Chapter 3: Problem 38
Graph the exponential function using transformations. State the \(y\) -intercept, two additional points, the domain, the range, and the horizontal asymptote. $$f(x)=1+e^{-x}$$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The y-intercept is (0, 2), additional points are (1, 1.368) and (-1, 3.718), domain is all real numbers, range is (1, ∞), and the horizontal asymptote is y = 1.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Parent Function
The parent function for the given function is the exponential function \( f(x) = e^{-x} \). This is a basic decreasing exponential function with a horizontal asymptote at \( y = 0 \).
02
Apply Transformations
The function \( f(x) = 1 + e^{-x} \) involves a vertical shift of the parent function \( e^{-x} \) upwards by 1 unit. This means that the graph will move 1 unit upward.
03
Determine the Horizontal Asymptote
The horizontal shift affects the horizontal asymptote. The transformation shifts the asymptote from \( y = 0 \) to \( y = 1 \). Therefore, the horizontal asymptote of the function is \( y = 1 \).
04
Find the y-Intercept
To find the \( y \)-intercept, substitute \( x = 0 \) into the function: \( f(0) = 1 + e^{0} = 2 \). Therefore, the \( y \)-intercept is \( (0, 2) \).
05
Calculate Additional Points
Choose two values for \( x \) to find additional points. For \( x = 1 \), \( f(1) = 1 + e^{-1} \approx 1.368 \). For \( x = -1 \), \( f(-1) = 1 + e^{1} \approx 3.718 \). Thus, the points are approximately \( (1, 1.368) \) and \( (-1, 3.718) \).
06
Determine Domain and Range
The domain of an exponential function like \( f(x) = 1 + e^{-x} \) is all real numbers, \( (-\infty, \infty) \). The range is determined by the vertical shift, so it is \( (1, \infty) \).
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Graph Transformations
When dealing with exponential functions like \( f(x) = 1 + e^{-x} \), understanding how graph transformations work is crucial. Transformations can alter a graph's position or shape. Let's break it down:
- Vertical Shifts: In the function \( f(x) = 1 + e^{-x} \), the "1" indicates a vertical shift of the entire graph upward by 1 unit. This means every point on the graph of \( e^{-x} \) is pushed 1 unit higher.
- Reflection and Dilation: The \( e^{-x} \) suggests a reflection over the y-axis, compared to \( e^x \). However, since we are focusing mainly on vertical shifts here, our attention is primarily on how the graph is lifted upwards.
Horizontal Asymptote
An exponential function often includes a horizontal asymptote, a line that the graph approaches but never quite touches. For \( f(x) = 1 + e^{-x} \), this is no exception.
- Original Asymptote: The parent function \( e^{-x} \) has a horizontal asymptote at \( y = 0 \). This is where the graph levels off as \( x \rightarrow \, \infty \).
- Transformed Asymptote: Due to the vertical shift upwards by 1, the new horizontal asymptote becomes \( y = 1 \). This means the transformed graph will approach the line \( y = 1 \) infinitely, but it will never actually touch or cross it.
Y-Intercept
The \( y \)-intercept of a function is where the graph crosses the y-axis. For any function, setting \( x = 0 \) finds this intercept easily.
- Finding the Intercept: For \( f(x) = 1 + e^{-x} \), substitute \( x = 0 \) to get \( f(0) = 1 + e^{0} = 2 \).
- Intercept Point: This calculation shows the \( y \)-intercept is at the point \( (0, 2) \). It is a crucial point that helps in sketching the graph as it serves as the initial position of the graph on the y-axis.
Domain and Range
For any function, particularly exponential ones, determining the domain and range is essential.
- Domain: The domain of the function \( f(x) = 1 + e^{-x} \) is all real numbers. This means \( x \) can be any real number, represented as \((-\infty, \infty)\).
- Range: The range is impacted by the vertical shift from transformations. Here, since \( e^{-x} \) can't be negative and we've shifted upwards by 1, the range is \( (1, \infty) \). This reflects that the outputs of the function are always above 1 but can grow infinitely larger.