Now that the students have a solid understanding of linear relationships -- relationships based on repeated addition -- Growing, Growing, Growing expands that knowledge to include exponential relationships, which are relationships based on repeated multiplication. Students study various real-life scenarios in which exponential relationships exist, such as population growth, the growth of bacteria, the spread of an invasive plant species across a pond. They learn to move fluently among the four ways to represent these relationships, which are words, tables, graphs and equations.

• Example of a linear function: y = 2x + 7
• Example of an exponential function: y = 4^x + 7

For an in-depth explanation of unit goals, specific questions to ask your student and examples of core concepts from the unit, go to Growing, Growing, Growing.

Online resources for Growing, Growing, Growing*

Exponents

• Exponent Review
• Laws of Exponents—Power of a Product & Power of a Power
• Laws of Exponents—Power of a Quotient
• Laws of Exponents—The shortcuts

Exponential Functions

• Interactive example of exponential growth
• Trout population tool
• Two real-life lessons using exponential growth
• A powerful example of exponential growth

Other online resources

• General Homework Tips
• Homework examples from Growing, Growing, Growing

Note: These resources require Java in order to run.