Exponential graphs

1 State whether the following graphs show an exponential function:

a b
y y
10
10 10
10

55 55

x x
−
−10
10 −
−55 55 10
10 −
−10
10 −
−55 55 10
10

−
−55 −
−55

−
−10
10 −
−10
10

c d
y y
10
10 10
10

55 55

x x
−
−10
10 −
−55 55 10
10 −
−10
10 −
−55 55 10
10

−
−55 −
−55

−
−10
10 −
−10
10

e f
y y
10
10 10
10

55 55

x x
−
−10
10 −
−55 55 10
10 −
−10
10 −
−55 55 10
10

−
−55 −
−55

−
−10
10 −
−10
10

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2 Consider the graphs of the two exponential y
functions A and B :
A
A
One of the graphs is of y = 3x and the other
graph is of y = 6x . Which is the graph of B
B
y = 3x ?

3 Consider the graphs of the two exponential

functions R and S : y

a One of the graphs is of y = 3x and the R

R
other graph is of y = 5x . Which is the
graph of y = 5x ?
SS
b Which function has its graph below that
of the other when x < 0? Explain your
answer. x

4 Determine whether following are increasing or decreasing exponential functions:

a y = 2x b 2 x c y = 0.75x d y = 4.15x
y=( )
4
​

e 7 x f y = 0.98x g y = 1.5−x h 1 −x
y=( ) y=( )
5 8
​
​

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Increasing exponential graphs

5 Consider the expression y = 4x .

i Complete the table of values:

x −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3
y

ii Sketch the graph.

iii Describe what happens to the y -values as x increases.
iv Describe what happens to the y -values as x decreases.
v Does the curve cross the x-axis?
vi At what value of y does the graph cross the y -axis?

6 For each of the following functions:

i Find the y -value of the y -intercept of the curve.

ii Complete the table of values:

x −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3
y

iii Find the horizontal asymptote of the curve.

iv Sketch the graph.

a y = 5x b y = 10x c y = 2x

7 Consider the expression y = 10x .

i Can the value of y ever be negative?

ii Can the value of y ever be equal to 0?
iii As the values of x get larger and larger, what value does y approach?
iv As the values of x get smaller and smaller, what value does y approach?
v Find the y -value of the y -intercept of the curve.
vi How many x-intercepts does the curve have?
vii Sketch the graph.

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8 Consider the exponentials y = 2x and y = 3x :

a Find the horizontal asymptote of each curve:

i y = 2x ii y = 3x

b Complete a table of values for each exponetial:

x −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3
y

i y = 2x ii y = 3x

c Sketch the graphs of y = 2x and y = 3x on the same set of axes.

d Find the coordinates of the point at which the two graphs intersect.

9 Consider the function y = 4x .

a Sketch the graph of y = 4x .

b 1 −x
Complete the table of values for y = ( ) :
4
​

x −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3
y

c 1 −x
Sketch the graph of ( ) .
4
​

d 1 −x
Compare the graphs of 4x and ( ) .
4
​

Decreasing exponential graphs

10 1 x
Consider the function y = ( ) :
3
​

x
a 1
Write two functions that are equivalent to y = ( ) .
3
​

b Sketch the graph of y = 3x on a number plane.

c 1 x
Sketch the graph of y = ( ) on the same number plane as y = 3x .
3
​

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11 Consider the two equations y = 5−x and y = 6−x . Which is decreasing more rapidly for
x > 0?

12 Consider the expression y = 2−x .

i Complete the table of values:

x −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3
y

ii Sketch the graph.

iii Describe what happens to the y -values as x increases.
iv Describe what happens to the y -values as x decreases.
v Does the curve cross the x-axis?
vi At what value of y does the graph cross the y -axis?

