Problem 77

Question

What is an exponential function?

Step-by-Step Solution

Verified
Answer
An exponential function is a mathematical function of the form \(f(x) = a \cdot b^{x}\), where 'a' and 'b' are constants, 'b' is a positive real number, and 'x' is any real number. The graph of this function is always above or on the x-axis. An example is \(f(x) = 2^{x}\), where the value doubles for each unit increase in 'x'.
1Step 1: Definition
An exponential function is a mathematical function of the form \(f(x) = a \cdot b^{x}\), where 'a' and 'b' are constants, 'b' is a positive real number, and 'x' is any real number.
2Step 2: Properties of Exponential Function
1. The base 'b' is a positive real number other than 1.\n2. The graph of an exponential function is always above the x-axis but can approach it as an asymptote.\n3. For a function where \(b > 1\), the slope of the graph will increase as 'x' increases. \n4. For a function where \(0
3Step 3: Example of an Exponential Function
An example of an exponential function is \(f(x) = 2^{x}\). In this function, the value of 'f(x)' doubles for each unit increase in 'x'.