# Growth Curve: Definition, How It's Used, and Example

> **Definition**
>
> A growth curve is a graphical representation that illustrates changes over time and can help businesses track or predict sales or profitability.

## What Is a Growth Curve?

A growth curve is a graphical representation how how something changes over time. An example of a growth curve might be a chart showing a country's population increase over time.

Growth curves are widely used in [statistics](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/statistics.asp) to determine patterns of growth over time of a quantity—be it linear, exponential, or cubic. Businesses use growth curves to track or predict many factors, including future [sales](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/sale.asp).

### Key Takeaways

*   A growth curve shows the direction of some phenomena over time, in the past or into the future, or both.
*   Growth curves are typically displayed on a set of axes where the x-axis is time and the y-axis shows an amount of growth.
*   Growth curves are used in a variety of applications from population biology and ecology to finance and economics.
*   Growth curves allow for the monitoring of change over time and what variables may cause this change. Businesses and investors can adjust strategies depending on the growth curve.

## Understanding a Growth Curve

The shape of a growth curve can make a big difference when a business determines whether to launch a new product or enter a [new market](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/m/market-penetration.asp). Slow growth markets are less likely to be appealing because there is less room for profit. [Exponential growth](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/e/exponential-growth.asp) is generally positive but could mean that the market will attract a lot of competitors.

Growth curves were initially used in the physical sciences such as biology. Today, they're a common component of social sciences as well.

### Digital Enhancements

Advancements in digital technologies and business models now require analysts to account for growth patterns unique to the modern economy. For example, the winner-take-all phenomenon is a fairly recent development brought on by companies such as [Amazon, Google, and Apple](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/f/fang-stocks-fb-amzn.asp). Researchers are scrambling to make sense of growth curves that are unique to new business models and platforms.

> **Fast Fact**
>
> Growth curves are often associated with biology, allowing biologists to study organisms and how these organisms behave in a specific environment and the changes to that environment in a controlled setting.

Shifts in demographics, the nature of work, and [artificial intelligence](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/a/artificial-intelligence-ai.asp) will further strain conventional ways of analyzing growth curves or trends.

Analysis of growth curves plays an essential role in determining the future success of products, markets, and societies, both at the micro and macro levels.

## Example of a Growth Curve

In the image below, the growth curve displayed represents the growth of a population in millions over a span of decades. The shape of this growth curve indicates exponential growth. That is, the growth curve starts slowly, remains nearly flat for some time, and then curves sharply upwards, appearing almost vertical.

This curve follows the general formula:

> V = S \* (1 + R)

The current value, V, of an initial starting point subject to exponential growth, can be determined by multiplying the starting value, S, by the sum of one plus the rate of interest, R, raised to the power of t, or the number of periods that have elapsed.

![MacroscaleMicroscaleModelGraphs-ExponentialGrowth-5769372.png](https://www.investopedia.com/thmb/HIqvhKsQaRE_6Q_VhlVjZGkF3PE=/1500x0/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/MacroscaleMicroscaleModelGraphs-ExponentialGrowth-5769372-56a6ab923df78cf7728fa255.png)

*By GenVal (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons.*

In finance, exponential growth appears most commonly in the context of compound interest.

The power of compounding is one of the most powerful forces in finance. This concept allows investors to create large sums with little initial capital. Savings accounts that carry a [compounding](https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/compounding.asp) interest rate are common examples.

## What Are the 2 Types of Growth Curves?

The two types of growth curves are exponential growth curves and logarithmic growth curves. In an exponential growth curve, the slope grows greater and greater as time moves along. In a logarithmic growth curve, the slope grows sharply, and then over time the slope declines until it becomes flat.

## Why Use a Growth Curve?

Growth curves are a helpful visual representation of change over time. Growth curves can be used to understand a variety of changes over time, such as developmental and economic. They allow for the understanding of the effect of policies or treatments.

## What Is a Business Growth Model?

A business growth model provides a visual representation for businesses to track various metrics and key drivers, allowing businesses to map out growth and adjust the businesses accordingly to foster these metrics.

## The Bottom Line

A growth curve is a graph that represents the way a phenomenon changes over time. It can show both the past and the future. They typically use two axes, where the x-axis is time and the y-axis is growth.

Growth curves are used in many disciplines, including sciences such as biology and ecology. They are also used in finance and economics. Businesses can use growth curves to see how a specific market is changing over time. This can help them decide whether to enter or leave a certain market or adjust their selling strategy to account for changes.

> **Article Sources**
>
> 1.  Curran, Patrick J., Obeidat, Khawla, and Losardo, Diane, via National Library of Medicine. "[Twelve Frequently Asked Questions About Growth Curve Modeling: Abstract](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3131138/)." _Journal of Cognition and Development_, vol. 11, no. 2, 2010.
>     
> 2.  Sigirli, Deniz and Ercan, Ilker. "[Examining Growth with Statistical Shape Analysis and Comparison of Growth Models](https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1048&context=jmasm)." _Journal of Modern Applied Statistical Methods_, vol. 11, no. 2, November 2012, pp. 1.