How do you describe the transformation in #F(x)=5^-x - 2 #?

1 Answer
Shell
Sep 10, 2016

The negative in front of the x is a flip over the y axis and the -2 is a vertical shift down 2.

Explanation:

The parent function #5^x# is an increasing exponential, which increases left to right and has a horizontal asymptote at the x-axis.

The negative in front of the x flips the graph over the y -axis. It becomes a decreasing exponential, which decreases from left to right.

The -2 shifts the graph down two units, so that the horizontal asymptote is y= -2.

Related questions
See all questions in Introduction to Twelve Basic Functions
Impact of this question
3643 views around the world
You can reuse this answer
Creative Commons License