increasing values

[druiaghtagh]

If something is said to increase exponentialy, does it mean by a factor of ten each time ?

[Squirrel]

I'm not sure if it means by a factor of ten, necessarily, but by a power of any number greater than one. An amount that increases exponentially over time is (I can only assume) one that not only gets bigger, but gets bigger by a bigger amount each time.


y = x²

2 is the exponent in that equation, and 15 is the exponent in the one below.

y = 3x¹⁵ - 7

E.g. The number of earthworms in quite a large pile of leaves will increase exponentially over the course of a year if they are allowed to reproduce undisturbed.

[darth vader]

no. Quite simply, the rate of increase is increasing as well. Like a hole in a dam that gets bigger and bigger more quicker and quicker!