Mathematics

The key is recognizing that an exponential function has a special property: the initial value $a$ appears directly when you plug in $x=0$. Use that point to find $a$ immediately, then substitute both points into the general form to create an equation involving only $b$. Once you solve for $b$, you'll have the growth (or decay) factor that determines how the function changes with each unit step in $x$.

The key is recognizing that an exponential function has a special property: the initial value $a$ appears directly when you plug in $x=0$. Use that point to find $a$ immediately, then substitute both points into the general form to create an equation involving only $b$. Once you solve for $b$, you'll have the growth (or decay) factor that determines how the function changes with each unit step in $x$.