Question

x –3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 y 500 100 20 4 four fifths 4 over 25 4 over 125 Does the function in the table represent growth or decay?

Answer 1

The function shows exponential decay, as demonstrated by the decreasing y-values as x increases. This pattern suggests that the y-value is divided by a constant factor for each step in x.

Step-by-step explanation:

• The function in the provided table appears to represent exponential decay. Exponential decay occurs when the dependent variable decreases by a constant proportion each time the independent variable increases.
• To determine whether a function represents growth or decay, we can examine the changes in the y-values as the x-values increase.
• In the provided table, as x increases from -3 to 3, the y-values decrease rapidly from 500 to ⅔ (four fifths), indicating a decay.
• To be more precise, decay is observed because for each unit increase in x, the value of y is divided by the same factor, which in this case appears to be 5; for example, 100 divided by 5 is 20, and 20 divided by 5 is 4.