Exponential Growth Debate

Comments revolve around the power, unintuitiveness, and mathematical details of exponential growth, with users debating if phenomena are truly exponential, quadratic, or superexponential, and cautioning against underestimating exponentials.

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Keywords

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Sample Comments

prab97 Aug 8, 2019 View on HN

Isn't that mathematically exponential, just with a larger base?

hndamien Jul 25, 2017 View on HN

Don't underestimate the exponential.

atleastoptimal Nov 15, 2023 View on HN

don't underestimate exponentials

msandford Jun 4, 2021 View on HN

Sure but what's the exponent?

MauranKilom Mar 30, 2021 View on HN

The exponentiation signs got lost in your quote. Would you mind adding them back in?

frabcus Sep 15, 2020 View on HN

Exponentials are very unintuitive.

J3L2404 Dec 19, 2010 View on HN

Oops. Should be exponentially. :(

lugg Aug 9, 2019 View on HN

You know double is exponential right?

oasisaimlessly Nov 24, 2025 View on HN

Wouldn't that be quadratic rather than exponential?

adastra22 Oct 31, 2022 View on HN

Exponentials are a hell of a thing.