MCR3U Lesson 4.

6 Investigation: The Exponential Function

Investigating f(x) = bx

Part 1
a) Use a table of values to graph f(x) = 2x

x -1 0 1 2 3 4 5
y

b) What happens to the value of y as x moves to

the right?

c) Draw the horizontal asymptote (HA) on your

sketch and write its equation.

Eq'n of HA _________________________

d) What is the;

i) domain of f(x) = 2x ________________

ii) range of f(x) = 2x _________________

e) Does the graph cross the x-axis? _______

f) Is f(x) = 2x an increasing function or decreasing function?

Part 2

a) Use a table of values to graph f(x) = 5x

x -1 0 1 2 3 4 5
y

b) What happens to the value of y as x moves to

the right?

c) Draw the horizontal asymptote (HA) on your

sketch and write its equation.

Eq'n of HA _________________________

d) What is the;

i) domain of f(x) = 5x ____________

ii) range of f(x) = 5x ____________

e) Does the graph cross the x-axis? _______

f) Is f(x) = 5x an increasing function or decreasing function?

 Part 3

Graph y = 2x, y = 5x and y = 10x.

 what are the common characteristics of these

curves?

 Predict where the graph of y = 7x will lie

relative to these curves.

Write a general description of the curve

f(x) = bx. Be very specific.

Part 4

x x x
1 1  1 
Graph y    , y    , and y    .
 
2  5   10 
a) What are the common characteristics of
these curves?

x
1 
b) Predict where the graph of f(x)  
7 

 
will lie relative to these curves.
Investigating f(x) =a(bx) Complete the chart and graph each function.

Function : y-intercept Increasing / Decreasing Value of y when x = 1 or -1

y  2  1 Incr. (1, 2) (-1, ½)
x

y  32 
x

x
1
y  
 3
1 x
y  4 
3 

 
y  2(3) x
y  32 
x

y  24 
x

1 x
y  3
5 

 

y y
30 30

20 20

10 10

–5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 x –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 x

–10 –10

–20 –20

–30 –30

y y
30 30

20 20

10 10

–5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 x –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 x

–10 –10

–20 –20

–30 –30
 y y
30 30

20 20

10 10

–5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 x –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 x

–10 –10

–20 –20

–30 –30

y y
30 30

20 20

10 10

–5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 x –5 –4 –3 –2 –1 1 2 3 4 5 x

–10 –10

–20 –20

–30 –30

Homework:

The graphs below are in the form y = bx. Answer the following questions about each of the functions.
i) What is the value of the y–intercept?
ii) Is the function always increasing or always decreasing?
iii) Is b > 1 or is 0 < b < 1?
iv) What is the value of y when x = 1 or x = –1?
Use the information you gained in parts i) to iv) to write the equation of each function.

a) b) c) d)

Pg. 243 # 1, 2