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Advanced Math / Nonlinear functions Difficulty: Medium

y equals, 4 times, open parenthesis, 2 to the x power, close parenthesis

Which of the following is the graph in the xy-plane of the given equation?

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Explanation

Choice D is correct. The y-intercept of the graph of an equation is the point with coordinates 0 comma b, where b is the value of y when x equals 0. For the given equation, y equals 4 when x equals 0. It follows that the y-intercept of the graph of the given equation is the point with coordinates 0 comma 4. Additionally, for the given equation, the value of y doubles for each increase of 1 in the value of x. Therefore, the graph contains the points with coordinates 1 comma 8, 2 comma 16, 3 comma 32, and 4 comma 64. Only the graph shown in choice D passes through these points.

Choices A and B are incorrect because these are graphs of decreasing, not increasing, exponential functions. Choice C is incorrect because the value of y increases by a growth factor greater than 2 for each increase of 1 in the value of x.