13 For each of the following functions:

i Find the y -value of the y -intercept of the curve.

ii Complete the table of values:

x −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3
y

iii Find the horizontal asymptote of the curve.

iv Sketch the graph.

a y = 3−x b y = 4−x c y = 6−x

14 Consider the expression y = 9−x .

i Can the value of y ever be negative?

ii Can the value of y ever be equal to 0?
iii As the values of x get larger and larger, what value does y approach?
iv As the values of x get smaller and smaller, what value does y approach?
v Find the y -value of the y -intercept of the curve.
vi How many x-intercepts does the curve have?
vii Sketch the graph.

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15 Consider the exponentials y = 5−x and y = 8−x :

a Find the horizontal asymptote of each curve:

i y = 5−x ii y = 8−x

b Complete a table of values for each exponetial:

x −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3
y

i y = 5−x ii y = 8−x

c Sketch the graphs of y = 5−x and y = 8−x on the same set of axes.
d Find the coordinates of the point at which the two graphs intersect.

Dilations and reflections

16 How could we use the graph of y = 7x to draw the graph of y = 7−x ?

17 Consider the graph of y = 2x :

y
55
a Describe a transformation of the graph
44
of y = 2x that would obtain y = 2−x .
33
b Sketch the graph of y = 2−x on the 22
same set of axes as y = 2x . 11
x
yy =
= 22xx
−
−55 −
−44 −
−33 −
−22 −
−11 11 22 33 44 55
−
−11
−
−22
−
−33
−
−44
−
−55

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18 Consider the graph of y = 5x : y
55

a Describe a transformation of the graph 44

of y = 5x that would obtain y = −5x . 33

22
b Sketch the graph of y = −5x on the
11
same set of axes as y = 5x . x
yy =
= 55xx
yy =
= 55−33 −−22 −−11
−
−55 −
−
−55 −−44 −
−44 −
−33 −
−22 −
−11 11 22 33 44 55
−
−11
−
−22
−
−33
−
−44
−
−55

19 Consider the graph of y = 8x :

y
a Describe a transformation of the graph
66
of y = 8x that would obtain y = −8−x .
44
b Sketch the graph of y = −8−x on the
same set of axes as y = 8x 22
x
yy =
= 88x
x
−
−66 −
−44 −
−22 22 44 66
−
−22

−
−44

−
−66

20 Consider the graph of y = 6−x :

y
55
a Describe a transformation of the graph
44
of y = 6−x that would obtain y = −6−x .
33
b Sketch the graph of y = −6−x on the 22
same set of axes as y = 6−x . 11
−x x
c Describe the graph of y = −6 −x
as x yy =
= 66−x
−
−55 −
−44 −
−33 −
−22 −
−11 11 22 33 44 55
increases. −
−11
−
−22
−
−33
−
−44
−
−55

21 Of the two functions y = 4x and y = 4 , which is increasing more rapidly for x > 0?
x

4
​

22 Consider the function y = 3 (4x ).

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 a Find the y -value of the y -intercept of the curve.
b Can the value of y ever be negative?
c As x approaches infinity, what value does y approach?
d Sketch the graph of y = 3 (4x ).

23 Consider the function y = 3 × 2x .

y
10
10
a Find the value of y when x = 0.
88
b Describe a transformation of the graph 66 yy =
= 33 ×
× 22xx
of y = 3 × 2x that would obtain 44
y = −3 × 2x . 22
x
c Sketch the graph of y = −3 × 2x on the −
−10
10 −
−88 −
−66 −
−44 −
−22 22 44 66 88 10
10
same set of axes as y = 3 × 2x . −
−22
−
−44
d The number of bacteria over time is to
−
−66
be modelled by an exponential function,
−
−88
with x representing time and y
−
−10
10
representing the number of bacteria.
If the bacteria are increasing, which
function should be used?

