Look around. Sunflowers spiral logarithmically. River cross-sections are parabolas. Hanging chains form catenaries. Functions aren't abstract — they're how the world looks.
Spot these in the wild
- Parabola — water from a hose, a thrown ball's path
- Sine wave — ripples on water, vibrating string
- Exponential — bacterial growth, compound interest
- Logarithmic spiral — nautilus shell, hurricane
- Catenary — hanging chain, suspension bridge cable