
−x a different form:
y=2 −x 1 1
x

y=2 = x = 
2 2

So if the base of our exponential

function is between 0 and 1
(which will be a fraction), the
graph will be decreasing. It will
have the same domain, range,
intercepts, and asymptote.

These two exponential functions have special names.

 Exponential Factors
• If the factor b is greater than 1, then we call
the relationship exponential growth.
• If the factor b is less than 1, we call the
relationship exponential decay.
 Exponential Growth
• Exponential growth occurs when some quantity
regularly increases by a fixed percentage.
• The equation for an exponential relationship is
given by
• y = Abx
• where A is the initial value of y when x = 0, and b
is that growth factor.
• An example of the equation of the last relationship
above is simply y = $100 (1.05)x.
Exponential Functions
• If a quantity grows by a fixed percentage
change, it grows exponentially.
• Example: Bank Account
– Suppose you deposit $100 into an account that earns
5% annual interest.
– Interest is paid once at the end of year.
– You do not make additional deposits or withdrawals.
– What is the amount in the bank account after eight
years?
 Bank Account
Constant
Growth
year Amount Interest Earned Factor
0 $100.00 = $100.00 * 0.05 = $5.00

1 $100.00 + $5.00 = $105.00 = $105.00 * 0.05 = $5.25 = $105.00 / $100.00 = 1.05

2 $105.00 + $5.25 = $110.25 = $110.25 * 0.05 = $5.51 = $110.25 / $105.00 = 1.05

3 $110.25 + $5.51 = $115.76 = $115.76 * 0.05 = $5.79 = $115.76 / $110.25 = 1.05

4 $115.76 + $5.79 = $121.55 = $121.55 * 0.05 = $6.08 = $121.55 / $115.76 = 1.05

5 $121.55 + $6.08 = $127.63 = $127.63 * 0.05 = $6.38 = $127.63 / $121.55 = 1.05

6 $127.63 + $6.38 = $134.01 = $134.01 * 0.05 = $6.70 = $134.01 / $127.63 = 1.05

7 $134.01 + $6.70 = $140.71 = $140.71 * 0.05 = $7.04 = $140.71 / $134.01 = 1.05

8 $140.71 + $7.04 = $147.75 = $147.75 / $140.71 = 1.05

Exponential Growth Graph
 Exponential Decay
• Exponential Decay occurs whenever the size of a
quantity is decreasing by the same percentage
each unit of time.
new _ value = initial _ value × (1 − r )
t

• The best-known examples of exponential decay

involves radioactive materials such as uranium or
plutonium.
• Another example, if inflation is making prices rise
by 3% per year, then the value of a $1 bill is
falling, or exponentially decaying, by 3% per year.
 Exponential Decay: Example
• China’s one-child policy was implemented
in 1978 with a goal of reducing China’s
population to 700 million by 2050. China’s
2000 population is about 1.2 billion.
Suppose that China’s population declines at
a rate of 0.5% per year. Will this rate be
sufficient to meet the original goal?
 Exponential Decay: Solution
The declining rate = 0.5%/100 = 0.005
Using year 2000 as t = 0, the initial value of
the population is 1.2 billion.
We want to find the population in 2050,
therefore, t = 50
New value = 1.2 billion × (1 – 0.005)50
New Value = 0.93 billion ≈ 930 million
 Example of Radioactive Decay
• Suppose that 100 pounds of plutonium (Pu) is
deposited at a nuclear waste site. How much of it will
still be radioactive in 100,000 years?
• Solution: the half-life of plutonium is 24,000 years.
The new value is the amount of Pu remaining after t =
100,000 years, and the initial value is the original 100
pounds deposited at the waste site:
• New value = 100 lb × (½)100,000 yr/24,000 yr
• New value = 100 lb × (½)4.17 = 5.6 lb
• About 5.6 pounds of the original amount will still be
radioactive in 100,000 years.
Exponential Decay Graph
Exponential Equations and Inequalities
Ex: All of the properties of rational exponents apply to real
exponents as well. Lucky you!