24 Consider the original graph y = 2x . The function values of the graph are multiplied by 3 to
form a new graph.

a Complete the following table by finding the points on the new graph:

1
Point on original graph (−1, ) (0, 1) (1, 2) (2, 4)
2
​

Point on new graph (−1, ⬚) (0, ⬚) (1, ⬚) (2, ⬚)

b Find the equation of the new graph.

c Sketch the graphs of the original and new function on the same set of axes.
d For positive x-values, is the graph of the new function above or below the graph of 2x ?
e For negative x-values, is the graph of the new function above or below the graph of 2x ?

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Translations

25 Consider the graph of y = 6x :

a Find the y -value of the y -intercept of y = 6x .

b Hence, find the y -value of the y -intercept of y = 6x + 3.
c Find the horizontal asymptote of y = 6x .
d Hence, find the horizontal asymptote of y = 6x + 3.

26 Consider the graph of y = 2x :

y
55
a Describe the translation required to shift
44
the graph of y = 2x to obtain the graph
33
of y = 2x − 5.
22
b Sketch the graph of y = 2 − 5 on the
x
11
x
same set of axes as y = 2x . yy =
= 22xx
yy =
= 22
−
−55 −
−44 −
−33 −
−22 −
−11 11 22 33 44 55
−
−11
−
−22
−
−33
−
−44
−
−55

27 Consider the graph of y = 3x :

y
55
a Describe the translation required to shift
44
the graph of y = 3x to obtain the graph
33
of y = 3x + 1.
22
b Sketch the graph of y = 3x + 1 on the 11
x
same set of axes as y = 3x . yy =
= 33xx
yy =
= 33
−
−55 −
−44 −
−33 −
−22 −
−11 11 22 33 44 55
−
−11
−
−22
−
−33
−
−44
−
−55

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28 Consider the graph of y = 3−x : y
77

a Describe the translation required to shift 66

the graph of y = 3−x to obtain the graph 55

of y = 3−x + 5. 44
33
b Sketch the graph of y = 3−x + 5 on the
22
same set of axes as y = 3−x .
11
yy = −x
= 33−x x
−
−55 −
−44 −
−33 −
−22 −
−11 11 22 33 44 55
−
−11
−
−22
−
−33

29 Consider the graph of y = 3x :

y
77
a Describe the translation required to shift
66
the graph of y = 3x to obtain the graph
55
of y = 3x−2 .
44
b Sketch the graph of y = 3x−2 on the 33 yy =
= 33x
x

same set of axes as y = 3x . 22

11
x
−
−55 −
−44 −
−33 −
−22 −
−11 11 22 33 44 55
−
−11
−
−22
−
−33

30 Consider the graph of y = 2x :

y
77
a Describe the translation required to shift
66
the graph of y = 2x to obtain the graph
55
of y = 2x+3 .
44
b Sketch the graph of y = 2x+3 on the 33
same set of axes as y = 2x . 22
11
yy =
= 22
xx x
−
−55 −
−44 −
−33 −
−22 −
−11 11 22 33 44 55
−
−11
−
−22
−
−33

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31 Consider the graph of y = 4−x : y
77

a Describe the translation required to shift 66

the graph of y = 4−x to obtain the graph 55

of y = 4−x+1 . 44
33
b Sketch the graph of y = 4−x+1 on the
22
same set of axes as y = 4−x .
11
= 44−−xx
yy = x
−
−55 −
−44 −
−33 −
−22 −
−11 11 22 33 44 55
−
−11
−
−22
−
−33

32 Consider the graph of y = 6−x :

y
77
a Describe the translation required to shift
66
the graph of y = 6−x to obtain the graph
55
of y = 6−x−4 .
44
b Sketch the graph of y = 6−x−4 on the 33
same set of axes as y = 6−x . 22
11
yy = −x
= 66−x x
−
−55 −
−44 −
−33 −
−22 −
−11 11 22 33 44 55
−
−11
−
−22
−
−33

33 State the new equation when the graph of y = 2x is moved down by 9 units.

34 State the new equation when the graph of y = 12x is moved left by 6 units.

35 State the new equation when the graph of y = 3−x is moved right by 2 units and down by 7
units.

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