Question

The parent function, f(x) = 5^x, has been vertically compressed by a factor of one-half, shifted to the left three units and down two unlts.
Choose the correct function to represent the transformation.

Answer 1

Answer: Choice C

$\displaystyle g(x) = \left(\frac{1}{2}\right)5^{x+3}-2$

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Explanation:

The 1/2 out front handles the vertical compression by 1/2. For example, if two points are vertically spaced by 10 units, then their new vertical distance is now (1/2)*10 = 5 units.

The x+3 in the exponent means "shift 3 units to the left". Effectively what's going on is that the old input x is now x+3, ie 3 units larger than before. This shifts the xy axis itself 3 units to the right. If we held the curve fixed in place while the xy axis moved like this, then it gives the illusion the curve is moving 3 units to the left.

Then finally the -2 at the very end shifts the curve down 2 units. This is because whatever the y coordinate is, we subtract 2 from it to do this vertical shifting. For example, the point (0,62.5) shifts 2 units down to (0,60.5)