In addition to linear, quadratic, rational, and radical functions, there are exponential functions. Exponential functions have the form f(x) = bx, where b > 0 and b ≠ 1. Just as in any exponential expression, b is called the base and x is called the exponent.
An example of an exponential function is the growth of bacteria. Some bacteria double every hour. If you start with 1 bacterium and it doubles every hour, you will have 2x bacteria after x hours. This can be written as f(x) = 2x.
Before you start, f(0) = 20 = 1
After 1 hour f(1) = 21 = 2
In 2 hours f(2) = 22 = 4
In 3 hours f(3) = 23 = 8
and so on.
With the definition f(x) = bx and the restrictions that b > 0 and that b ≠ 1, the domain of an exponential function is the set of all real numbers. The range is the set of all positive real numbers. The following graph shows f(x) = 2x.
