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Showing posts with label exponential function graph. Show all posts
Showing posts with label exponential function graph. Show all posts

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Basics of exponential functions



An exponential function is a function of the form y = a^x where a belongs to positive real numbers and x is any real number. We shall first try to understand such numbers with the help of graphs.

Exponential function graph:
Let us try to graph exponential function y = 2^x. So here we see that a = 2 (which is a positive real number and x is any real number). To obtain certain number of points on the graph we construct the following table:




Note that both the above functions are not inverse of each other. With this understanding, let us now define an exponential function.

Definition: Let a belongs to R+. Then the function f: R ->R+, f(x) = a^x is called an exponential function. a is the base of the function. The corresponding exponential function equation would be: y = a^x
For example:
f(x) = 3^x, g(x) = (1/4)^x (where x belongs to R), h(x) = 1^x, (where x belongs to R), are all exponential functions.

Natural exponential function:
We are familiar with the irrational number pi which we come across in connection with the area and circumference of a circle. There is another important irrational number, which is denoted by e and which lies between 2 and 3. Its approximate value is 2.71828. Exact value of e is given by the sequence: e = 1/0! + 1/1! + 1/2! + 1/3! + 1/4! + 1/5! + 1/6! + ....An exponential function to the base e, f:R->R+, f(x) = e^x is called the natural exponential function. This function is very often used in study of various branches of science and math.

Inverse of exponential function:
Inverse of an exponential function is a logarithmic function. In other words, the exponential function and the logarithmic function are inverses of each other. Thus, if f:R->R+, f(x) = a^x, a belongs to R+ -{1}, then f^(-1):R+->R, f^(-1)(x) = log(a)x [read that as log of x base a]

Derivative of exponential function:
Based on limit definition of derivatives, the derivative of an exponential function can be shown as follows:
If y= a^x, then dy/dx = (a^x)Ln(a)