15 Oct 2019

General Mathematics: Second Quarter

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Exponential
Functions

Definition:
• An exponential function in which the
variable is in the exponent.
• An exponential function has the form
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑏𝑥
Where:
𝑏 − 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟 𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑛
𝑧𝑒𝑟𝑜but not equal to one.
𝑥 – 𝑖𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑦 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑙 𝑛𝑢𝑚𝑏𝑒𝑟
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Graph of Exponential Function

𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑏𝑥
Whenever
𝑏>1

Graph of Exponential Function

𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑏𝑥
Whenever
0<𝑏<1
or
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑏−𝑥

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Properties of exponential function

✓Exponential function is one-to-one
function.
✓Domain: ℝ
✓Range: (0, ∞)
✓ 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑏 𝑥 is increasing when
𝑏>1
✓ 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑏 𝑥 is decreasing when
0<𝑏<1
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Properties of exponential function

✓The graph always passes through
the point (0, 1)
✓The graph is asymptotic at 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠
✓If we use the constant 𝑒 then we
call the function 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑒 𝑥 , a
natural exponential function.

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Solving exponential function

Exponential Equation
➢An equation in which a variable
occurs in the exponent.

Let’s recall the Law of exponents.

Recall…
Laws of exponents
If 𝑎, 𝑏 > 0 and 𝑥, 𝑦 ∈ ℝ, then:
𝑎 𝑥 𝑎𝑥
1. 𝑎 𝑥 𝑎 𝑦 = 𝑎 𝑥+𝑦 5.
𝑏
= 𝑥
𝑏
𝑎𝑥 1
2. = 𝑎 𝑥−𝑦 6. 𝑦 = 𝑏 −𝑦
𝑎𝑥 𝑏
𝑎𝑥
3. 𝑎𝑥 𝑦
= 𝑎 𝑥𝑦 7. 𝑦 = 𝑎 𝑥 𝑏 −𝑦
𝑏
4. 𝑎𝑏 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑥𝑏𝑥 8. 𝑎 𝑥 = 𝑎 𝑦 , 𝑥 = 𝑦
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Example #1:
Solve the given equation.
1. 2𝑥+1 = 64
Sol’n:
2𝑥+1 = 26
Use law of exponent #8,
𝑥+1=6
𝑥=5
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Example #2:
Solve the given equation.
1 Since 9 = 32
2. 3𝑥 = 9 1 1
then 9 = 32
Sol’n: by law of
3𝑥 = 3−2 exponent #6,
1
Use law of exponent #8, 2 = 3−2
3
𝑥 = −2

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Example #3:
Solve the given equation.
2𝑥 1
3. 4 = 2
Sol’n:
22 2𝑥 = 2−1 Note: 4 = 22
1
24𝑥 = 2−1 and 2 = 2−1
4𝑥 = −1
1
𝑥=−
4
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Try it yourself!
Solve the given equation.
64
4. 64𝑥 = 16𝑥
Sol’n:
26
𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 2: 2 6 𝑥
= 4 𝑥
2
26𝑥 = 26−4𝑥

6𝑥
26
2 =
2𝑥
6𝑥 = 6 − 4𝑥 10𝑥 = 6
3 6
𝑥= 𝑥=
5 10
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Try it yourself!
Solve the given equation.
64
4. 64𝑥 = 16𝑥
Sol’n:
43
𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑏𝑎𝑠𝑒 4: 4 3 𝑥
= 2 𝑥
4
3𝑥
43
4 = 43𝑥 = 43−2𝑥
42𝑥
3𝑥 = 3 − 2𝑥
3
𝑥=
5
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Solving exponential inequalities

To solve an exponential inequalities,
use the following properties.
1. 𝑖𝑓 𝑏 > 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 𝑥 > 𝑏 𝑦 , 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 > 𝑦
2. 𝑖𝑓 𝑏 > 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 𝑥 < 𝑏 𝑦 , 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 < 𝑦
3. 𝑖𝑓 0 < 𝑏 < 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 𝑥 > 𝑏 𝑦 ,
𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 < 𝑦
4. 𝑖𝑓 0 < 𝑏 < 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 𝑥 < 𝑏 𝑦 ,
𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑥 > 𝑦
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Example #1:
Solve the given exponential inequality.
1. 2𝑥+3 > 4𝑥−5
Sol’n:
2𝑥+3 > 22 𝑥−5
2𝑥+3 > 22𝑥−10
𝑥 + 3 > 2𝑥 − 10
𝑥 < 13
(−∞, 13)
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Example #2:
Solve the given exponential inequality.
2. 4𝑎 𝑥 ≥ 16𝑎2 𝑥+2
Sol’n:
4𝑎 𝑥 ≥ 42 𝑎2 𝑥+2
𝑥 2 𝑥+2
4𝑎 ≥ 4𝑎
4𝑎 𝑥 ≥ 4𝑎 2𝑥+4
Since the value of 𝑎 is unknown,
𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑒 #1: 𝑖𝑓 4𝑎 > 1
𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑒 #2: 𝑖𝑓 0 < 4𝑎 < 1
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Example #2:
𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑒 #1: 𝑖𝑓 4𝑎 > 1 𝑐𝑎𝑠𝑒 #2: 𝑖𝑓 0 < 4𝑎 < 1
1 1
4𝑎 > 1 then 𝑎 > 0 < 4𝑎 < 1 then 0 < 𝑎 <
4 4
𝑥 2𝑥+4 𝑥 2𝑥+4
4𝑎 ≥ 4𝑎 4𝑎 ≥ 4𝑎
𝑥 ≥ 2𝑥 + 4 𝑥 ≤ 2𝑥 + 4
𝑥 ≤ −4 𝑥 ≥ −4
(−∞, −4] [−4, ∞)
Final Answer:
If 4𝑎 > 1, then the solution set is (−∞, −4], but if 0 <
4𝑎 < 1, then the solution set is [−4, ∞).
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Example #3:
Solve the given exponential inequality.
3. 5 𝑥+8 < 125 𝑥
Sol’n:
5 𝑥+8 < 53 𝑥 𝑥 2 > 42
5 𝑥+8 < 53 𝑥 𝑥 > 16
𝑥+8<3 𝑥 𝑥 > 16 𝑜𝑟 𝑥 < −16
8<3 𝑥− 𝑥
2 𝑥>8 (−∞, −16) ∪ (16, +∞)
𝑥>4
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Try it yourself!
Solve the given equation.
8 𝑥 4
4. 27
≥
9

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Applications of Exponential Functions

The Law of Exponential Growth
• The function that describes a growth of a
population is given by the formula:

𝐴 𝑡 = 𝐴0 𝑒 𝑘𝑡
where: 𝐴 𝑡 = population at time 𝑡.
𝐴0 = population at time 0.
𝑡 = time
𝑘 = constant

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Applications of Exponential Functions

The Law of Exponential Decay
• The function that describes a decay of a
population is given by the formula:

𝐵 𝑡 = 𝐵0 𝑒 −𝑘𝑡
where: 𝐵 𝑡 = population at time 𝑡
𝐵0 = population at time 0
𝑡 = time
𝑘 = constant

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