Examples: Write each of the following in radical form. Evaluate, if possible.

2 5 3
a. 83 b. −252 c. 256−4

2 2
d. 64−1.5 e. (−27)−3 f. −27−3

Simplify. Express your answers using positive exponents only.

2
4 2 6 −
− 3
a) 𝑏 5 ÷𝑏 3 b) (𝑤 11 )

3 1 1 2 1
− −
c) (16𝑎) 4 (256𝑎) 4 d) (5𝑥 2 ) × 4𝑥 2

6. Write each expression as a single power with a positive and rational exponent.
6 1 5
3
a) √(7−2 )(76 ) b) √(92 ) (92 )

5
 c) √√𝑥 12 e) √81𝑚8
d) √ √𝑦 4
3

g) √ √64𝑥 18
3
f) √√10000𝑦 6 5 √𝑥√𝑥 3
h) √ 3
𝑥4

1 −
3
− 16
−8𝑥 3 j) (81𝑦8 )
4
3
i) ( 216 )

3 1
√( (83 )5 5 5 (87 )(84 )
k)
812
) √ 88

6
MCR3U Lesson 3 – Solving Exponential Equations

 to solve an equation we followed the rule “What you do to one side you do to the other”
 the opposite of adding is subtracting
 the opposite of dividing is multiplying
 the opposite of squaring is taking the positive and negative square root

Example:
Solve.
a) 4𝑥 + 9 = 21 b) 2𝑥 2 = 50

What would we do if the equation we were solving for was an exponential equation?

Example:

Solve
a) 2x = 25 b) 2x = 8 c) 2x+3 = 128

To solve an exponential equation (the unknown is in the exponent) we must:

A. Divide both sides of the equation by any coefficients (if they exist).
B. Write both sides of the equation with the same base.
(if the bases are not the same to begin with)
C. Compare the exponents.
That is, set the exponents equal and solve the new equation. If am = an, then m = n

7
Examples:
1. Solve the following equations.

a) 53x–2 = 25 b) 9x+1 = 273x-4

x
 1
5   = 20
c) 22x+3 = 1 d) 8

2
+2 x
e) 5x = 53

2. Solve the following Equation. 42𝑥 – 17(4𝑥 ) + 16 = 0

8
MCR3U Lesson 4 – Properties of Exponential Functions

Complete the following tables of values and graph each function on the grid provided.

Linear Quadratic Exponential

Function Function Function

x g(x) = x x h(x) = x 2 x k(x) = 2 x

-3 -3 -3

-2 -2 -2

-1 -1 -1

0 0 0

1 1 1

2 2 2

3 3 3

4 4 4

Over what interval is each function increasing?

Linear:

Quadratic:

Exponential:

Over what interval is each function decreasing?

Linear:

Quadratic:

Exponential:

State the domain and range of each function.

9
Exponential Function: f(x) = bx
• b > 0 and b ≠ 1
• if b > 1, the greater the value the faster the growth
• if 0 < b < 1, the lesser the value, the faster the decay
• horizontal asymptote (the x-axis or y = 0)
• y-intercept is 1
• first differences will not be the same but the ratio of successive first
differences will be the same and similarly, the ratio of successive second
differences will be the same
• formula to solve exponential growth problems is 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎𝑏 𝑥
o 𝑓(𝑥) is the final amount
o 𝑎 is the initial amount
o 𝑏 is the exponential growth (𝑏 > 1)
o 𝑥 is the number of growth periods

• other formulas are:

Formula Final Initial Amounts Growth Rate (𝑟 > 0) Number of
Amounts /Decay Rate (𝑟 < 0) Growth Period
𝑃(𝑛) = 𝑃(1 + 𝑟)𝑛

𝑦 = 𝑎(1 + 𝑟)𝑥
𝑡
𝑁(𝑡) = 𝑐(2) 𝑑
𝑡
1 𝑑
𝐴(𝑡) = 𝑐 ( )
2
Example:
1. An ounce of gold was purchased for $1699. If it gains 4% per year, what would its value be after 30 months?

10
2. You are about to go to university. When you are done in 4 years, you want to buy a new car. The one you are looking
at costs $16,000. If you can find an investment that pays 10.9% interest per year, how much should you invest now?

3. There are yeast cells in a culture. The number of cells grow at a rate of 25% per day. If there are 29 802 cells
present after 8 days, how many were there initially?

11
4. An isotope of strontium, Sr90, has a half-life of 25 years.
a) Find the mass of Sr90 remaining from a sample of 80mg after 150 years.
b) Determine an equation to represent this relationship.
5
c) How long would it take for the 80 mg sample to decay to 16 mg?

5. Light intensity reduces by 2% for every metre below the water surface. An underwater camera requires a minimum
of 60% of the light of the surface to operate without an additional light source.
a) Could the camera be used to photograph coral that is located 23 m below the surface of the water?
b) When will the photographer require an additional light source?

12