Question

Does the table represent an exponential function? Explain.

Answer 1

Answer:

No, because as the x-values are increasing by a constant amount, the y-values are not being multiplied by a constant amount.

Step-by-step explanation:

We have a set of ordered pairs of the form (x, y)

If a function is exponential then the ratio between the consecutive values of y, is always equal to a constant.

This means that:

\frac{y_2}{y_1}=\frac{y_3}{y_2}=\frac{y_4}{y_3}=by1y2=y2y3=y3y4=b

This is: y_2=by_1y2=by1

Now we have this set of points {(-1, -5), (0, -3), (1, -1), (2, 1)}

Observe that:

\begin{gathered}\frac{y_2}{y_1}=\frac{-3}{-5}=\frac{3}{5}\\\\\frac{y_3}{y_2}=\frac{-1}{-3}=\frac{1}{3}\\\\\frac{3}{5}\neq \frac{1}{3}\end{gathered}y1y2=−5−3=53y2y3=−3−1=3153=31

Then the values of y are not multiplied by a constant amount "b"