Exponential Functions Practice Problems

The tuition at a public university was $21,000 in 2008. Between 2008 and 2010, the tuition had increased by 15%. Since then, it has continued to grow exponentially. Select all statements that describe the growth in tuition cost.

• The tuition cost increased 7.5% each year.

• The tuition cost increased about 7.2% each year.

• The tuition cost roughly doubles in 10 years.

Solve each equation. Select the closest answer.

• 4.5

• 1.5

• 1.8

• 5

The number of fish in a lake is growing exponentially. The table shows the values, in thousands, after different numbers of years since the population was first measured. By what factor does the population grow every two years? Use this information to fill out the table for 4 years and 6 years. By what factor does the population grow every year? Explain how you know, and use this information to complete the table.

Nickel-63 is a radioactive substance with a half-life of about 100 years. An artifact had 9.8 milligrams of nickel-63 when it was first measured. Write an equation to represent the mass of nickel-63, in milligrams, as a function of time.