When you plug in a value for $x$, make sure you first compute $x-1$ in the exponent of 3. For example, what exponent do you get when $x=0$?

Recall that $3^0=1$ and $3^{-1}=\frac{1}{3}$. After you find $3^{x-1}$, multiply that result by 18 to get $q(x)$.

For an exponential function with base 3, as $x$ increases by 1, the output should be multiplied by 3 each time, not just increased by a constant amount.

Type y = 18*3^(x-1) into Desmos so it graphs the function $q(x)=18(3^{x-1})$.

Click the plus (+) icon, choose "Table," and in the x-column enter 0, 1, and 2. Read the corresponding y-values in the table, then choose the answer option whose $q(x)$ row matches those three y-values.

The function is $q(x)=18(3^{x-1})$. A table of values just lists inputs $x$ and the corresponding outputs $q(x)$. So we need to compute $q(0)$, $q(1)$, and $q(2)$ using this formula.

Substitute $x=0$ into the function:

$q(0)=18(3^{0-1})=18(3^{-1})$.

A negative exponent means a reciprocal: $3^{-1} = \frac{1}{3}$. So

$q(0)=18\cdot\frac{1}{3}=6$.

So the correct table must have $q(0)=6$.

Substitute $x=1$ into the function:

$q(1)=18(3^{1-1})=18(3^{0})$.

Any nonzero number to the zero power is 1, so $3^0=1$.

Thus $q(1)=18\cdot 1=18$.

So the correct table must have $q(0)=6$ and $q(1)=18$.

Now substitute $x=2$:

$q(2)=18(3^{2-1})=18(3^{1})=18\cdot 3=54$.

So the three ordered pairs are $(0,6)$, $(1,18)$, and $(2,54)$. The only answer choice whose table lists $q(0)=6$, $q(1)=18$, and $q(2)=54$ is choice C.