LEARNING CONCEPTS AND ACTIVITIES

The term exponential is often associated with any phenomenon characterized by rapid growth
with alarming consequences.

EXPONENTIAL EXPRESSION
An exponential expression is an expression involving an exponent. The base is the factor to used
and the exponent tells us how many times we will use the base as a factor.
Exponential Base Exponent Expanded Value
Expression Form
25 2 5 2∙2∙2∙2∙2 532
-3 4 -3 4 −(3 ∙ 3 ∙ 3 ∙ 3) -81
2 −3 2/3 -3 If the exponent is
negative, get the
27
( ) reciprocal of the base. 8
3
3 3 3
( )( )( )
2 2 2
5x 5 x We can’t determine
the expanded form
We can find the value
of the exponential
unless there is a value expression if there is a
of x. corresponding value
of the variable x.

EXPONENTIAL EQUATION
It is an equation involving an exponential expressions.
2𝑥+1 = 25
32𝑥 = 9−2
1 𝑥
4𝑥 = ( )
16

EXPONENTIAL INEQUALITY
It is an inequality involving an exponential expressions.
52𝑥 − 5𝑥+1 ≤ 0
32𝑥 > 9−2

EXPONENTIAL FUNCTIONS
• The exponential function 𝑓 with base 𝑏 is defined by 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑏 𝑥 where 𝑏 > 0 and 𝑏 ≠ 1.
• The domain of the exponential function with base 𝑏 is the set of real numbers.
• The range of an exponential function is the set of positive real numbers.

Exponential Functions Not Exponential Functions

𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 𝑓(𝑥) = 1𝑥
𝑓(𝑥) = 5𝑥 𝑓(𝑥) = −2𝑥
𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥+1 𝑓(𝑥) = (−3)𝑥
1 𝑥 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 𝑥
𝑓(𝑥) = ( )
2

SOLVING EXPONENTIAL EQUATION

Property of Equality
If two powers with the same base are equal, then their exponents must be equal.
For 𝑏 > 0 and 𝑏 ≠ 1, if 𝑏 𝑥 = 𝑏 𝑦 , then 𝑥 = 𝑦,

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Examples:
1. Solve the equation 2𝑥 = 83 .
2. Solve 32𝑥 = 95𝑥−4 .
5 𝑥 4
3. Solve ( ) = .
2 25

2𝑥 = 83 32𝑥 = (32 )5𝑥−4 5 𝑥 22

2𝑥 = (23 )3 32𝑥 = 910𝑥−8 ( ) = 2
2 5
2𝑥 = 29 2𝑥 = 10𝑥 − 8 5 𝑥 5−2
𝑥=9 8𝑥 = 8 ( ) = −2
2 2
𝑥=1 5 𝑥 5 −2
( ) =( )
2 2
𝑥 = −2

SOLVING EXPONENTIAL INEQUALITY

Property of Inequality
If 𝑏 𝑥 < 𝑏 𝑦 , then 𝑥 < 𝑦.

Examples:
1. Solve for 85𝑥 < 42𝑥−11
1
2. Solve 2𝑥+2 > .
32
1
3. Solve for 53−2𝑥 > .
625

(23 )5𝑥 < (22 )2𝑥−11 2𝑥+2 > (32)−1 53−2𝑥 > (625)−1
215𝑥 < 24𝑥−22 2𝑥+2 > (25 )−1 53−2𝑥 > (54 )−1
15𝑥 < 4𝑥 − 22 2𝑥+2 > 2−5 53−2𝑥 > 5−4
11𝑥 < −22 𝑥 + 2 > −5 3 − 2𝑥 > −4
𝑥 < −2 𝑥 > −7 −2𝑥 > −7
7
𝑥<
2

GRAPH OF EXPONENTIAL FUNCTIONS

We represent an exponential function through its table of values, graph, and equation. The
following graphs are representative of the graphs exponential functions.

Example 1
Sketch the graph of the following
1 𝑥
a. 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 and b. 𝑓(𝑥) = ( )
2

Solution:
a. 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥
𝑥 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 1 1
1 2 4 8
4 2

domain: all real numbers

range: (0, ∞)
x-intercept: none
y-intercept: 1
asymptote: 𝑦=0
Figure 1

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 1 𝑥 1 𝑥
b. 𝑓(𝑥) = ( ) Note: ( ) = (2−1 )𝑥 = 2−𝑥
2 2

𝑥 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2
1 𝑥 8 4 2 1 1 1
𝑓(𝑥) = ( )
2 2 4

domain: all real numbers

range: (0, ∞)
x-intercept: none
y-intercept: 1
asymptote: 𝑦=0

Figure 2
Properties of 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒃 𝒙

For positive real numbers 𝑏, 𝑏 ≠ 1, the exponential function defined by 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑏 𝑥 has the following
properties:
1. 𝑓 has the set of real numbers as its domain.
2. 𝑓 has the set of positive real numbers as its range.
3. 𝑓 has a graph with y-intercept of (0, 1).
4. 𝑓 has a graph asymptotic to the x-axis.
5. 𝑓 is a one-to-one function.
6. 𝑓 is an increasing function if 𝑏 > 1.
7. 𝑓 is a decreasing function if 0 < 𝑏 < 1.

