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Exponential Functions

1. An exponential function is of the form f(x) = ax, where a is a positive constant. This defines the basic exponential functions like 2x, 3x, etc. 2. Exponential functions have properties like: ax + y = axay, ax-y = ax/ay, and (ab)x = axbx. They are always positive for real x and approach 0 or infinity as x approaches negative or positive infinity depending on if a is between 0 and 1 or greater than 1. 3. The document provides examples of graphing various exponential functions involving shifts, reflections, and combinations of basic exponentials.

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69 views4 pages

Exponential Functions

1. An exponential function is of the form f(x) = ax, where a is a positive constant. This defines the basic exponential functions like 2x, 3x, etc. 2. Exponential functions have properties like: ax + y = axay, ax-y = ax/ay, and (ab)x = axbx. They are always positive for real x and approach 0 or infinity as x approaches negative or positive infinity depending on if a is between 0 and 1 or greater than 1. 3. The document provides examples of graphing various exponential functions involving shifts, reflections, and combinations of basic exponentials.

Uploaded by

Annie Freebies
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Section 4.

1 Exponential Functions
DEFINITION: An exponential function is a function of the form

f (x) = ax

where a is a positive constant.



1 x
x 10 
x 10x
-3 1 3
= 103 = 1000 -3 103 = 1013 = 1000
1
= 0.001
10  1 1
-2 1 2
= 102 = 100 -2 10 = 102 = 100 = 0.01
2
10  1
1 1 -1 101 = 10 = 0.1
-1 10 
= 101 = 10 0
1 0 0 10 = 1
0 =1
10 
1 1 1
1 101 = 10
1 10 
= 10 = 0.1 2 102 = 100
1 2 1
2 10 
= 102 = 0.01 3 103 = 1000
1 3
3 10
= 1013 = 0.001

BASIC ALGEBRAIC PROPERTIES:


1. an = a
| a {z. . . a} if n is a positive integer.
n factors
0
2. a = 1.
1
3. an = .
an

4. ap/q = q ap = ( q a)p .

THEOREM: If a > 0 and a 6= 1, then f (x) = ax is a continuous function with domain R and
range (0, ). In particular, ax > 0 for all x. If a, b > 0 and x, y R, then
ax
1. ax+y = ax ay 2. axy = 3. (ax )y = axy 4. (ab)x = ax bx
ay

BASIC CALCULUS PROPERTIES:


1. If a > 1, then ax as x and ax 0 as x .
2. If 0 < a < 1, then ax 0 as x and ax as x .

REMARK: The x-axis is a horizontal asymptote of f (x) = ax .

EXAMPLE: Graph the following functions:


(a) f (x) = 2x1

(b) g(x) = 2x 1

(c) h(x) = 2x

(d) p(x) = 2x

1
EXAMPLE: Graph the following functions:
(a) f (x) = 2x1

y = 2x f (x) = 2x1 (horizontal shift)

(b) g(x) = 2x 1

y = 2x g(x) = 2x 1 (vertical shift)

(c) h(x) = 2x

y = 2x h(x) = 2x (reflection)

(d) p(x) = 2x

y = 2x p(x) = 2x (reflection)
 x
1 1
REMARK: An other way to graph p(x) is to rewrite it as p(x) = x = , which gives the
2 2
same result by the Figure on page 1.

2
EXAMPLE: Graph f (x) = 2x .
Solution: Note that  x
1 1
f (x) = 2 x
= x =
2 2
Therefore

 x  x
1 1
y= f (x) = (reflection)
2 2

 x+1
1
EXAMPLE: Graph f (x) = + 2.
3
Solution: We have

 x  x+1
1 1
y= y= (horizontal shift)
3 3

 x+1
1
f (x) = + 2 (vertical shift)
3

3
EXAMPLE: Graph f (x) = 21x + 3.
Solution: We have

y = 2x y = 2x (reflection)

y = 2x+1 (horizontal shift)

y = 2x+1 + 3 (vertical shift)

f (x) = 2x+1 + 3 (reflection)

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