Exponential | Model
Recall | Exponential Function or NOT
1. f ( x) = 3 x Yes | initial value of 1 and base of 3
−4
2. g ( x) = 6 x No | the base x is a variable and
the exponent is a constant
3. h( x) = −2 1.5 x
Yes | initial value of -2 and base of 1.5
−x
4. k ( x) = 7 2 Yes | initial value of 7 and base of ½
because (2-1)x = (½)x
5. q ( x) = 5 3 No | exponent is constant
Exponential Functions | Application
There are many applications of exponential functions. Some
examples include the growth of populations, the doubling of bacteria
in a biology experiment, the value of money in a bank account with
compound interest, the declining amount of carbon 14 remaining in
a fossil, and many others.
Exponential Model | Continuous Exponential Growth or Decay Model
The exponential model represented by the function
C (t ) = P0e rt
describes continuous growing or decaying processes
where C(t) represents the population at time t
P0 is a positive constant representing the population at t =0
r is another constant that represents the rate of growth
t represents the time
e is the natural number (Euler’s Number).
Given that P0 is a positive constant, when r>0 then C is regarded as a
continuous exponential growth function; when r<0, C is regarded as a
continuous exponential decay function.
Exponential Model | Discrete Exponential Growth or Decay Model
If a population P is changing at a constant percentage r discretely
(that is, t = 0, 1, 2, 3, ... , n) then
D(t ) = P0 (1 + r ) t
Where P0 is the initial amount or the population at time t
r is the rate of growth or decay expressed as a decimal
t represents the time
If 𝑟>0, then 𝐷(𝑡) is a discrete exponential growth function. Its growth
factor is the base of the exponential function, 1+𝑟. On the other
hand, if 𝑟<0, then 𝐷(𝑡) is called a discrete exponential decay function.
Similarly, its decay factor is the base of the exponential function, 1 ̶ 𝑟.
Sample | Problems
The table below shows the balance in a dollar savings account that grows
over time since the initial investment
Time in Months 0 1 2 3 4
Savings Balance $3500 $3542 $3585.50 $3627.52 $3671.04
Create a model that describes the growth of the investment and
determine how much savings you would have after 12 months.
George just bought a new Jeep Compass for $22,000. Assume the value of
the Jeep depreciates at a rate of 20% per year.
• What is the function V(t) model for the for the value of the jeep in a
given number of t years
• Determine the value of the Jeep
a) 1 year from now
b) 5 years from now
Suppose you buy a brand-new car from a dealership for ₱824,000. The
value of a car decreases over time according to an exponential decay
function. The half-life of this particular car, or the time it takes for the car
to depreciate 50%, is approximately 3 years. The exponential decay is
described by
t
1 h
A(t ) = A0
2
where A0 is the amount, the car is worth when new (that is, when t = 0),
A is the amount the car is worth after t years, and h is the half-life in
years.
How much is the car worth after 3 years? 6 years? 12 years? 24 years?
The accumulated amount, A, in a compound interest account can be
determined using the formula
nt
r
A(t ) = P0 1 +
n
where p is the principal or the initial investment amount, r is the interest
rate as a decimal, n is the number of compounding periods per year, and
t is the time in years.
If you invest ₱5,000 in a certificate of deposit (CD) with 2.5% interest
compounded quarterly for 3 years. Determine the value of the CD after
3 years.
Carbon 14 dating is used by scientists to determine the age of fossils and
artifacts. The formula used in carbon dating is
− t /5600
A = A0 2
where A0 represents the amount of carbon 14 present when the fossil
was formed, and A represents the amount of carbon 14 present after t
years. If 500 grams of carbon 14 were present when an organism died,
how many grams will remain in the fossil 2000 years later?
The expected future population of Ackworth Town, which now has 2000
residents, can be approximated by the formula
P(t ) = P0 (1.2) 0.01t
where P0 is the initial population, and t is the number of years in the
future.
• What is the growth factor?
• Determine the expected population of the town in
a) 10 years
b) 50 years
