AI engineering glossary · Calculus optimisation
What is exponential function?
Exponential function: A function of the form a^x where the input sits in the exponent; the most important case is e^x, whose derivative equals itself. It models growth and decay and appears inside softmax, sigmoid and probability densities.
Exponential function: an example
e^x has slope e^x everywhere: at x = 0 both the value and the slope are 1. Money compounding at a fixed rate follows an exponential curve.
Related terms
More Calculus optimisation terms
- Feasible region
- Finite difference
- First-order condition
- Flat minimum
- Forward-mode automatic differentiation
- Function
- Fundamental theorem of calculus
- Gauss-Newton method
Where you learn it
Exponential function is part of the AI Engineering Program, which teaches it with notes, a hands-on lab and an exam. The first lesson is free.