Exponential

Functions
Perlita B. De Castro
General Mathematics G11
Mary Chiles College of Arts and Sciences, Inc.
S.Y. 2020-2021
Exponential Functions
At the end of the lesson, the learners should
be able to:
 Define exponential function;
 Determine exponential functions through an
equation or table of values;
 Solve exponential equations.
Exponential Functions
 Consider the growth of y of a certain type of bacteria
in x minutes as shown in the table values below:

x 0 1 2 3 4 5
y 1 2 4 8 16 32

Before the bacteria started to grow, there had been only 1

bacterium present. The number of bacteria was doubled every
minute. In just 5 minutes, the number had grown to 32, and it will
continue to grow rapidly as the time (in minutes) increases.
  By inspection, the growth of the bacteria can be stated
mathematically as . Such equation defines an exponential
function, where 2 is the base number.

x 0 1 2 3 4 5
y 1 2 4 8 16 32

A clearer idea of the behavior of the growth of the

bacteria can be obtained graphically.
  An exponential function is a function
that can be expressed mathematically
as , where b is any positive real
number not equal to 1.

 Since b > 0, and b≠1, then the value of f(x)

is always a positive real number.
Example: Which of the following describes an
exponential function?
 
a.
 
b.
 
c.
 
d.
Answer: The functions defined in (a) and (b) are
exponential functions. However, (c)and (d) are
not exponential functions.
 Consider the table values of a particular
exponential function below.
x 0 1 2 3 4
y 1 3 9 27 81

Notice that any function values for x is 3 times the previous

function value. Consequently, this leads to another observation
that the ratio of any two consecutive function values is equal to 3.

  Thus, in an exponential function, the function values have a

common ratio. The relationship that exists between x and f(x)
in the given table can be translated mathematically as .
 Given a table of values, you can easily
determine whether the function is
exponential or not. In an exponential
function, the values of the function
have a common ratio. That is, the
quotient between any two
consecutive function values is
constant.
Solving Exponential Equations
  The Property of Equality for
Exponential Equations states the if =,
where b is a positive number other
than 1, and x and y are real numbers
then x = y.
Different Laws of Exponent
Rule
a. Product rules =
=

b. Quotient rules = =

c. Power rule =

d. Zero rule =1

e. Negative exponent rule =

Example
  1: Solve = 8.
Solution:
  𝟐( 𝟐 𝒏) 𝟑 Express both sides of the equation in exponential form using
𝟐 =𝟐 the same base.
𝟒𝒏 𝟑
 
𝟐 =𝟐 Power rule

 
𝟒 𝒏=𝟑  
=

  𝟒𝒏 𝟑 Dividing both sides by 4.

=
𝟒 𝟒
  𝟑
𝒏=
𝟒
 Example 2: Solve = 125.
Solution:
 𝟏 𝟐 𝒙 −𝟐 𝟒 𝒙 𝟑 Express both sides of the equation in
( 𝟑) ∙𝟓  =  𝟓 exponential form using the same base.
𝟓
  −𝟑 𝟐𝒙 −𝟐 𝟒𝒙 𝟑
(𝟓 ) ∙ 𝟓  =  𝟓 Negative exponent rule

−𝟔 𝒙+𝟔 𝟒𝒙 𝟑
 
𝟓 ∙ 𝟓  =  𝟓 Power rule
  −𝟔 𝒙 +𝟔+𝟒 𝒙 𝟑
𝟓 =  𝟓 Product rule
 
3  =
 
3-6 Combine like terms
 
Dividing both sides by -2

 
 Example 3: Solve = 64.
Solution:
  −𝒏 − 𝟐 𝒏 𝟑 Express both sides of the equation in
𝟒 ∙ 𝟒
−𝒏 − 𝟐+𝒏
 =  𝟒𝟑
exponential form using the same base.
 
𝟒 =  𝟒 Product rule

 
3  =

 
3+2 Combine like terms
 
5
𝑺𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆
  𝟎=𝟓 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒇𝒂𝒍𝒔𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 ,𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒆𝒒𝒖𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒔𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 .