3.

4 PROPERTIES OF EXPONENTIAL FUNCTIONS

EXPONENTIAL Function : y = abx

x
x 1
Example : Graph y = 2 and y =   on the same graph.
2

y = 2x

x y

x
1
y= 
2
x y

Properties :

Domain: ________________ Range: _________________ y- intercept: ___________

x-intercept: _______________ Increasing/Decreasing: ____________________________

Equation of Asymptote: ____________________

 x
x 1
Example: Graph y = −3 and y = −  on the same graph.
3

y = −3 x
x y

x
1
y = − 
3
x y

Properties :

Domain: ________________ Range: _________________ y- intercept: ___________

x-intercept: _______________ Increasing/Decreasing: ____________________________

Equation of Asymptote: ____________________

In Summary:

* The graph of an exponential function of the form y = abx is :

→ increasing if a > 0 and b > 1 → increasing if a < 0 and 0 < b < 1

y
y 1
9
x

8
y = 2x −5 −4 −3 −2 −1

−1
1 2 3 4 5 6

7
x
1 −2
6
y = − 
5
2 −3

−4
4

−5
3

−6
2

−7
1

x −8

−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6
−9
−1

→ decreasing if a > 0 and 0 < b < 1 → decreasing if a < 0 and b > 1

x y y

1 9 1

y=  8
x

2 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1

−1
1 2 3 4 5 6

( )
7

6 −2
y = − 2x
5 −3

4 −4

3 −5

2 −6

1 −7

x
−8
−5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6

−1 −9

* The graph of an exponential function of the form y = abx, where a > 0 and b > 0 has the following
properties:

Domain: {x ∈ ℜ} Range: {y ∈ ℜ, y〉 0}
Horizontal Asymptote: y = 0 Y-intercept : y = a

* The graph of an exponential function of the form y = abx, where a < 0 and b > 0 has the following
properties:

Domain: {x ∈ ℜ} Range: {y ∈ ℜ, y〈0}

Horizontal Asymptote: y = 0 Y-intercept : y = a
Write the Equation of an Exponential Function in the form y = abx given its Graph

Steps:
1) Choose some ordered pairs at even intervals of x from the graph.
2) Determine the multiplier by examining the change in y. This multiplier is the ‘b’ value.
3) Place it in the function for b and substitute an (x, y) pair in for x and y.
4) Solve for a.

Example: Determine the equation of the graph below.

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

10

−12 −11 −10 −9 −8 −7 −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

−5