101 Questions
Fry's Bank
If money was left in an interest-earning account for 1,000 years, how much would it increase? Viewers watch a clip from a show about the future when someone learns about their balance after 1,000 years. Then, they solve for the amount in...
National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
National Debt and Wars
Take a functional approach to the national debt. Learners collect information about the national debt by decade and plot the data. They determine whether an exponential curve is a good fit for the data by comparing the percent changes...
CK-12 Foundation
Differential Equations Representing Growth and Decay: Rice Legend
The legend of a wise man who asks a king for rice as a reward presents a context to study exponential solutions to differential equations. Pupils move quantities of rice to a chessboard and calculate the amount of rice for each day. To...
CPALMS
Writing an Exponential Function from its Graph
Grow an equation for the exponential graph. Given a graph of an exponential function, class members write the equation of the function provided. The graph labels two points on the graph: the y-intercept and the point where x is one.
CK-12 Foundation
Exponential Growth: Exponential, Fractal Snowflakes
Examine an exponential growth model. Using a fractal, learners calculate the perimeters of each stage. When comparing the consecutive perimeters, a pattern emerges. They use the pattern to build an equation and make conclusions.
Noyce Foundation
Double Down
Double the dog ears, double the fun. Five problems provide increasing challenges with non-linear growth. Topics include dog ears, family trees and population data, and geometric patterns.
PBL Pathways
What Should Have Happened on Gilligan's Island?
"Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale ..." Gilligan's Island is a classic that spans generations and offers a problem-solving opportunity for scholars. Take a project-based learning approach to examine the population of the island....
Mathed Up!
Compound Interest and Depreciation
Discover how to find the value of an interest-bearing account. Individuals watch a video to learn how to use exponential functions to model compound interest. After the video, they complete a worksheet of problems on compound interest.
Balanced Assessment
A Loud Noise
In a scale measuring noise, an increase in 10 dB is a 10 time increase in power. Mathematicians examine the data graph of a real world exponential growth, with no logarithmic scale, and then create two equations relating the decibels and...
EngageNY
Geometric Sequences and Exponential Growth and Decay
Connect geometric sequences to exponential functions. The 26th installment of a 35-part module has scholars model situations using geometric sequences. Writing recursive and explicit formulas allow scholars to solve problems in context.
EngageNY
Bacteria and Exponential Growth
It's scary how fast bacteria can grow — exponentially. Class members solve exponential equations, including those modeling bacteria and population growth. Lesson emphasizes numerical approaches rather than graphical or algebraic.
California Mathematics Project
Viral Marketing
Math's gone viral—in the form of an exponential function! The activity uses an exponential function to model the growth of a marketing strategy. Learners create a table of values to observe the pattern in the numbers and then model the...
EngageNY
Integer Exponents
Fold, fold, and fold some more. In the first installment of a 35-part module, young mathematicians fold a piece of paper in half until it can not be folded any more. They use the results of this activity to develop functions for the area...
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Interest and the Number e
Mary, Mary, quite continuously, how does your money grow? Uses examples to examine the difference between simple interest and compound interest, and to take a look at different rates of compounding. Learners explore what would happen as...
Mathematics Assessment Project
Multiplying Cells
Powers of two: it's a matter of doubling. A short summative assessment task asks pupils to determine a process to calculate the number of cells at given time intervals. They use powers of two in order to calculate the number of cells and...
Mathematics Assessment Project
College and Career Readiness Mathematics Test C1
Challenge high schoolers with a thorough math resource. The 20-page test incorporates questions from upper-level high school math in applied and higher order questions.
Mathematics Assessment Project
“Ponzi” Pyramid Schemes
Use mathematics to show your classes the power of a good model. Young mathematicians analyze the famous Ponzi pyramid scheme using an exponential pattern. They make conclusions on the reliability of the plan and why it is illegal.
Shmoop
Functions Worksheet 5
To the point and deeper thinking are both types of questions included in the worksheet. Begin the practice of solving quadratics and then finish with five questions asking quadratic and exponential application problems.
Illustrative Mathematics
Identifying Exponential Functions
Class members have the opportunity to quickly change the variables of an exponential graphs through the use of sliders on Desmos. Four graphs are given and young mathematicians, through the use of the graphing app, can discover which...
Mt. San Antonio Collage
Exponential and Logarithmic Functions
High schoolers grow their skills exponentially after completing this thorough activity. Going from simple to difficult, it hits all the major skills regarding exponential and logarithmic functions including simplifying, solving,...
EngageNY
Exponential Growth—U.S. Population and World Population
Show how exponential growth can look linear. Pupils come to understand the importance of looking at the entire picture as they compare the US population to the world population. Initially, the populations look linear with the same rate...
EngageNY
Graphs of Exponential Functions
What does an exponential pattern look like in real life? After viewing a video of the population growth of bacteria, learners use the real-life scenario to collect data and graph the result. Their conclusion should be a new type of graph...
Firelands Local Schools
Exponential Growth and Decay
How can you safely model exponential growth and decay? A hands-on activity uses candies to model not only exponential decay, but also exponential growth. Exponential equations are fitted by hand and by use of a calculator to the data...
West Contra Costa Unified School District
Writing Exponential Functions Based on Data
Give your class a concrete example of exponential growth and decay using this hands-on activity. These Algebra II lessons allow for the exploration of exponential growth and decay models, as well as the discovery of the patterns of each....