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| Question 150386:  Oh dear God please help me!!! We are studying Graphs of Exponential and Logarithmic Functions and I am so lost I'm about to send out the hound dogs, but seriously if someone could please help just get me started I would greatly appreciate it.
 I am supposed to Plot the graphs of the following functions:I don't understand how
 1. f(x) = 7x this x variable is actually an exponent so it is 7 to the x power
 2. f(x) = 4x - 3 the x-3 here is also an exponent so it reads 4 to the x-3 power
 3. f(x) = (1/5)x this is actually 1/5 to the x power again the x is an exponent
 4. f(x) = log3x
 Thank you guys for always helping me out. I can't wait till I get this degree so I can help yall out with some $$$.
 Found 2 solutions by  jim_thompson5910, scott8148:
 Answer by jim_thompson5910(35256)
      (Show Source): 
You can put this solution on YOUR website! I'll do the first two to get you started. 
 # 1
 
 Table of Contents:
 
 Table
 Graph
 
 In order to graph
  , we need to plot a few points. 
 
 Let's find the y value when
  note: you can start at any x value. 
 
 
  Start with the given equation. 
 
 
  Plug in  . 
 
 
 
  Rewrite  as   
 
 
  Evaluate  to get 49 
 
 
  Divide and simplify. 
 
 So when
  ,  . So we have the point (-2,0.02). 
 
 ----------------------------
 
 
 Let's find the y value when
   
 
 
  Start with the given equation. 
 
 
  Plug in  . 
 
 
  Rewrite  as   
 
 
  Evaluate  to get 7 
 
 
  Divide and simplify. 
 
 So when
  ,  . So we have the point (-1,0.143). 
 
 ----------------------------
 
 
 Let's find the y value when
   
 
 
  Start with the given equation. 
 
 
  Plug in  . 
 
 
  Evaluate  to get 1 
 
 So when
  ,  . So we have the point (0,1). 
 
 ----------------------------
 
 
 Let's find the y value when
   
 
 
  Start with the given equation. 
 
 
  Plug in  . 
 
 
  Evaluate  to get 7 
 
 So when
  ,  . So we have the point (1,7). 
 
 ----------------------------
 
 
 Now let's make a table of the values we just found.
 
 
 
 
 
 Jump to Table of Contents
 
 Table of Values:
 
TEST: -2| x | y |  | -2 | 0.02 |  | -1 | 0.143 |  | 0 | 1 |  | 1 | 7 |  Now let's plot these points:
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 Jump to Table of Contents
 
 Graph:Now draw a curve through all of the points to graph
  : 
 
 
  Graph of   
 
 
 
 
 # 2
 
 Table of Contents:
 
 Table
 Graph
 
 In order to graph
  , we need to plot a few points. 
 
 Let's find the y value when
  note: you can start at any x value. 
 
 
  Start with the given equation. 
 
 
  Plug in  . 
 
 
  Subtract 
 
 
  Rewrite  as   
 
 
  Evaluate  to get   
 
 
  Divide and simplify. 
 
 So when
  ,  . So we have the point (0,0.016). 
 
 ----------------------------
 
 
 Let's find the y value when
   
 
 
  Start with the given equation. 
 
 
  Plug in  . 
 
 
  Subtract 
 
 
  Rewrite  as   
 
 
  Evaluate  to get   
 
 
  Divide and simplify. 
 
 So when
  ,  . So we have the point (1,0.063). 
 
 ----------------------------
 
 
 Let's find the y value when
   
 
 
  Start with the given equation. 
 
 
  Plug in  . 
 
 
  Subtract 
 
 
  Rewrite  as   
 
 
  Evaluate  to get   
 
 
  Divide and simplify. 
 
 So when
  ,  . So we have the point (2,0.25). 
 
 ----------------------------
 
 
 Let's find the y value when
   
 
 
  Start with the given equation. 
 
 
  Plug in  . 
 
 
 
  Subtract 
 
 
  Evaluate  to get   
 
 So when
  ,  . So we have the point (3,1). 
 
 ----------------------------
 
 
 Let's find the y value when
   
 
 
  Start with the given equation. 
 
 
  Plug in  . 
 
 
  Subtract 
 
 
  Evaluate  to get   
 
 So when
  ,  . So we have the point (4,4). 
 
 ----------------------------
 
 
 Now let's make a table of the values we just found.
 
 
 
 
 
 Jump to Table of Contents
 
 Table of Values:
 
TEST: 0| x | y |  | 0 | 0.016 |  | 1 | 0.063 |  | 2 | 0.25 |  | 3 | 1 |  | 4 | 4 |  Now let's plot these points:
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 Jump to Table of Contents
 
 Graph:Now draw a curve through all of the points to graph
  : 
 
 
  Graph of  Answer by scott8148(6628)
      (Show Source): 
You can put this solution on YOUR website! $$$, huh...WOW!! 
 plotting the graphs is straight forward (a graphing calculator would be a big help)
 __ the f(x) values are on the vertical (y) axis and the x values are on the horizontal axis
 __ find the f(x) values by "plugging in" values for x
 
 1.  f(x)=7^x __ when x=0, f(x)=1 (this is the y-intercept) __ when x is 1, f(x)=7
 __ as x becomes a large NEGATIVE value, f(x) approaches zero (horizontal asymptote)
 
 2.  f(x)=4^(x-3) __ when x=3, the exponent is 0 so f(x)=1 __ when x=0, f(x)=4^(-3) or 1/64
 __ same general shape as #1 with different y-intercept
 
 3.  f(x)=(1/5)^x __ when x=0, f(x)=1
 __ as x becomes a large POSITIVE value, f(x) approaches zero (horizontal asymptote)
 __ this graph is sort of a "mirror image" of #'s 1 and 2
 
 4.  logarithms are NOT defined for negative quantities, so this graph is only on the right-hand side of the vertical axis
 __ as x approaches zero (very small fractions), f(x) approaches negative infinity (vertical asymptote)
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