Question 44·Medium·Nonlinear Functions
The function is defined by
where and are positive constants. If and , what is the value of ?
For exponential-function questions with unknown constants, first plug in the given input–output pairs to create simple equations. Choose the input that makes the exponent easiest (often giving an exponent of 0 or 1) to solve for one constant, then use the other input to find the remaining constant. Once both parameters are known, carefully substitute the requested -value, pay attention to the exponent, and perform the arithmetic step by step to avoid small calculation errors.
Hints
Start with the easier input
Look at . What happens to the exponent when ? Use that to write a simple equation for .
Find the base
Once you know , substitute into to create an equation involving . Solve this equation to find .
Now plug in
After you have both and , substitute into . Be careful with the exponent and with the final .
Desmos Guide
Compute
In Desmos, type 12-7 to verify that , so because .
Compute
Type 27-7 to get , then type 20/5 to confirm . Finally, type sqrt(4) and note the positive result for (since is given as positive).
Evaluate
In Desmos, enter the expression 5*2^3+7 (using the and you found). The output is the value of ; read that value directly from Desmos.
Step-by-step Explanation
Use to find
Substitute into the function
When , the exponent becomes , so :
We are told , so
Now we know .
Use to find
Substitute and into the function:
We are told , so
Because is positive, .
Evaluate using and
Now substitute , , and into the function:
Since , we have , so
So the value of is 47.