Homonym: Exponential (Growth)
Exponential refers to a mathematical concept where a quantity increases at a rate proportional to its current value. This means that as the quantity grows, it accelerates rapidly. For example, in the function y = a * b^x, the variable y grows exponentially as x increases, especially when b is greater than 1.
In real life, exponential growth can be seen in various contexts, such as population growth, where the number of individuals increases rapidly over time. Another example is the spread of viruses, where each infected person can infect multiple others, leading to a swift rise in cases.