3.i. The mathematical content in our unit intends students to develop several ideas.

On day one
the students need to recognize the differences between linear and exponential growth functions.
The students are expected to learn this by utilizing a table that clearly shows the differences
between exponential and linear growth. Namely, by having the students find the values of these
two functions as x increases in one unit intervals. The second unit has the students learning more
precisely about exponential functions, specifically about the different parts that actually make up
an exponential function. The students learn about this partially by us providing them with
definitions, and partially by having the teacher go over the different ideas that make up
exponential functions, like initial value and growth factor. The students should glean that the
initial value is the value of the function when x is zero, and that the one unit growth factor
represents the multiplicative change of your output values as they vary over one unit intervals.
The final day involves the students in finding n-unit growth and decay factors. The students will
learn about this by initially just recalling how to find the 1-unit growth factors and then
expanding that to include partial and n-unit growth factors. This is built up by pointing out that
n-unit growth factors are simply one unit growth factors raised to the one over n if we are trying
to find partial growth factors that are smaller. For finding growth factors that are larger the
students only need to raise the growth factor to the n. So, the students develop the idea of partial
and n-unit growth factors. Ultimately the goal of our unit is for the students to have a clear
understanding of what exponential functions are, and what those functions are capable of.
Broken down, the students should understand that exponential growth will always eventually be
greater than linear growth. That fundamentals of exponential functions, like the concepts of
initial value, and the growth factor, regardless of whether the exponential function is increasing
or decreasing. Finally, the students must understand that the idea behind n-unit growth factors, is

that n-unit growth factors are the numbers you would multiply by n times in order to get the
current growth factor. Our unit flows from the idea of comparing exponential and linear growth
on the first day, this is used to get the students to begin comparing exponential functions to
previous knowledge, specifically how they differ from linear functions. The second day has the
students formally learning the different parts of exponential functions, which they had been
introduced to the previous day, as well as the different methods of calculating those parts. The
final day has the students learning about partial and n-unit growth factors, which builds off of the
previous day by having the manipulate the growth factors that they learned about previously.
This unit will also reinforce the things the students have already learned about exponents, by
having the students manipulate exponents even more.

So our day one worksheet supports the mathematical meanings of students understanding the
differences between linear and exponential growth in the following ways: by having the students
compare the different population amounts as time passes, by having students initially project
what they believe will happen that engages the students in beginning to think more about
exponential growth versus linear growth, and to further drive this point home we use a graph to
illustrate just how extreme the differences between exponential growth and linear growth are.
The day two worksheet is designed to support students understandings of exponential functions
by introducing the students to several key concepts within exponential functions. The initial
meanings that students will take away from day two are basically just the definitions of the
different parts of exponential functions, this is because those definitions are provided to the
students to help them start to understand what precisely those definitions entail. The students
then have to immediately apply those definitions to a real world problem, which will hopefully
help the students really begin to understand the definitions. The primary meanings that we want
the students to take away from day two, is that the percent change is really just what percentage
of your population (or whatever the context is) is being added to the existing population. The
one unit growth factor builds off of that because it includes the initial population with the growth
of the new population. We also begin to introduce the students to the idea of exponential decay
by having a percent change that is less than zero, and a growth factor that is less than one. The
final part of the lesson is devoted to ensuring that the students know how to find all of this
information if they are given two points on a graph, and that the students know which parts of an
exponential function represent percent change, growth factor, and the initial value. Day three of
our unit focuses more on students understandings of partial and n-unit growth factors. Initially
to get the students heads in the game we do a brief review of day one content so they can recall

what they have already learned. Students are then introduced to the idea that the half year
growth factor consists of two numbers that when multiplied together will become the one year
growth factor. The students are then asked to apply this information to things they learned
yesterday, which involves identifying things like the one month growth factor, and the one month
percent change.
The reasoning behind sequencing the materials like we did is to attempt to get the students to
understand exponential functions are deeply as possible. The reason the first day is comparing
linear growth to exponential growth is because we want students to be eased into the idea of
exponential functions by having them start with something that is a little more familiar to them.
Further it really makes the idea stick in their heads that exponential growth is going to be greater
than linear growth. The second day builds off of the first day in a slightly more subtle way, since
the first day introduced many of the basic ideas of exponential growth, e.g. the initial value, and
growth rates, but the second day formalizes those ideas, ensuring that the students really
understand what they are getting in to. This is also the day when exponential decay is
introduced, since exponential decay is ultimately just exponential growth, but with a growth
factor that is less than one instead of being greater than one. The final day flows with the last
two since it introduces the ideas of partial and n-unit growth factors, by building on the previous
days work. Since, in order for students to understand partial growth factors they must be able to
understand one unit growth factors.

