GraphingExponentialFunctions

WhatisanExponentialFunction?

Exponentialfunctionsareoneofthemostimportantfunctionsinmathematics.Exponentialfunctionshave
manyscientificapplications,suchaspopulationgrowthandradioactivedecay.Exponentialfunctionarealso
usedinfinance,soifyouhaveacreditcard,bankaccount,carloan,orhomeloanitisimportantto
understandexponentialfunctionsandhowtheywork.

Exponentialfunctionsarefunctionwherethevariablexisin theexponent.Someexamplesofexponential
functionsaref(x)=2x,f(x)=5x 2,orf(x)=92x+1.Ineachofthethreeexamplesthevariablexisinthe
exponent,whichmakeseachof theexamplesexponentialfunctions.

An ExponentialFunctionisafunctionoftheform
f(x)=bx ory=bx
wherebiscalledthebaseandbisapositiverealnumberotherthan1(b>0andb 1).Thedomain
ofanexponentialfunctionisallrealnumbers,thatis,xcanbeanyrealnumber.

GraphingExponentialFunctions

Tobegingraphingexponentialfunctionswewillstartwithtwoexamples.Wewillgraphthetwo
exponentialfunctionsbymakingatableofvaluesandplottingthepoints.Aftergraphingthefirsttwo
exampleswewilltakealookatthesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenthetwographs.

Whencreatingatableofvalues,Ialwayssuggeststartingwiththenumbersx=2,1,0,1,and2becauseit
isimportanttohavedifferenttypesofnumbers,somenegative,somepositive,andzero.

Example1:Graphf(x)=2x.

x f (x) =2 x
1 1
2 f ( -2) = 2-2 = =
2 2 4
1 1
1 f ( -1) = 2-1 = 1 =
2 2
0 f (0) = 20 =1
1 f (1) = 21 =2
2 f (2) = 2 2 =4

Byplottingthefivepointsinthetableaboveandconnectingthepoints,wegetthegraphshownabove.
Noticethatasthexvaluesgetsmaller,x=1,2,etc.thegraphofthefunctiongetscloserandclosertothe
xaxis,butnevertouchesthexaxis.Thismeansthatthereisahorizontalasymptoteatthexaxisory=0.A
horizontalasymptoteisahorizontallinethatthegraphgetscloserandcloserto.
 x
1
Example2:Graphf (x)=
2

x
1
x f (x)=
2
-2
1 1-2 22
2 f ( -2) = = -2 = 2 = 4
2 2 1
-1
1 1-1 21
1 f ( -1) = = -1 = 1 = 2
2 2 1
0
1
0 f (0) = = 1
2
1
1
1 1 1
1 f (1)= = 1 =
2 2 2
2
1 12 1
2 f (2)= = 2 =
2 2 4

Byplottingthefivepointsinthetableaboveandconnectingthepoints,wegetthegraphshownabove.
Noticethatasthexvaluesgetlarger,x=1,2,etc.thegraphofthefunctiongetscloserandclosertothex
axis,butnevertouchesthexaxis.Thismeansthatthereisahorizontalasymptoteatthexaxisory=0.

Nowwecanlookatthesimilaritiesanddifferencesbetweenthegraphs.

Similarities
Thedomainforeachexampleisallrealnumbers.
Therangeforeachexampleisallpositiverealnumbers.
Bothgraphspassthroughthepoint(0,1)ortheyinterceptineachgraphis1.
Bothgraphsgetcloserandclosertothexaxis,butdonottouchthexaxis.So, eachgraphhasa
horizontalasymptoteatthexaxisory=0.

Differences
InExample1,thegraphgoesupwardsasitgoesfromlefttorightmakingitanincreasingfunction.
AnexponentialfunctionthatgoesupfromlefttorightiscalledExponentialGrowth.
InExample2,thegraphgoesdownwardsasitgoesfromlefttorightmakingitadecreasing
function.AnexponentialfunctionthatgoesdownfromlefttorightiscalledExponentialDecay.

