Instructions for Participating in the Discussion

In this activity, you will be asked to read a case study, conduct your own research, and then select a
probable solution for the case study

Case Study and Resources

Pretend you are a high school mathematics teacher and your students ask you to explain how
exponential functions are useful in the real world. After reflecting on what you learned about
exponential functions in Module 14, choose one of the following options as the real-world
application you think your students would find the most useful.

Probable Solutions for the Case Study

Using the information in the case study above, which option would you choose from the choices
below?

Option A: Population Growth

Could population growth be the real-world application that high school students find the most
useful? Some ways that scientists use exponential functions in terms of population are examining
how bacteria colonies or animal populations grow over time. Scientists and doctors also use
exponential functions to predict how fast a virus will spread. Why do you think population growth
would be more useful to students than exponential decay or compound interest?

Option B: Exponential Decay

Could exponential decay be the real-world application that high school students find the most
useful? A way that scientists use exponential functions in terms of exponential decay is to look at
how certain populations, like endangered species, decrease over time. Doctors use exponential
decay to determine how long different medications remain active in a person’s body. Why do you
think exponential decay would be more useful to students than population growth or compound
interest?

Option C: Compound Interest

Could compound interest be the real-world application that high school students find the most
useful? Bankers and financial workers use exponential functions to look at compound interest. Using
exponential functions to look at compound interest can determine how much an initial amount of
money will grow over time given the interest rate and number of times the interest is compounded.
Why do you think compound interest would be more useful to students than exponential decay or
population growth?