Day 1 Worksheet:
Worksheet #1: Linear Versus Exponential
(Expected answers and teacher comments in red)

*The Population of Dreamville is 10,000 in the year 2005. Every year the population grows by
500 people.
*The Population of Arendelle is 2,000 in the year 2005. Every year the population doubles.
1. What quantities are changing? What quantities are constant?
Changing: The population in Arendelle and Dreamville, the number of years elapsed since 2005
and the growth in population of Arandelle.
Not Changing: The initial population in the year 2005, the growth in population of Dreamville
and the percent change in Arendelles population.
2. What will the population of Dreamville be in 2006? What will the population of
Arendelle be in 2006?
The population of Dreamville will be 10,500 in 2006. The population of Arendelle will be 4000
in 2006.
3. Which do you think will have a larger population in the year 2010 and why?
Answers will vary here but most students might say that Dreamvilles population will be higher
because the initial population was higher. This will let you know in what ways students are
already thinking of linear vs exponential growth.
Fill in the table below to compare the populations (the initial values have been filled in for you):
Dreamville
Arendelle
Year

Growth in Population

Total Population

Year

Growth in Population

Total Population

2005

10000

2005

2000

2006

500

10500

2006

2000= 2000^1

4000

2007

500

11000

2007

4000=2000^2

8000

2008

500

11500

2008

8000=2000^3

16000

2009

500

12000

2009

16000=2000^4

32000

2010

500

12500

2010

32000=2000^5

64000

In the table the instructor must ask the students to write the growth in population in decimal and
exponential notation by first doing an example. This will guide the student so that in their
homework they are able to create functions to represent population as a function of the years
elapsed since 2005
4. Was your prediction correct? Why or why not. Explain your thinking.
Answers will vary here but ideally you want the students who said Dreamvilles population
would be larger to realize that Arendelles population is doubling and thus over time it will
exceed that of Dreamvilles which is only growing by a constant additive.
5. How do the growths in population differ after each year?
Students should describe Dreamvilles growth as being constant. The growth each year is 500
and that doesnt change after . Students should describe Arendelles change as a 200% increase
which is based on the population of the previous year and so the growth each year is different.
6. Using the table, create a sketch of the populations of Arendelle and Dreamville with respect to
the years elapsed from 2005 to 2010.

(Graph of the functions will be shown and explained here through GCFile1)

7. After analyzing the graph, how is linear growth different than exponential growth in terms of
the change(growth) in population after every year.
In exponential growth the magnitude of the increase in population will get larger after each year
has elapsed since it is based on the population of the previous year which is larger than what it
was the year before that. In linear growth the magnitude of growth will stay constant after every
year.
Homework #1 Linear Versus Exponential

*As of 2001 The Nissan factory has manufactured a total of 10,000 cars. Every year after 2001
Nissan will manufacture 300 more cars.
*The Toyota Factory has a total of 500 cars manufactured and is planning on tripling the number
of cars manufactured every year after 2001.
1.What quantities are changing? What quantities are constant?
Changing: The total cars manufactured in both factories, the number of years elapsed since 2001
and the growth in cars manufactured of the Toyota factory.
Not Changing: The initial number of cars manufactured in the year 2001, the growth in cars
manufactured of the Nissan factory and the percent change in Toyotas total of cars manufactured
every year.
2. Complete the table below: In the Growth in Cars Manufactured section make sure to write
your answer in Decimal, Product and Exponential Form.
Nissan Factory
Year

