EXPONENTIAL Functions
EXPONENTIAL Functions
The concept of exponential functions is commonly observed in the growth and decay of a certain happening
also referred as exponential growth and exponential decay, respectively.
A. Assuming that after a certain study, we have the following rate of COVID – 19 transmission when once an
infected person is not contained.
Level
Number of Infected
Transmission
Initial (0) 1
First (1) 2
Second (2) 4
Third (3) 8
Fourth (4) 16
10𝑡ℎ (10) ?
Examining the behavior of disease transmission, we can observe that every level is increased in number
of infected. From the table, we can generalize a pattern. Thus, to approximate the number of infected
individuals at a given level, we can have the function 𝑵(𝒕) = 𝟐𝒕, where 𝒕 is the level of transmission.
To illustrate exponential growth, let’s determine the number of infected individuals at 10𝑡ℎ level of
transmission.
𝑁(𝑡) = 2𝑡 Therefore, there will be 1024 infected individuals in the 10𝑡ℎ level of transmission.
𝑁(10) = 210
𝑁(10) = 1024
The function 𝑁(𝑡) = 2𝑡 , is an example exponential function.
An exponential function is a function of the general form 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒃𝒙 , where 𝒃 > 𝟎 and 𝒃 ≠ 𝟏.
𝒃 is called the base.
(a) 𝐵𝑎𝑠𝑒 (𝑏) should be greater than zero because zero raise to negative number is undefined
→ 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒: 0−5 → 𝑢𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑
and any negative number raise to a fraction exponent is a complex number.
1
→𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒: (−9)2 = √−9
= (√9)(√−1)
= 3𝑖 → √−1 = 𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑟𝑦 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑖
(b) 𝐵𝑎𝑠𝑒(𝑏) should not be also equal to one since one raise to any number is equal to one.
→ 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑒𝑥𝑎𝑚𝑝𝑙𝑒: 19 = 1
Examples:
𝟐
𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟐𝒙 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟑𝒙 𝒇(𝒙) = ( )𝒙
𝟑
From these examples, the variable 𝑥 is an exponent, and there’s no variable in the base.
Non-examples
𝒇(𝒙) = (−𝟐)𝒙 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟏𝒙 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝟎𝒙 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒙𝟐 + 𝒙
Characteristics of Exponential Functions of the general form 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒃𝒙 , where 𝒃 > 𝟎 and 𝒃 ≠ 𝟏.
1. Domain is the set of real numbers or 𝐷𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 = {𝑥|𝑥 ∈ ℝ}.
2. Range is the set of positive real numbers or 𝑅𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 = {𝑓(𝑥)|𝑓(𝑥 ∈ ℝ+ }.
3. There is no 𝑥 − 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡 or the graph will never touch or cross the 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠.
4. The 𝑦 − 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡 is (0,1).
5. The horizontal asymptote is the 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 or 𝑦 = 0. Thus, the graph approaches the 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠 but it
will never touch it.
6. The graph is increasing if the base is greater than one or 𝑏 > 1.
7.The graph is decreasing if the base is between one and zero or 0 < 𝑏 < 0.
𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒃𝒙 , 𝒃 > 𝟏
𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒃𝒙 , 0 < 𝒃 < 𝟏
Graph of Exponential Functions of the general form
𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒃𝒙 , where 𝒃 > 𝟎 and 𝒃 ≠ 𝟏
Solving exponential equations refers to solving the value of the unknown or commonly known as the value of
𝑥. As a pre-requisite, let us recall the laws of exponent.
Let’s Review. Let 𝑎 and 𝑏 positive real numbers, 𝑎 ≠ 1, 𝑏 ≠ 1 and let 𝑥 and 𝑦 be real numbers.
To be able to solve exponential equation, our first goal is to let the bases equal in both sides of the equation.
When the bases are equal, we can directly equate the exponent then solve for the value of 𝑥.