Topic 6

IB Studies Exam questions

Exponential models
1. Consider the function f(x) = 1.25 – a–x, where a is a positive constant and x ≥ 0.
The diagram shows a sketch of the graph of f. The graph intersects the y-axis at point A and the
line L is its horizontal asymptote.

(a) Find the y-coordinate of A.

(2)

The point (2, 1) lies on the graph of y = f(x)

(b) Calculate the value of a.

(2)

(c) Write down the equation of L.

(2)
(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 1

2. Shiyun bought a car in 1999. The value of the car V, in USD, is depreciating according to the
exponential model

V = 25 000 × 1.5–0.2t, t ≥ 0,

where t is the time, in years, that Shiyun has owned the car.

(a) Write down the value of the car when Shiyun bought it.
(1)

(b) Calculate the value of the car three years after Shiyun bought it. Give your answer correct
to two decimal places.
(2)

(c) Calculate the time for the car to depreciate to half of its value since Shiyun bought it.
(3)
(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 2

 3. The function f(x) = 5 – 3(2–x) is defined for x ≥ 0.

(a) (i) On the axes below sketch the graph of f(x) and show the behaviour of the curve as
x increases.

(ii) Write down the coordinates of any intercepts with the axes.

(4)

(b) Draw the line y = 5 on your sketch.

(1)

(c) Write down the number of solutions to the equation f(x) = 5.

(1)
(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 3

4. A rumour spreads through a group of teenagers according to the exponential model

N = 2 × (1.81)0.7t

where N is the number of teenagers who have heard the rumour t hours after it is first started.

(a) Find the number of teenagers who started the rumour.

(2)

(b) Write down the number of teenagers who have heard the rumour five hours after it is first
started.
(1)

(c) Determine the length of time it would take for 150 teenagers to have heard the rumour.
Give your answer correct to the nearest minute.
(3)
(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 4

 5. Consider the function f(x) = p(0.5)x + q where p and q are constants. The graph of f(x)
passes through the points (0, 6) and (1, 4) and is shown below.

(a) Write down two equations relating p and q.

(2)

(b) Find the value of p and of q.

(2)

(c) Write down the equation of the horizontal asymptote to the graph of f(x).
(2)
(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 5

 6. The number of cells, C, in a culture is given by the equation C = p × 20.5t + q, where t
is the time in hours measured from 12:00 on Monday and p and q are constants.

The number of cells in the culture at 12:00 on Monday is 47.

The number of cells in the culture at 16:00 on Monday is 53.

Use the above information to

(a) write down two equations in p and q;

(2)

(b) calculate the value of p and of q;

(2)

(c) find the number of cells in the culture at 22:00 on Monday.

(2)
(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 6

 7. The population of fleas on a dog after t days, is modelled by

N = 4 × (2) 4 , t ≥ 0,

Some values of N are shown in the table below.

t 0 4 8 12 16 20
N p 8 16 32 q 128

(a) Write down the value of

(i) p;

(ii) q.
(3)

(b) Using the values in the table above, draw the graph of N for 0 ≤ t ≤ 20.
Use 1 cm to represent 2 days on the horizontal axis and 1 cm to represent 10 fleas on the
vertical axis.
(6)

(c) Use your graph to estimate the number of days for the population of fleas to reach 55.
(2)
(Total 11 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 7

 8. Given the function f(x) = 2 × 3x for –2 ≤ x ≤ 5,

(a) find the range of f;

(4)

(b) find the value of x given that f(x) = 162.

(2)
(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 8

9. (a) Sketch the graph of y = 2x for –2 ≤ x ≤ 3. Indicate clearly where the curve intersects the y-
axis.
(3)

(b) Write down the equation of the asymptote of the graph of y = 2x.
(2)

(c) On the same axes sketch the graph of y = 3 + 2x – x2. Indicate clearly where this curve
intersects the x and y axes.
(3)

(d) Using your graphic display calculator, solve the equation 3 + 2x – x2 = 2x.
(2)

(e) Write down the maximum value of the function f(x) = 3 + 2x – x2.
(1)
(Total 11 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 9

10. In an experiment it is found that a culture of bacteria triples in number every four hours.
There are 200 bacteria at the start of the experiment.

Hours 0 4 8 12 16
No. of bacteria 200 600 a 5400 16200

(a) Find the value of a.

(1)

(b) Calculate how many bacteria there will be after one day.
(2)

(c) Find how long it will take for there to be two million bacteria.
(3)
(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 10

 11. The function f(x) = ax + b is defined by the mapping diagram below.

(a) Find the values of a and b.

(3)

(b) Write down the image of 2 under the function f.

(1)

(c) Find the value of c.

(2)
(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 11

 12. The mapping below is of the form f : x  a × 2x + b and maps the elements of x to
elements of y.

0 –1

–2 –1.75

1 0

–1 –1.5

g 30

(a) (i) List the elements in the domain of f.

(ii) List the elements in the range of f.

(b) Find a and b.

(c) Find the value of g.

(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 12

 13. The figure below shows the graphs of the functions f (x) = 2x + 0.5 and g (x) = 4 − x2
for values of x between –3 and 3.

y
f(x)
6

3 B

–3 –2 –1 0 1 2 3 x

–3 g(x)

(a) Write down the coordinates of the points A and B.

(b) Write down the set of values of x for which f (x)  g (x).

(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 13

14. The value of a car decreases each year. This value can be calculated using the function

v = 32 000rt, t  0, 0  r  1,

where v is the value of the car in USD, t is the number of years after it was first bought and r is
a constant.

(a) (i) Write down the value of the car when it was first bought.

(ii) One year later the value of the car was 27 200 USD. Find the value of r.

(b) Find how many years it will take for the value of the car to be less than 8000 USD.
(Total 6 marks)

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 14

15.

IB Questionbank Mathematical Studies 3rd edition 15