Growth in Cars
Manufactured

Toyota Factory
Total Cars
Manufactured

Year

Growth in Cars Manufactured

0

Total Cars
Manufactured

2001

10000

2001

500

2002

300

10300

2002

1500= 500*3= 500*3^1

2000

2003

300

10600

2003

4500=500*3*3=500*3^2

6,500

2004

300

10900

2004

13,500= 500*3*3*3 = 500*3^3

20,000

2005

300

11200

2005

40,500= 500*3*3*3*3=500*3^4

60,500

3. Which factorys Growth in Cars Manufactured is Linear? Which is exponential? Why?

The Nissan Factorys Growth in Cars is constant after every year and thus it is linear growth. The
Nissan Factorys Growth is growing at a multiplicative rate and thus it is exponential growth.
4. a) Create a function f that determines the total number of cars manufactured with respect to t
years after 2001 for the Nissan Factory.
f(t)= 10000+300t where t is the number of years after 2001
b) Use the function to determine the total number of cars manufactured in 2015.
f(14)= 10000+300(14)= 14,200 total cars manufactured.
c) Using your function in part A, create a function that represents the total number of cars
manufactured after k years with an initial number i of cars manufactured.
f(k)= i + 300k where i is the initial number of cars manufactured and k is the number of years
after 2001
5. a) Create a function f that determines the total number of cars manufactured with respect to t
years after 2001 for the Toyota Factory.
f(t)= 500+3^t where t is the number of years after 2001
b) Use the function to determine the total number of cars manufactured in 2015.
f(14)= 500+3^14= 4783469
c) Using your function in part A, create a function that represents the total number of cars
manufactured after k years with an initial number i of cars manufactured.
f(k)= i + 3^k where i is the initial number of cars manufactured and k is the number of years after
2001

Day 2 Worksheet:
Worksheet #2: 1-unit Growth/Decay Factors, Percent Change, Initial Values
(Expected answers and teacher comments in red)

For this section the students will use Pathways in order to define Growth/ Decay Factors, Percent
Change and Initial Values and the worksheet will aid in their applied understanding.
As you complete the worksheet:

* Maria owned a 24hr-bakery and the number of cookies she baked increases exponentially with
respect to time (in hours). The following function represents the total amount of cookies baked
after t hours have elapsed: f(t)= 34(1.19)t
1. a) What is the 1-unit growth factor?
1.19
b) What is the 1-unit percent change? 19% increase
c) What is the initial value? 34 cookies
2. Use your function to determine the number of cookies baked after 16 hours have elapsed.
Write your answer in a complete sentence.
After 16 hours have elapsed there are approximately 980700 total cookies baked.

*The smurf population is going through hard times. Their population began to decrease quickly.
The smurfs total population is represented in the function f with respect to days elapsed since the
original smurfs were living: f(x)= 700(.68)^x

3. a) What is the 1-unit decay factor? 0 .68

b) What is the 1-unit percent change? -32% increase, 32% decrease
c) What is the initial value? 700
4. Use your function to determine the number of smurfs after 35 days have elapsed. Write your
answer in a complete sentence.
The smurf population after 9 days is approximately 22.
Examples 5 and 6 were taken from the Pathways textbook. They are well asked questions
because they allow the students to be able to identify initial values using the values portrayed in
the graph. In this section it is important that although the percent change in question 6 is a
decrease it can also be seen as a negative increase.

Homework #2: 1-unit Growth/Decay Factors, Percent Change, Initial Values

In the homework students will not be given the function like they were in class. They will have
to develop it using a table and then identify the Growth/Decay Factors, Percent Change and
Initial Values. They can use the class worksheet as guidance but will need their own
interpretation and understanding to create the function.
In the following problems use the tables to identify Growth/Decay Factors, Percent Change,
Initial Values and a function.

1.
x

f(x)

16

0.25

f(x)

260

299

343.85

691.605

1-unit Decay Factor:

or .25
1-unit Percent Change:
75% Decrease
Initial Value:
16
Function:
f(x)= 16()^x
2.

1-unit Decay Factor: 1.15

1-unit Percent Change: 15% increase
Initial Value: 260/1.15 approximately 226
Function: f(x)= 226(1.15)^x
In the following real life problems use the information given to identify Growth/Decay Factors,
Percent Change, Initial Values and a function
3.

