Chapter 6: Problem 7
Sketch the graph of the given function \(f\). Find the \(y\) -intercept and the horizontal asymptote of the graph. State whether the function is increasing or decreasing. $$ f(x)=-5+3^{x} $$
Short Answer
Expert verified
The y-intercept is (0, -4), horizontal asymptote is y = -5, and the function is increasing.
Step by step solution
01
Identify the Function Components
The function given is \( f(x) = -5 + 3^x \). This is an exponential function with the base greater than 1, which means it will grow exponentially.
02
Find the y-intercept
To find the \( y \)-intercept, evaluate \( f(x) \) at \( x = 0 \). This gives \( f(0) = -5 + 3^0 = -5 + 1 = -4 \). The \( y \)-intercept is the point \( (0, -4) \).
03
Determine the Horizontal Asymptote
For the function \( f(x) = -5 + 3^x \), analyze the behavior as \( x \to -\infty \). Since \( 3^x \to 0 \) in this limit, \( f(x) \to -5 \). The horizontal asymptote is \( y = -5 \).
04
Analyze Increasing or Decreasing Nature
Since \( 3^x \) is an exponential function with a positive base greater than 1, it is an increasing function. Therefore, \( f(x) = -5 + 3^x \) is also increasing as \( x \) increases.
05
Sketch the Graph
Start by plotting the \( y \)-intercept \( (0, -4) \). Draw a curve that approaches \( y = -5 \) from above as \( x \to -\infty \) and rises sharply to the right since \( 3^x \) grows exponentially. The curve remains above the line \( y = -5 \) but never crosses or touches it.
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Key Concepts
These are the key concepts you need to understand to accurately answer the question.
Graph Sketching
Sketching the graph of an exponential function like \( f(x) = -5 + 3^x \) can offer a visual representation that aids in understanding its behavior. When sketching this graph, consider a few key steps:
- First, identify the basic shape of \( 3^x \), which is an exponential curve increasing as \( x \) increases.
- Next, apply the transformation given by \( -5 \), which shifts the entire graph vertically downward by 5 units.
- Start plotting the points, beginning with the \( y \)-intercept.
- Then, consider the behavior of the function as \( x \) approaches extreme values.
Horizontal Asymptote
A horizontal asymptote in a graph represents a line that the function approaches as \( x \) goes towards positive or negative infinity. For exponential functions like \( f(x) = -5 + 3^x \), analyzing the limits can help determine this asymptote.
- For \( f(x) = -5 + 3^x \), notice that as \( x \to -\infty \), \( 3^x \to 0 \).
- This implies \( f(x) \to -5 \), indicating that the horizontal asymptote is \( y = -5 \).
- Thus, the graph will approach but never touch or cross the line \( y = -5 \), no matter how large or small \( x \) becomes.
Y-intercept
The \( y \)-intercept is found by evaluating the function at \( x = 0 \). For \( f(x) = -5 + 3^x \), we compute the \( y \)-intercept by setting \( x = 0 \), resulting in \( f(0) = -5 + 3^0 = -4 \). This gives us the \( y \)-intercept at the point \( (0, -4) \).The \( y \)-intercept provides an important anchor point when graphing, as it shows where the function crosses the \( y \)-axis. It helps establish the starting point of the curve and provides a tangible point through which the graph of the function passes. With this information, you begin to visualize how the graph behaves around this point.
Increasing Function
An exponential function with a base greater than 1, like \( 3^x \) in the expression \( f(x) = -5 + 3^x \), is an increasing function. Here's why:
- The expression \( 3^x \) is increasing because its base is greater than 1, meaning as \( x \) increases, \( 3^x \) increases rapidly.
- Adding \( -5 \) to \( 3^x \) simply shifts the entire curve downward but does not alter the increasing nature of the function.
- This means \( f(x) = -5 + 3^x \) consistently increases as \( x \) moves from left to right.