ExponentialGrowthorExponentialDecay

Ifwearegivenanexponential function andaskedtopredictiftheresultinggraphwouldbeexponential

growthorexponentialdecay,howcanwecorrectlyanswerthequestionwithoutactuallydrawingthegraph?
Thekeytocorrectlyansweringthequestionistolookatthebaseoftheexponentialfunction.Considerthe
followingexponentialfunctionsandtrytopredictgrowthordecay bylookingatthebaseofthefunction:

x x
4 6
f (x)= and f (x)=
3 5
 Thefunctionwiththebaseof4/3willbeexponentialgrowthandtheotherfunctionwithabaseof6/5will
alsobeexponentialgrowth.Thekeytodetermininggrowthordecaydependsonifthebase,b,islessthan
oneorgreaterthan one.Ifthebaseisgreater thanone,b>1,wewillgetgrowth,anincreaseasthegraph
goesfromlefttoright.Ifthebaseislessthanone,0<b<1,wewillgetdecay,adecreaseasthegraph goes
fromlefttoright. In thetwofunctionsusedabove,both 4/3and6/5aregreaterthan1whichiswhyboth
graphswouldresultinexponentialgrowth.

Summary

Hereisasummaryofthefeaturesofthegraphofanexponentialfunction,f(x)=bx.

FeaturesoftheGraphofExponentialFunctionsintheFormf(x)=bx ory=bx
Thedomainoff(x)=bx isallrealnumbers.
Therangeoff(x)=bx isallpositiverealnumbers,f(x)>0ory>0.
Thegraphoff(x)=bx mustpassthroughthepoint(0,1)becauseanynumber,exceptzero,
raisedtothezeropoweris1.Theyinterceptofthegraphf(x)=bx isalways1.
Thegraphoff(x)=bx alwayshasahorizontalasymptoteatthexaxis(f(x)=0ory=0)
becausethegraphwillgetcloserandclosertothexaxisbutnevertouchthexaxis.
If0<b<1thegraphoff(x)=bx willdecreasefromlefttorightandiscalledexponential
decay.
Ifb>1thegraphoff(x)=bx willincreasefromlefttorightandiscalledexponentialgrowth.

Byusingthefeatureslistedaboveweshouldbeabletocreateamental imageofwhatthegraphshouldlook
likebeforeactuallydrawingthegraph.Considerthefollowingexponentialfunctionsandseeifyoucan
developamentalimageofthegraph.

3
x Thegraphoff(x)shouldbeexponentialgrowthbecauseb >1.
f (x)= Thegraphshouldpassthroughthepoint(0,1)andthereshould
2 beahorizontalasymptoteatthexaxis.

3
x Thegraphoff(x)shouldbeexponentialdecaybecauseb<1.
f (x)= Thegraphshouldpassthroughthepoint(0,1)andthereshould
4 beahorizontal asymptoteatthexaxis.
GraphinganExponentialFunctionwithaVerticalShift

Anexponentialfunctionoftheformf(x)=bx +kisanexponentialfunctionwithaverticalshift.The
constantkiswhatcausestheverticalshifttooccur.Averticalshiftiswhenthegraph ofthefunctionis
movedupordownafixeddistance,k.Whenaverticalshiftisappliedtoan exponentialfunction,what
featuresofthegraphareaffected?Thefeaturesofthegraphthatareaffectedaretheyintercept,horizontal
asymptote,andrange.Theyinterceptwillmoveupordownafixedamount,k, andthehorizontal
asymptotewill alsomoveupordownafixedamount,k.Movingthehorizontalasymptoteupordownwill
thenchangetherangeofthefunctionbecausethegraph cannot touchorgobelowthehorizontalasymptote.
Considerthefollowingexamples.

Example3Graph f(x)=2x +1.