4.

Day 3 Worksheet:
Worksheet #3: Partial and n-unit Growth and Decay Factors
(Expected answers and teacher comments in red)
In this day we will return the the exponential problem used in Day 1 and do an analysis in order
to figure out how the yearly growth factors can be broken down into monthly growth factors. It is
important that students see that the monthly unit growth factor is multiplied 12 times in order to
create the yearly growth and not multiplied by 12 as many students see it when they first come
across the new material.
Today we will go back to a problem visited on Day 1 and analyze it further.
*The Population of Arendelle is 2,000 in the year 2005. Every year the population doubles.
4. What quantities are changing? What quantities are constant?
Changing: The population in Arendelle, the number of years elapsed since 2005 and the growth
in population of Arandelle.
Not Changing: The initial population in the year 2005, and the percent change in Arendelles
population.
5. What will the population of Arendelle be in 2006?
The population of Arendelle will be 4000 in 2006.
3. Fill in the table below :
Arendelle Population
Year

Growth in Population

Total Population

2005

2000

2006

2000= 2000^1

4000

2007

4000=2000^2

8000

2008

8000=2000^3

16000

2009

16000=2000^4

32000

2010

32000=2000^5

64000

In the table the instructor must ask the students to write the growth in population in decimal and
exponential notation by first doing an example. This will guide the student so that in their
homework they are able to create functions to represent population as a function of the years
elapsed since 2005
4. How does the growth in population differ after each year?
Students should describe Arendelles change as a 200% increase which is based on the
population of the previous year and so the growth each year is different.
5. a) Given the population increases exponentially and doubles every year, how could we
determine the half year growth factor?
By scaffolding the students should be able to understand that the 6 month growth factor is
multiplied by itself to create the 1 year growth factor. Thus given the one year growth factor, we
can find the 6 month growth factor by taking the square root of the 1-year growth factor which
would be the square root of 2.
b) What is the one month growth factor?
12th root of 2 which is 1.05946309436
c) What is the three month growth factor?
4th root of 2 which is 1.189207115 or the one month growth factor cubed.
6. Complete the table below:
Arendelle Population
Months since
2005

Total Population

2119

2378

2669

3175

3363

12

4000

7. Determine a function g that expresses the population of Arandelle as a function of the number
of months since 2005.
g(t)= 2000(2)^(t/12) or g(t)= 2000(1.059)^t. The goal is to have the students represent the
function where t can be any amount of months after 2005 which will allow for a monthly growth
factor to be established.
Homework #3: Partial and n-unit Growth and Decay Factors
This homework sheet is different than the problem worked in class because it portrays decay
instead of growth. The problem isnt as long but that is because this is the final day of the lesson
and one summative problem will prepare them for their exam.
To complete this homework you may use tactics discussed in the worksheet but will need to
make your own connections since it is not the same problem as the one worked in class.
*Vorline owned a nail shop. She had 218 different nail polish bottles in her salon on January 1,
2004. After 8 years her nail polish bottle count decreased to 187. Assuming that the decay was
exponential..
1. What is the 8 year growth/decay factor?
187/218=0.858 and thus the 8 year decay factor is .858
2. What is the 8 year percent change?
The 8 year percent change is -14.2% or 14.2 decrease
3. Assume that the number of nail polish bottles continues to be modeled by the same
exponential model. How many nail polish bottles will there be in Vorlines Salon on January 1,
2020?
Since 2020 is 16 years after 2004, it will constitute for 2 8-year changes therefore (218(0.858))
(0.858) which is around 160 nail polish bottles. Thus on January 1, 2020 Vorline will have 160
nail polish bottles in her nail shop.
4. Since 8 years is a long time and Vorline wants to track her nail polish bottles in shorter
intervals, what is the 1-year growth/decay factor?
The key here is for students to see that the 8-year decay factor is the same as the 1-year decay
factor being applied 8 times. Thus if we let b be the 1-year decay factor b^8=0.858 and therefore
the one year decay factor is (0.858)^()= 0.981.
5. What is the 1-year percent change?

