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Exponential Function

An exponential function is defined as f(x) = a^x, where 'a' is a positive constant. It has no vertical asymptote, a horizontal asymptote at y = c, and its domain is all real numbers while the range depends on the function's parameters. The document also outlines rules for exponential functions, graphing techniques, and their applications in real-life problems.

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14 views8 pages

Exponential Function

An exponential function is defined as f(x) = a^x, where 'a' is a positive constant. It has no vertical asymptote, a horizontal asymptote at y = c, and its domain is all real numbers while the range depends on the function's parameters. The document also outlines rules for exponential functions, graphing techniques, and their applications in real-life problems.

Uploaded by

rudyjr abaro
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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EXPONENTIAL FUNCTION

Exponential Function Definition


In mathematics, an exponential function is a function of form f (x) = a x, where “x” is a
variable and “a” is a constant which is called the base of the function and it should be greater
than 0.

Exponential Function Formula


A basic exponential function, from its definition, is of the form f(x) = b x, where 'b' is a
constant and 'x' is a variable. One of the popular exponential functions is f(x) = e x, where 'e' is
"Euler's number" and e = 2.718....If we extend the possibilities of different exponential functions,
an exponential function may involve a constant as a multiple of the variable in its power. i.e., an
exponential function can also be of the form f(x) = e kx. Further, it can also be of the form f(x) = p
ekx, where 'p' is a constant. Thus, an exponential function can be in one of the following forms.
 f(x) = bx
 f(x) = abx
 f(x) = abcx
 f(x) = ex
 f(x) = ekx
 f(x) = p ekx
Here, apart from 'x' all other letters are constants, 'x' is a variable, and f(x) is an exponential
function in terms of x. Also, note that the base in each exponential function must be a positive
number. i.e., in the above functions, b > 0 and e > 0. Also, b should not be equal to 1 (if b = 1,
then the function f(x) = bx becomes f(x) = 1 and in this case, the function is linear but NOT
exponential).
The exponential function arises whenever a quantity's value increases in exponential growth
and decreases in exponential decay. We can see more differences between exponential growth
and decay along with their formulas in the following table.

Exponential Function Asymptotes


The exponential function has no vertical asymptote as the function is continuously
increasing/decreasing. But it has a horizontal asymptote. The equation of horizontal asymptote of
an exponential funtion f(x) = ab x + c is always y = c. i.e., it is nothing but "y = constant being
added to the exponent part of the function". In the above two graphs (of f(x) = 2 x and g(x) =
(1/2)x), we can notice that the horizontal asymptote is y = 0 as nothing is being added to the
exponent part in both the functions. Thus,
 An exponential function never has a vertical asymptote.
 The horizontal asymptote of an exponential function f(x) = ab x + c is y = c.

Domain and Range of Exponential Function


We know that the domain of a function y = f(x) is the set of all x-values (inputs) where it
can be computed and the range is the set of all y-values (outputs) of the function. From the
graphs of f(x) = 2x and g(x) = (1/2)x in the previous section, we can see that an exponential
function can be computed at all values of x. Thus, the domain of an exponential function is the
set of all real numbers (or) (-∞, ∞). The range of an exponential function can be determined by
the horizontal asymptote of the graph, say, y = d, and by seeing whether the graph is above y =
d or below y = d. Thus, for an exponential function f(x) = ab x,
 Domain is the set of all real numbers (or) (-∞, ∞).
 Range is f(x) > d if a > 0 and f(x) < d if a < 0.

Exponential Function Rules


The rules of exponential function are as same as that of rules of exponents. Here are some rules
of exponents.
 Law of Zero Exponent: a0 = 1
 Law of Product: am × an = am+n
 Law of Quotient: am/an = am-n
 Law of Power of a Power: (am)n = amn
 Law of Power of a Product: (ab)m = ambm
 Law of Power of a Quotient: (a/b)m = am/bm
 Law of Negative Exponent: a-m = 1/am
Apart from these, we sometimes need to use the conversion formula of logarithmic form to
exponential form which is:

 bx = a ⇔ logb a = x

Graphing Exponential Function


Graphing exponential function is the process of drawing the curve representing it. An
exponential function is of the form f(x) = a x, where 'a' is a constant and a > 0. The value of ax is
never 0 for any value of x and so y = 0 is the horizontal asymptote of the exponential function
f(x) = ax. The horizontal asymptote plays an important role in the process of the graphing
exponential function.
The horizontal asymptote of an exponential function is nothing but its vertical shift (i.e., it
is a number that is being added to a x). For example, the horizontal asymptote of f(x) = 2 x is y = 0
and the horizontal asymptote of g(x) = 2 x - 3 is y = -3. Here are the steps to draw the
exponential graph in the easiest way.
Step 1: Find the horizontal asymptote.
Step 2: Find the y-intercept by substituting x = 0 in the function. Every exponential graph has a
horizontal asymptote.
Step 3: Find the x-intercept by substituting y = 0 in the function. An exponential graph may or
may not have an x-intercept.
Step 4: Create a table with two columns x and y; take some random numbers for x, say -1, 0,
and 1; substitute each of these numbers in the function to get corresponding values of y.
Step 5: Plot all the above information and join all the points obtained above by a curve without
touching but reaching the horizontal asymptote.
Here is an example of graphing exponential function.
Example: Graph the exponential function f(x) = 2 x - 3.
Solution:
The horizontal asymptote is y = -3.
For y-intercept, put x = 0. Then we get y = 2 0 - 3 = 1 - 3 = -2. So the y-intercept is (0, -2).

For x-intercept, put y = 0. Then we get 0 = 2 x - 3 ⇒ 2x = 3 ⇒ x = log2 3 ≈ 1.6. So the x-intercept


is (1.6, 0).

Important Notes on Exponential Function:


 The domain of any exponential function is the set of all real numbers.
 An exponential function has no vertical asymptote.
 Every exponential function has one horizontal asymptote.
 The graph of any exponential function is either increasing or decreasing.
 Solving Exponential Equations and Inequalities
Solving Real-life Problems Involving Exponential Functions, Equations, and
Inequalities

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