Question

Which of the following represent an exponential growth function?

y = 1/3x
y = 3^x
y = (1/3)^x
y = 3x

Answer 1

An exponential function has the variable in the exponent and is growth when the base > 1.

- y = (1/3)x → linear (slope 1/3), not exponential
- y = 3^x → exponential with base 3 (>1) → exponential growth ✔
- y = (1/3)^x → exponential but base 1/3 (<1) → exponential decay
- y = 3x → linear (slope 3), not exponential

So only y = 3^x is exponential growth.