The one year percent change is -1.9% or 1.9% decrease. Note: Students should be able to
understand that in order to find the 1-year percent change you first must find the 1-year growth/
decay factor. The 1-year percent change is NOT found by taking the eighth root of the 8-year
percent change.
6. Define a function f that relates the number of nail polish bottles in Vorlines shop t years from
January 1, 2004:
f(t)= 218(0.981)^t or f(t)= 218(0.858)^(t/8)
Summative Assessment 1
Quiz 1:
6. If you were given two functions, how would you differentiate between
exponential growth, and linear growth? Of those two which one is going to grow more
quickly, and why would it grow more quickly? Is it possible to have a linear function, or
any polynomial that will always be larger than an exponential function?
Differences between linear growth and exponential growth are: one grows at a constant rate, the
other grows at a multiplicative rate. One of those will have an x as an exponent. The exponential
function will grow more quickly since for equal changes in x it will increase by some factor,
conversely the linear growth function will only increase at a constant rate. No, any increasing
polynomial will eventually be smaller than any increasing exponential function.
So even though this quiz is all only one question, I think it is important for students to generalize
their knowledge from yesterday. Further I think this quiz does a good job of reinforcing the
things students learned yesterday since they have to generalize, if they can successfully
generalize the information they got yesterday then that means that they will probably understand
it.
Summative Assessment 2
Quiz 2: Given a function: f(x)=a(b)x, please identify the initial value and the growth factor.
IV=a, growth factor is b

This is basically just a review of things the students went over in class, mostly to confirm that the
students were actually paying attention in class.
7. If youre given two points: (x,y) & (w,z), lying along a function that is
exponential, with w>x and z>y, what would the 1-unit growth factor be? How about the
1-unit percent change, and initial value? Finally what would the function be if you were
given two points (x,y) & (w,z)?
1-unit growth factor: z/y=b
1-unit percent change: (z/y-1)/100
Initial Value: y/b=a
Function: a(b)x
Again the point of this problem is so that the students will generalize the information that they
learned yesterday and what they did in the homework. I also understand that these problems
may be difficult, however one way the students may be able to generalize the information is by
using actual numbers and then generalizing from there, this is fine, since again the point is that
they are able to generalize the information that acquired yesterday.

Overall Assessment:
Test 1: The population of bacteria in a petri dish increases by one hundred and twenty three
percent every 23 days, from an initial colony of 23 bacteria. Round all numbers to four decimals.
a. What function would you use to represent this situation, and how
many bacteria will there be after 46 days?
f(x)=23(2.23)x, and there will be 114.3767 bacteria.

This question is basically the give away question, assuming the students have been paying
attention in class. However, it does assess if they were paying enough attention to note that 1unit growth factors do not necessarily have to only be one day or one month, and can be any
amount of time.
b. What is the one day growth factor, the one month growth factor
(assuming 30 days to the month) and what is the one year growth factor? And,
what is the one-month percent change.
One day growth factor: 1.0355
One month growth factor: 2.8478
One year growth factor: 284520.6736
The one month percent change is 2.8478 - 1=1.8478 or an increase of 184.78%
This is to check to see if the students remember how to find n-unit and partial unit growth
factors, and it does so by getting the students to convert from a slightly weird 1-unit growth
factor into the one day, month, and year growth factors. The reason behind asking for percent
change is also to confirm that the students know what percent change is.
c. How many bacteria will there be after one year?
7,328,573.8777 bacteria. This question is similar to the first one and should be a give away
question, but this confirms that the students really understand what happens when they convert
from partial units, and what impact those partial unit growth factors have on the exponential
functions.

