Week 6: Exponential Functions

Essential Questions:
What is an exponential function?
How do we represent exponential functions?

Learning Targets:
I can:
✓ distinguish exponential equations, inequalities and functions;
✓ solve exponential equations and inequalities;
✓ represent exponential functions through tables, graphs and equations
Timetable:
▪ 1st Meeting: Discussion about Exponential Functions
▪ You will make use of the time to answer Week 5 Assessment

▪ 2nd Meeting: Continuation of the Discussion

▪ Week 6 Activity: Check It Out (Deadline: Friday)

▪ Assessment (Deadline: Next Week Tuesday)

EXPONENTIAL EQUATIONS, INEQUALITIES AND FUNCTIONS
Paper Folding Activity

I. Materials:
A piece of paper
Scissor

II. Procedure:
a. At step 0, there is 1 paper.
b. At step 1, fold the paper into two equal parts and then cut at the middle. How many papers of equal length do you have?

STEP 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
NO. OF PAPERS

c. At step 2, again fold each of the papers equally and then cut. How many papers of equal length do you have?
d. Continue the process until the table is completely filled-up.

III. Questions:
1. How did you find the activity? What have you observed?

2. Can you sight other real-world examples that replicate the scenario above?
Differences among Exponential Functions, Equations, and Inequalities

Exponential functions are functions which take the form 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑏 𝑥 , where b is any positive real number not equal to 1, and 𝑥 is any real
number.
Example: 𝑓(𝑥) = 3𝑥

Exponential equations states that if 𝑏 𝑥 = 𝑏 𝑦 , where b is a number other than 1, and 𝑥 and 𝑦 are real numbers, then 𝑥 = 𝑦.
Example: 42𝑛 = 8

Exponential inequality uses the symbol <, >, ≤, ≥ in an equation.

Example: 42𝑥−3 < 84−𝑥

Exercise:

Distinguish which of the following is an exponential function, equation, and inequality.

2 3 3 𝑥 1
1. 4𝑥+5 ≥ 36 2. ℎ(𝑥) = (4) 3. 42𝑥+1 = 5−𝑥

Solving Exponential Equations and Inequalities

In solving exponential equations and inequalities, the property of equality for exponential equations is used. The property states that if
𝑏 𝑥 = 𝑏 𝑦 , where b is any positive real number other than 1, and x and y are real numbers, then x=y. The laws of exponents also play a vital role
in solving exponential equations and inequalities.
Recall on the Laws of Exponents

Zero Exponents Negative Exponents

If 𝑎 ≠ 0, then 𝑎0 = 1. If 𝑛 is any integer, and 𝑎 and 𝑏 are not equal to zero, then
1 𝑛 1 𝑎 −𝑛 𝑏 𝑛
𝑎−𝑛 = (𝑎) = 𝑎𝑛 and (𝑏) = (𝑎)
Examples:

When solving exponential equations and inequalities, it is important to check whether the values of the variables you have solved are the
solutions of the given equations or inequalities.

1 3𝑥
When you are given an equation like this 3−𝑥 , get the reciprocal of the expression to solve it easily. The result would be so we will consider
1
that as 3𝑥 .
Solving Exponential Equations
1 2𝑥−2
Example 1: (125) ∙ 625𝑥 = 125 (Exponential Equation)
Solving Exponential Inequalities
Example 2: 4𝑥+3 < 8𝑥+1 (Exponential Inequality)
More examples:
Example 3: 92𝑥−1 = 38𝑥
 1 3𝑥+5 1 𝑥−6
Example 4: (9) ≤ (243)
Properties of Exponential Functions

𝑥 − intercept is the value where it intersects the 𝑥 −axis and 𝑦 intercept is the value where it intersects the 𝑦 −axis.

𝑥 − and 𝑦 − intercepts may also be obtained by substituting 𝑦 variable or the 𝑥 variable by 0, respectively.

If the base is 𝑎 > 1, the function 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎 𝑥 , is increasing as 𝑥 increases. Its domain will be the set of real numbers and its range will be the set
of positive real numbers. Also, there is no 𝑥 −intercept (graph will not intersect the 𝑥 −axis) and the 𝑦 intercept will occur at 𝑦 = 1.

If the base is 0 < 𝑎 < 1, the function, 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎 𝑥 , is decreasing as 𝑥 increases. Its domain will be the set of real numbers and its range will be
the set of positive real numbers. Also, there is no 𝑥 −intercept (graph will not intersect the 𝑥 −axis) and the 𝑦 −intercept will occur at 𝑦 = 1.

The approximate value of the number ℮ accurate to 15 decimal places is ℮ ≈ 2.718281828459045 since ℮ is an irrational number, its value
cannot be written.
Read Example 3.1.5 (The number e) on page 79

Exponential growth is represented by 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝐵0 𝑒 𝑘𝑡 , 𝑡 ≥ 0 while Exponential Decay is represented by 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝐵0 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 , 𝑡 ≥ 0 (where 𝐵0 and 𝑘
𝑟
are positive constants). It can also be used in compounding money, 𝐴 = 𝑃(1 + 𝑛)𝑛𝑡

Bounded growth is represented by 𝑓(𝑡) = 𝐴(1 − 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡 ), 𝑡 ≥ 0 where 𝑎 and 𝑘 are positive constants.

Generally, the graph of any exponential function provides a visual presentation of the behavior of its function values. Generally, exponential
functions of the form 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑎 𝑥 , where 𝑏 is any positive real number other than 1, have the following characteristics:

(a) the domain is the set of all real numbers,

(b) the range is the set of all positive real numbers,

(c) the graph contains the point (0,1),

(d) the graph is concave up,

(e) the function is increasing if 𝑎 > 1 and decreasing 0 < 𝑎 < 1,

(f) the function has no 𝑥 −intercept and the 𝑦 −intercept is 𝑦 = 1,

(g) the graph is asymptotic to the 𝑥 −axis.

Exercise: Complete the table below. Actual graph of the functions:

𝟏 𝒙
𝒚 = 𝟐𝒙 𝒚=( ) 𝒚 = 𝟓𝒙
𝑥 𝟐
𝑦 𝑦 𝑦
1 1
−3 8
8 125
1 1
−2 4
4 25
1 1
−1 2
2 5
0 1 1 1
1
1 2 5
2
1
2 4 25
4
1
3 8 125
8
 Domain

Range

𝑥 − intercept NONE NONE NONE

𝑦 − intercept 𝑦=1 𝑦=1 𝑦=1

For more understanding about the lesson, read Lesson 3.1 (Definition, Properties and Graph of the Exponential functions) on pages 74 – 85.

~ End of Discussion ~