What are the features of an exponential curve?
This is assuming it is a standard exponential with no factors to stretch or translate the graph. In equation form this looks like y = e^x. Any alterations will make it of the form y = ae^bx and in this form the following are NOT true. It crosses the y-axis at (0,1). It has no turning point (at no point is the gradient exactly 0). It starts at infinity (almost a vertical line) and slopes down until it is nearly flat against the x-axis although… It will NEVER touch the x-axis. The infinity start can be at the left or right hand side of the graph. The following feature is common to ALL exponentials, whether in the form y = e^x or y = ae^bx. It has a HALF LIFE. This is the time (or distance) taken for the y value to half. For example, if it started at 100, it would take the same time (or distance in the x-direction) for it to decrease to 50, as it would to go from 50 to 25, 25 to 12.5 etc. This is useful for studying exponential decay for example in nuclear radiation. If you take the nat
