Lecture 1:

Function
Topic: Introduction
Reading A function describes the relationship between
two or more variables. Eg:
H&P, Ch 4; Ch 1.1
(For introductory material, see Ch 0, pp. 10-16.)
Reading for this lecture
H&P, Ch 4, Sect 4.1; Ch 1.1 (modeling).
Homework for Tutorial in Week 2
Ex 4.1, pp. 173, problems 1, 5, 15. 1 2

Variable Types of Functions

Something whose magnitude can change. - Constant Function

Eg: Y =a
- Linear Functions

3 4

Types of Functions Types of Functions

- A Polynomial Function - Exponential Functions: The exponent is a
variable.

- Quadratic Function
- Logarithmic Functions

5 6

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 Mathematical Models More Mathematical Models
Growth of Populations Growth of Populations
(people, animals, plants, organisms etc)

What will the population be after 20 periods?

What will the population be after 20 periods?
Answer: Answer:
7 8

Exponential Functions
Mathematical Modeling
Definition (p.163)
The general model of population growth is: f(x) = or y=
y= where b > 0, b ≠ 1, x is any real number.
where y is population size • b is called the base
after x periods, • x is called the exponent
• f(x) is called the exponential function
b is number of offspring
per female per period, Application
x is the number of periods b is
from the beginning. x is
9 10

Exponential Functions Exponential Functions

Example – Growth (b > 1) Example – Decay (0 < b < 1)
Example f(x) = 3x Example f(x) = (1/3)x
x -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 x -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3
f(x) f(x)
f(x)
f(x)
An investment increases An asset depreciates by
by 3% every year. 3% every year.
After 10 years $1 of the After 5 years every $1 of
initial investment is worth the asset’s value is worth
1 $(1 + 0.03)10 = $1.3439. 1 $(1 – 0.03)5 = $0.8587.
x 11 x 12

2
 Rules for Exponents (p. 163) Investment

1. axay = ax+y Ex 4.1, p. 173, problem 29.

2. ax/ay = ax-y A $6,500 certificate of deposit is purchased
3. (ax)y = axy for $6,500 and is held for six years. If the
4. (ab)x = axbx certificate earns 4% compounded quarterly,
5. (a/b)x = ax/bx
what is it worth at the end of six years?
6. a1 = a
7. a0 = 1
8. a-x = 1/ax
13 14

Investment Bacteria Growth

Ex 4.1, p. 173, problem 29. Ex 4.1, p. 173, problem 31.
Initial deposit = Bacteria are growing in a culture, and their number
Time held = is increasing at a rate of 5% an hour. Initially, 400
Interest rate = bacteria are present.
(a) Determine an equation that gives the number,
Value at the end of 6 years = N, of bacteria present after t hours.
= (b) How many bacteria are present after one hour?
= (c) After four hours?
At the end of 6 years the certificate of deposit Give your answers to (b) and (c) to the nearest
is worth integer.
15 16

Bacteria Growth Population

Ex 4.1, p. 173, problem 31.
Ex 4.1, p. 174, problem 35.
Let Nt be the population of bacteria after t hours
Initial population, N0 = Because of an economic downturn, the
Rate of increase, r = population of a certain urban area declines at a
(a) Nt =
rate of 1.5% per year. Initially the population is
(b) N1 =
350,000. To the nearest person, what is the
(c) N4 = population after three years?
(to the nearest integer) are present
after 4 hours
17 18

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 Population
Ex 4.1, p. 174, problem 35.
Initial population =
Rate of population decline =
Population after 3 years =

After 3 years the population of the area will be

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