Whatdoweknowaboutthegraph? Weknowthatthegraphisexponentialgrowthbecauseb>1.They
interceptneedstobemovedup1,meaningthattheyinterceptwillnowbeat(0,2)insteadof(0,1). The
horizontalasymptotealsoneedstobemovedup1,sothehorizontalasymptotewillbeatf(x)=1ory=1.
Thentogetamoreaccuratepicture,wecanplotsomeotherpointsatx =2, 1,1,and2.

Domain:AllRealNumberor (-, )

Range:f(x)>1,y>1,or (1, )

x f (x) = 2 x +1
2 f (-2) =1.25
1 f (-1) =1.5
1 f (1) =3
2 f (2) = 5
 x
2
Example4:Graphf (x) = - 2.
3
Thegraphisexponentialdecaybecauseb<1.Theyinterceptneedstobemoveddown2,meaningthatthe
yinterceptwillnowbeat(0,1)insteadof(0,1). Thehorizontalasymptotealsoneedstobemoveddown
2,sothehorizontalasymptotewillbeatf(x)=2ory=2.Thentogetamoreaccuratepicture,wecanplot
someotherpointsatx=2,1,1,and2.

Domain:AllRealNumberor (-, )

Range:f(x)>2,y>2,or (-2, )

x
2
x f (x) = - 2
3
2 f (-2) =0.25
1 f (-1) = -0.5
1 f (1) = -1.33
2 f (2) = -1.55

GraphinganExponentialFunctionwithaHorizontal Shift

Anexponentialfunctionoftheformf(x)=bx h isanexponentialfunctionwithahorizontalshift.The
constanthiswhatcausesthehorizontalshifttooccur.Ahorizontalshiftiswhenthegraphofthefunctionis
movedtotheleftorrightafixeddistance,h.Whenahorizontalshiftisappliedtoanexponentialfunction,
whatfeaturesofthegraphareaffected?Theonlyfeatureofthegraphthatisaffectedistheyintercept.The
yinterceptwillmovetotheleftorrightafixedamount,h.ThisnewpointwillNOlongerbetheyintercept,
butitwillbeapointonthegraphthatwecanuseasareferencepointwhenvisualizingthegraph.The
horizontalasymptotewill stillbeatthexaxisory=0.Considerthefollowingexamples.

Note:Whengraphingfunctionswithhorizontalshifts,thegraphwillshiftintheoppositedirectionof
thesignusedintheshift.Forexample,f(x)=3x+2 hasahorizontalshiftof2unittotheleft(or
backward),theoppositedirectionof+2.Thefunctionf(x)=5x 3 hasahorizontalshiftof3unittothe
right(orforward),theoppositedirectionof 3.
 x + 1
3
Example5:Graphf (x) = .
2
Whatdoweknowaboutthegraph?Weknowthatthegraphisexponentialgrowthbecauseb>1.All
exponentialfunctionsintheformf(x)=bx passthroughthepoint(0,1),butinthisexamplethereisa
horizontalshift,sothepoint(0,1)needstoshift1unittotheleftorback1.Thismeansthatthepoint(0,1)
willnowbe(1,1)andwillnolongerbetheyintercept. Thehorizontalasymptote willbethexaxisor
y=0.Thentogetamoreaccuratepicture,wecanplotsomeotherpointsatx=2,0,1,and2.

Domain:AllRealNumberor (-, )

Range:f(x)>0,y>0,or (0, )

x + 1
3
x f (x)=
2
2 f ( -2) =0.66
0 f (0) =1.5
1 f (1) =2.25
2 f (2) =3.375

x - 2
2
Example6:Graphf (x) = .
3
Thegraphisexponentialdecaybecauseb<1.Allexponentialfunctionsintheformf(x)=bx passthrough
thepoint(0,1),butinthisexamplethereisahorizontalshift,sothepoint(0,1)needstoshift2unittothe
rightorforward2.Thismeansthatthepoint(0,1)willnowbe(2,1)andwillnolongerbetheyintercept.
Thehorizontalasymptotewillbethexaxisory=0.Thentogetamoreaccuratepicture,wecanplotsome
otherpointsatx=2,1,0,and1.