2. The population of female gamers, in the US, increases every year by sixteen
percent, from an initial value of 11 million. However, once there are approximately 17
million female gamers the population of female gamers decreases by seven percent every
year until the number of female gamers decreases back to 11 million, this pattern repeats
ad nauseum.
a. How many years will have passed when the population of female
gamers reaches 17 million the first time?
It will take 2.933 years to for the population of female gamers to reach 17 million.
Since by this point in time the students will not have been introduced to logarithm functions, the
students must rely on their ability to figure out where two lines intersect on their calculator to
find this value.
b. How many years will have passed when the population of female
gamers reaches eleven million the second time?
It will take 8.933 years for the population of female gamers to decrease to eleven million
This question requires a little more analytical thinking in order to figure out but otherwise
shouldnt be to bad. In order for the students to get the correct answers they must figure out
what function represents the decreasing values, and then the students must increase the x-value
they find by 2.933 in order to account for the time that has passed thus far. The reasoning behind
making it reach eleven million the second time is because without the second, the students could
just use the initial.
c. What two different functions can be used to represent the
population of female gamers as they decrease, and the population of female
gamers as they increase.
f(x)=11(1.16)x, and g(x)=17(.93)x

Again this problem is to assess whether the students understand how to represent exponential
functions, regardless of whether the functions are increasing or decreasing, it also tests whether
students recall how to create a growth factor of an exponential function that is decreasing, it does
all of this by asking the students to create these functions, based on the knowledge they already
have.
d. Bonus: Could you use one function to represent this situation?

Yes and it would be:

This is probably one of the more difficult questions, since it requires that students recall prior
knowledge they had, specifically the idea behind piecewise functions, as well as requiring
students to account for the difference between the heights of the two functions.
3. The population of a group of a group of insects increases by fifty insects every year (they
have strict procreation rules). Another population of insects increases by sixty seven
percent every year (they dont have strict procreation rules). Given that each group of
insects has an initial population of 18 insects, answer the following questions:
8. Define two functions that can represent the growth of the two different insect
populations as time passes in years.
f(x)=50x+18
g(x)=18(1.67)x
This first problem is similar to the first problem in that they both emphasize similar things,
however this problem will have a different destination, and require that the students understand
the differences between linear and exponential growth.

9. Will the population of the second insect colony ever pass the population of the
first insect colony? If so how long will it take for the population of the second insect
colony to pass the population of the first insect colony?
Yes the second colony of insects will eventually pass the first colony insects in terms of
population, and it will do so in 5.4 years. This question is to ensure that students understood the
differences between linear and exponential functions. And, the reasoning behind having slightly
higher numbers is to make it so the students cant just plug the equations into their calculators
and immediately see the answer.
10. Lets say that we no longer care about the one year growth factor and instead want
the one month growth factor. What would those functions be? What are the populations
of the insect colonies after 3 months?
f1(x)=25/6x+18
g1(x)=18(1.0437)x, with x representing time in months, instead of years.
f1(3)=30.5 insects
g1(3)=20.4644 insects
Again this question is designed to further reinforce the idea of partial and n-unit growth factors
on the test, as well as getting the students to remember how to find the total amount of
population after a certain amount of time has passed that is greater than one.
d. You know that the growth of a different insect colony is exponential, and you know the
population of the insect colony at two different times. The population of the insect
colony after one year is 25, and the population of the insect colony after two years is 18.
Can you determine the initial value of the insect colony, and the growth factor of the
insect colony? If so, what are these values, and if not explain why not.

The point of this problem is to get the students to reason proportionally about exponential
growth. Since in order for students to find the growth factor of the insect colony, note this is
growth factor not decay factor since they are one and the same, they need to understand that the
growth factor is what relates the values of the outputs of an exponential function. In order for
the students to find the initial value they need to understand what role the initial value plays in
determining the outputs of the exponential function.

The Unit's Placement in Common Core

Our unit will occur somewhere in the high school level and will rely on a decent chunk of
information that is given in prior grades. For one the unit will rely on students being familiar
with proportional reasoning, which doesnt occur until sixth grade. Our unit will also rely on the
students being somewhat familiar with fractional exponents, which also wont happen until high
school. Our unit introduces students to the idea of exponential functions, and will further extend
their understandings of fractions in the exponent. Students will also need to be able to
manipulate exponents in order to to do parts of the n-unit and partial growth factors. Our unit
should be the students first introduction to exponential functions so we will be developing the
students understanding about exponential functions. Our unit also supports students
development of mathematical practices by getting the students to focus more on the concepts and
ideas behind exponential functions, instead of being overly concerned with calculating them.