Example 2: Family of Exponential Function

Figure 3 shows the graphs of the family of exponential function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑏 𝑥 for various values of
the base 𝑏. All of these graphs pass through the point (0,1). As you can see from the figure that
there are two kinds of exponential functions: If 0 < 𝑏 < 1, the exponential function decreases
rapidly. If 𝑏 > 1, the function increases rapidly.

Figure 3

Example 3: Transportation of Exponential Functions

Use the graph of 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 to sketch the graph of a) 𝑔(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 2 and
b) ℎ(𝑥) = 2𝑥−1 . Determine the intercepts, zeroes and asymptotes. State the domain and the range.

Solution:
a) 𝑔(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 2
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 To obtain the graph of 𝑔(𝑥) = 2𝑥 − 2, we start with the graph of 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 and shift it
downward 2 units.

Domain: all real numbers

Range: {𝑦|𝑦 > −2}
Zeroes: 2𝑥 − 2 = 0
2𝑥 = 2
𝑥=1
y-intercept: −1
asymptote: 𝑦 = −2

b) ℎ(𝑥) = 2𝑥−1

Solution:
Start with the graph of 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 and shift it to the right by 1 unit, to get the graph of
ℎ(𝑥) = 2𝑥−1 .

Domain: all real numbers

Range: {𝑦|𝑦 > 0}
Zeroes: 𝑛𝑜𝑛𝑒
y-intercept: 1
asymptote: 𝑦 = 0

Example 4
Sketch the graph of each function
a) 𝑓(𝑥) = 2𝑥 b) 𝑔(𝑥) = 2−𝑥 c) ℎ(𝑥) = −2𝑥 d) 𝑘(𝑥) = −2−𝑥

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 Notice that 𝑔(𝑥) is the reflection of 𝑓(𝑥) with respect to the y-axis ℎ(𝑥) is the reflection of 𝑓(𝑥)
with respect to the x-axis. The function 𝑘(𝑥) is the reflection of 𝑔(𝑥) with respect to the x-axis.

APPLICATION OF EXPONENTIAL FUNCTION

Many real-world phenomena can be modeled by functions that describe how things grow or
decay as time passes. Example of such phenomena include the studies of populations, bacteria,
the corona virus, radioactive substances, electricity, compound interest and temperature.

Any quantity that grows or decays by a fixed percent at regular intervals is said to possess
exponential growth or exponential decay. The pattern can be represented by the function.
Growth: Decay:

𝑦 = 𝑎(1 + 𝑟)𝑡 𝑦 = 𝑎(1 − 𝑟)𝑡

where:
a = initial amount before measuring growth/decay
r = grow/decay rate
t = number of time intervals that have passed

Example 1: Growth by doubling

Bacteria can multiply at an alarming rate when each bacterium splits into two new cells, then
doubling. Suppose a certain bacterium doubles every minute, about how many bacteria will there
be after 8 minutes?

Solution:
If an amount doubles, the rate of increase is 100%.

Function: 𝑦 = 𝑎(1 + 𝑟)𝑡

where a = the initial amount
r = growth rate
t = the number of intervals

𝑦 = (1 + 1)8
𝑦 = 28
𝑦 = 256
Therefore, there are 256 bacteria after 8 minutes.

Example 2: Population of a City

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The population of a certain city has a relative growth rate of 3% per year. The population was
110,000 in 2000. Find the projected population in the year 2005.

Solution:
Function: 𝑦 = 𝑎(1 + 𝑟)𝑡
Given: a = 110,000
r = 3% or 0.03
t = 5 years

𝑦 = 110,000(1 + 0.03)5
𝑦 = 110,000(1.03)5
𝑦 = 127,520
After 5 years the city will have a projected population of 127,520.

Example 5: Exponential Decay

A cellphone worth P12,000 bought three years ago. If it depreciates 5% per annum, how
much does it cost now?

Solution:
𝐴 = 𝐴0 (1 − 𝑟)𝑡
Given: 𝐴0 = P12,000
r = 2%
t = 3 years

𝐴 = 𝑃12,000(1 − 0.02)3
𝐴 = 𝑃12,000(0.98)3
𝐴 = 𝑃11,294.30

Example 3: Decay by half-line

Half-line is the amount of time it takes for half of the amount of substance to decay.
Scientists and environmentalist worry about such substances because these hazardous materials
continue to be dangerous for many years after their disposal.

A radioactive element has a half-life if two weeks. How much of 1000-gram sample of the
element will remain in 9 weeks?

Solution:
𝐴 = 𝐴0 (1 − 𝑟)𝑡
9
= 1000(1 − 0.5)2
9
1 2
= 1000 ( )
2
9
= 1000(2)−2
= 1000(0.044194)
= 44.19 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑚𝑠

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