How do you graph y=(1/2)^x using a table of values?

1 Answer
KillerBunny
May 8, 2018

Take some (x,y) samples and connect them.

Explanation:

Unfortunately, we can draw exact graph of very few functions. Table of values can help drawing every (other) function, but you will never reach 100% accuracy, since you can't tell what happens in the middle of your samples.

Anyway, it's pretty straightforward: you just choose a bunch of x values, and compute their images y, using the rule described by the function.

In your case, we may restyle the function a little bit by writing

(1/2)^x = 1/2^x

and thus, for example, if we choose the x values -3,-2,-1,0,1,2,3 we have corresponding values

-3\to1/2^(-3)=8
-2\to1/2^(-2)=4
-1\to1/2^(-1)=2
0\to1/2^0=1/1=1
1\to1/2^1=1/2
2\to1/2^2=1/4
3\to1/2^3=1/8

Plot all the (x,y) couples you got and try to sketch the rest of the function accordingly

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