Identify the domain of the exponential function shown in the following graph:

graph dropping sharply from up to the left, going through point 0, 1, then slowly approaching x-axis.

−5 ≤ x ≤ 5
0 ≤ x ≤ 5
all real numbers
all positive numbers

Your domain is all real numbers!! the graph is staying above the x-axis, but it's crossed from the negative x-values to the positive x-values. that means choice D is incorrect, because some of the function does cross through negative values.

if the domain was either of the inequality choices, the function wouldn't extend all over the graph--it would be ONLY between 0 and 5, or 5 and -5. this graph would be all real numbers because it isn't restricted like that.