Final answer:
An exponential function is used to determine the growth or decay of a quantity over time. It represents a relationship where a change in the independent variable produces a proportional change in the dependent variable.
Step-by-step explanation:
An exponential function is used to determine the growth or decay of a quantity over time. It represents a relationship where a change in the independent variable produces a proportional change in the dependent variable. For example, when bacteria reproduces, their population can grow exponentially with each generation.
You can interpret an exponential function by looking at its equation and graph. In the equation, the base represents the growth or decay factor, and the exponent represents the number of times the base is multiplied by itself. On a graph, an exponential function will show a curved shape that either increases or decreases continuously.
To find the rate of change in an exponential function, you can calculate the percentage growth or decay by comparing the values at two different points. This allows you to understand the rate at which the quantity is changing over time.