Domain:AllRealNumberor (-, )

Range:f(x)>0,y>0,or (0, )

x - 2
2
x f (x)=
3
2 f (-2) =5.0625
1 f (-1) =3.375
0 f (0) =2.25
1 f (2) = 1.5
GraphingExponentialFunctionsintheFormf(x)=bx h +k

Exponentialfunctionsintheformbx h +khaveboth averticalshiftofkunitsandahorizontalshiftofh

units.When drawinggraphsofexponentialfunctionscontainingvertical shifts,horizontalshifts,orboth,we
canusethefollowingguidelines:

GuidelinesforGraphingExponentialFunctionsintheFormf(x)=bx h +k
Isthegraphexponentialgrowthorexponentialdecay?Isb>1orisb<1?
Basicexponentialfunctions,f(x)=bx,passthroughthepoint(0,1).
Ifthegraphhasaverticalshift,thenthepoint(0,1)willmoveupordownkunitstothepoint
(0,1 k).
Ifthegraphhasahorizontalshift,thenthepoint(0,1)willmoveleftorrighthunitstothe
point(0 h,1).
Ifthegraphhasabothaverticalshiftandahorizontalshift,thenthepoint(0,1)willmoveup
ordownkunitsandleftorrighthunitstothepoint(0 h,1 k).
Basicexponentialfunctions,f(x)=bx,haveahorizontalasymptoteatthexaxisory=0.
Ifthegraphhasaverticalshift,thenthehorizontalasymptotewillmoveupordownkunitsto
y= k.
Ifthegraphhasahorizontalshift,thenthehorizontal asymptotewillbeatthexaxisory=0.
Ifthegraphhasabothaverticalshiftandahorizontalshift,thenthehorizontalasymptotewill
moveupordownkunitstoy= k.
Tofinishgraphingtheexponentialfunctionplotafewmorepointbyplugginginx=2,1,0,1,
and2asneeded.

Example7:Graphf(x)=2x 1 2.

Thegraphisexponentialgrowthbecauseb>1.Thisexamplehasaverticalandhorizontalshift,sothepoint
(0,1)needstomove2unitsdownand1unitrighttothepoint(1,1).Thehorizontalasymptotewillmove
down2unitstoy=2.Tofinishthegraph,wecanplotsomeotherpointsatx=2, 1,0,and2.

Domain:AllRealNumberor (-, )

Range:f(x)>2,y>2,or (-2, )

x f (x) = 2 x -1 -2
2 f (-2) = -1.875
1 f (-1) = -1.75
0 f (0) = -1.5
2 f (2) =0
 x + 2
1
Example8:Graphf (x) = + 1.
3
Thegraphisexponentialdecaybecauseb<1.Thisexamplehasaverticalandhorizontalshift,sothepoint
(0,1)needstomove1unitupand2unitslefttothepoint(2,2).Thehorizontalasymptotewillmoveup1
unittoy=1.Tofinishthegraph,wecanplotsomeotherpointsatx =1,0,1,and2.

Domain:AllRealNumberor (-, )

Range:f(x)>1,y>1,or (1, )

x f (x) = 2 x -1 -2
2 f (-2) = -1.875
1 f (-1) = -1.75
0 f (0) = -1.5
2 f (2) =0

AdditionExamples

Ifyouwouldliketoseemoreexamplesofgraphingexponentialfunctions,justclickonthelinkbelow.

AdditionalExamples

PracticeProblems

Nowitisyourturntotryafewpracticeproblemsonyourown.Workoneachoftheproblemsbelowand
thenclickonthelinkattheendtocheckyouranswers.

Problem1:Graphf (x) = 3x -1 -2

Problem2:Graphf (x) = 0.4 x -1

x + 1
2
Problem 3:Graphf (x) = - 2
3
x +1
7
Problem 4:Graphf (x)=
4
Problem5:Graphf (x) = 1.6 x - 2 +1

SolutionstoPracticeProblems