Simplify:
2+ 3
5 2
•5 3
=5
Recall the product of powers property,
am • an = am+n
Ex: All of the properties of rational exponents apply to real
exponents as well. Lucky you!

Simplify:
5• 2
(6 ) 5 2
=6
=6 10

Recall the power of a power property,

(am)n= amn
 The Equality Property for Exponential
Functions

Suppose b is a positive number other

than 1. Then b x = b x1 2
if and only if
x1 = x 2 .
Basically, this states that if the bases are the same, then we
can simply set the exponents equal.

This property is quite useful when we

are trying to solve equations
involving exponential functions.

Let’s try a few examples to see how it works.

 If au = av, then u = v
This says that if we have exponential functions in
equations and we can write both sides of the equation
using the same base, we know the exponents are equal.
3 x−4 The left hand side is 2 to the something.
2 =8 Can we re-write the right hand side as 2
to the something?

Now we use the property above. The

3 x−4
2 =2 3 bases are both 2 so the exponents must
be equal.

3x − 4 = 3 We did not cancel the 2’s, We just used

the property and equated the exponents.

You could solve this for x now.

 1 The left hand side is 4
Let’s try one more: 4 =
x
to the something but
We could however re-write
8 the right hand side
both the left and right hand can’t be written as 4 to
sides as 2 to the something. the something (using

(2 )
integer exponents)
2 x −3
=2
So now that each side is written
−3
2 2x
=2 with the same base we know the
exponents must be equal.
 3
2 x = −3 Check:
4
− 
 2
=
1
3 1 1 1 8 1
x=− = =
( 4) 8
3
2 8 2 3
4 2
 Exam ple
1:
32x −5
=3 x +3
(S inc e the bas e s are the s am e
we
2x − 5 = x + 3 s im ply s e t the e xpo ne nts e qual .)
x−5= 3
x=8
He re is ano the r e xam ple fo r
yo u to try :
Exam ple
1 a : 1
x +5
2 =2
3x −1 3
The ne xt pro ble m is w hat to
do w he n the bas e s are no t
the s amx −1e .
3 2x +3
= 27

Do e s anyo ne have
an ide a ho w
w e m ig ht appro ac h
this ?
 Our s trate g y he re is to
re w rite the bas e s s o that
the y are bo th the s am e .
He re fo r e xam ple , w e kno w
3 = 27
that
3
Exam ple 2 : (Le t ’s s o lve
it no w )
32x + 3 = 27x −1
32x +3 = 33(x−1) (o ur bas e s are no w the s am e
s o s im ply s e t the e xpo ne nts
2x + 3 = 3(x −1) e qual )

2x + 3 = 3x − 3
−x + 3 = − 3
−x =− 6
x=6

Le t ’s try ano the r o ne o f

the s e .
Exam ple 3
1 Re m e m be r a ne g ative e xpo ne nt is s im ply
16x +1 = anothe r w ay o f w riting a frac tio n
32
The bas e s are no w the s am e
24(x +1) = 2− 5 s o s e t the e xpo ne nts e qual .

4(x +1) = − 5
4x + 4 = − 5
4x = − 9
9
x=−
4
By now yo u c an s e e that the e quality
prope rty is
ac tually quite us e ful in s olving the s e
proble m s .
He re are a fe w m ore e xam ple s fo r yo u
to try2x .−1 1
Example 4: 3 =
9

Example 5: 4 x + 3 = 82x +1
The Base “e” (also called the natural base)
To model things in nature, we’ll
need a base that turns out to be
between 2 and 3. Your calculator
knows this base. Ask your
calculator to find e1. You do this by
using the ex button (generally you’ll
need to hit the 2nd or yellow button
first to get it depending on the
calculator). After hitting the ex, you
then enter the exponent you want
(in this case 1) and push = or enter.
If you have a scientific calculator
that doesn’t graph you may have to
enter the 1 before hitting the ex. Example
You should get 2.718281828 for TI-83
 f ( x) = ex

f ( x ) = 3x

f ( x) = 2x