document.write( "Question 155381: 1. True or false: The function \"f(x) = \"3%5Ex\"\" grows three times faster than the function \"g(x) = x\". Explain. \n" ); document.write( "
Algebra.Com's Answer #114419 by jim_thompson5910(35256)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Think about it this way. \r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "If \"x=0\", then \"f%280%29=3%5E0=1\" and \"g%280%29=0\". \r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "If \"x=1\", then \"f%281%29=3%5E1=3\" and \"g%281%29=3\". \r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "If \"x=2\", then \"f%282%29=3%5E2=9\" and \"g%282%29=2\". \r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "If \"x=3\", then \"f%283%29=3%5E3=27\" and \"g%283%29=3\". \r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So we have this table of values\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "
xf(x)g(x)
010
131
292
3273
\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "From the table, we can see that \"g%28x%29\" increments by 1 as x increments by 1. On the other hand, we can see that \"f%28x%29\" goes from 1 to 3 (a difference of 2), 3 to 9 (a difference of 6), 9 to 27 (a difference of 18), etc. So the differences between each term is: 2, 6, 18, etc....\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "This means that from x=0 to x=1, the average rate of change for g(x) is 2. From x=1 to x=2, the average rate of change for g(x) is 6. From x=2 to x=3, the average rate of change for f(x) is 18. \r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "-------------------\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So dividing the first average rate of change 2 by 1, we get \"2%2F1=2\". So from x=0 to x=1, \"f%28x%29\" is growing twice as fast as \"g%28x%29\".\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Dividing the second average rate of change 6 by 1, we get \"6%2F1=6\". So from x=1 to x=2, \"f%28x%29\" is growing six times as fast as \"g%28x%29\".\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Dividing the third average rate of change 18 by 1, we get \"18%2F1=18\". So from x=2 to x=3, \"f%28x%29\" is growing eighteen times as fast as \"g%28x%29\".\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "As you can see, the exponential function is not growing at a constant rate. So \"f%28x%29\" cannot be growing 3 times faster than \"g%28x%29\"\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "Note: the function \"f%28x%29=3x\" does however grow three times faster than \"g%28x%29=x\", but that is for another problem.\r
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "So that means that the statement is false. \r
\n" ); document.write( "\n" ); document.write( "
\n" ); document.write( "
\n" );