An exponential growth function has an asymptote of y is equal to negative 3 Which might have occurred in the original function to permit the range to include negative numbers?

An exponential function without a vertical shift has a horizontal asymptote at y = 0 and stays positive. Subtracting 3 from the exponential expression shifts the graph down, making its asymptote y = -3 and allowing the range to include negative values. So the matching choice is “a whole number constant could have been subtracted from the exponential expression.”

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.