Question

How do you describe the transformation in `F(x)=5^-x - 2`?

Answer 1

The negative in front of the x is a flip over the y axis and the -2 is a vertical shift down 2.

Explanation:

The parent function `5^x` is an increasing exponential, which increases left to right and has a horizontal asymptote at the x-axis.

The negative in front of the x flips the graph over the y -axis. It becomes a decreasing exponential, which decreases from left to right.

The -2 shifts the graph down two units, so that the horizontal asymptote is y= -2.