Curated OER
Comparing Exponentials
Growing money exponentially is the context of this scenario that asks learners to compare investments in two certificate of deposit accounts. Your young investment analysts will learn about the exponential characteristics of money...
Curated OER
Do Two Points Always Determine an Exponential Function?
Algebra learners explore, analyze and build an exponential equation given its form and a specific point that exists on the function in this task. The last question asks learners to apply their ideas to an exponential equation given two...
Curated OER
Two Points Determine an Exponential Function II
Your algebra learners will build an exponential equation given a graph with two specific points labeled.
Illustrative Mathematics
Identifying Graphs of Functions
Match the graph with its function in an exercise that focuses on variations of the graph of y = e^x. Learners are given four graphs on the same set of axes and four functions, all involving e^x. The task is to match each...
Curated OER
Carbon 14 Dating, Variation 2
Your archaeologists begin this task with a table of values to estimate the time passed based on the half-life of Carbon 14 remaining in a plant. They then move on to find when a specific amount of Carbon 14 is present in the same plant,...
Curated OER
Equal Factors Over Equal Intervals
Exponential functions and their growth rates are explored concretely using tables in a collaborative task. Then the successive quotient is explored algebraically.
Curated OER
A Valuable Quarter
Your young bankers model an account balance with an exponential function and solve the equation by extracting a root or taking a logarithm. The task involves the context of annual and compounding interest as well as some interesting...
Curated OER
Rumors
Your young gossipers write an exponential function for the number of people who have heard a rumor after a number of days have passed. Learners then answer a series of questions, including whether or not the solutions are realistic by...
Curated OER
Two Points Determine an Exponential Function I
Learners construct an exponential function from a graph, and two given points on the graph, as they analyze what makes up an exponential function.
Curated OER
Exponential Growth versus Linear Growth II
Your algebra learners discover that exponential functions, with a base larger than one, outgrow linear functions when the inputs increase sufficiently. Their analysis includes using a graphing calculator to produce tables.
Curated OER
Doubling Your Money
Your young financial geniuses explore the Rule of 70 as they analyze the exponential function that models the doubling time of investments.
Curated OER
Exponential Functions
Your algebra learners analyze and interpret the general form and the graph of two functions. The increase of the function due to the multiplicative factor is emphasized.
Curated OER
In the Billions and Exponential Modeling
Modeling population growth gives learners an opportunity to experiment with real data. Comparing the growth rates in this real-life task strengthens learners' understanding that exponential functions change by equal factors over equal...
Curated OER
Viral Marketing
What is "viral marketing" and how does it relate to mathematics? Young mathematicians use exponential functions to develop a mathematical model for a business advertising campaign. Learners then see how their campaigns increase...
Curated OER
Exponential Growth Versus Linear Growth I
Your algebra learners will discover how quickly an exponential function value grows compared to a linear function's value. Making a table of values helps in this comparison, set in the context of making a wage for raking leaves.
Illustrative Mathematics
Graphs of Power Functions
This activity consists of three exercises in which learners sketch the graphs of various power functions on the same axes. They use their sketches to make comparisons and observations which lead to generalizations about the graphs...
Curated OER
Basketball Rebounds
Your young basketball players will build a table and develop a general formula for a decaying exponential scenario involving the rebound distance of a bouncing ball. Using a CBR and graphing calculator can make this even more hands-on...
Annenberg Foundation
Skeeters Are Overrunning the World
Skeeters are used to model linear and exponential population growth in a wonderfully organized lesson plan including teachers' and students' notes, an assignment, graphs, tables, and equations. Filled with constant deep-reaching...
Curated OER
Algae Blooms
Your microbiologists explore a changing algae population and build an exponential function modeling algae concentration from the description given of the relationship between concentrations in cells/ml and days of rapid growth.
Howard County Schools
Generous Aunt
Witness the power of exponential growth with an activity that investigates two different savings plans. Class members create tables of values to see how and when a savings plan increasing exponentially exceeds one increasing linearly.
Curated OER
Linear or Exponential?
Your learners analyze various real-life contexts to decide if each is a linear or exponential model. This could be used as an assessment of learners' skills of discerning between a linear and an exponential model.
Howard County Schools
To Babysit or Not to Babysit?
Would you work for a penny today? Use this activity to highlight the pattern of increase in an exponential function. Scholars compare two options of being paid: one linear and one exponential. Depending on the number of days worked, they...
Curated OER
Exponential Growth versus Polynomial Growth
Your algebra learners explore the values of two types of functions in order to compare growth rates in this short cooperative task. Two types of solutions are given, using a table of values and an abstract argument.
Curated OER
What Functions do Two Graph Points Determine?
Your algebra learners write linear, exponential, and quadratic equations containing the same two graph points in this collaborative task.