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Pure · Exponentials & logarithms

Chapter 1 · 3

The idea

Exponential functions and e

Functions with the variable in the power, y = a^x — their graph shape, the asymptote and intercept — and the special exponential e^x whose gradient equals itself.

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Pure · Exponentials & logarithms

Exponential functions and e

Functions with the variable in the power, y = a^x — their graph shape, the asymptote and intercept — and the special exponential e^x whose gradient equals itself.

Why it works

The variable in the power

y=x2y = x^2 and y=2xy = 2^x look like cousins — the same two symbols, swapped. But one is a polynomial, and the other eventually outgrows every polynomial ever written: by x=30x = 30, x2x^2 has reached 900900 while 2x2^x has passed a billion. An exponential function has the variable in the exponent: y=axy = a^x with a fixed base a>0a > 0. That is the opposite of a power function y=xay = x^a, where the variable is in the base — and the difference completely changes the shape.

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