Draw a straight horizontal line on a sheet of paper and label it "x". Divide the line into 10 equally spaced sections using small vertical hash marks to separate each section. Label the hash marks 1 through 10.
Draw a straight vertical line beginning at the same spot where you started the horizontal line x. Label this line "y." Divide the line into 10 equally spaced sections using small horizontal hash marks to separate each section. Label the hash marks 1 through 10.
Ploy y = x^2. Start with x = 1. When x = 1, y = x^1, which is 1. Take a pencil and trace along the x-axis until you reach the one hash mark. At that hash mark, look vertically to the y= 1 hash mark on the y-axis and place a dot at that point. You will have a dot at the (x, y) coordinate (1,1). At x = 2, y = x^2, which is 4. Trace along the x-axis until you reach the 2 hash mark. At that hash mark, look vertically to the y = 4 hash mark on the y-axis and place a dot at that point. You now have another dot at the (x, y) coordinate (2,4). At x = 3, y = x^3, which is 9. Trace along the x-axis until you reach the 3 hash mark. At that hash mark, look vertically to the y = 9 hash mark on the y-axis and place a dot at that point. You now have another dot at the (x, y) coordinate (3,9).
Connect the dots. Draw a line beginning at the coordinate (1,1) and moving through (2, 4) and (3,9). You will have a picture showing an exponential curve starting a (1,1) and expanding upward. If you choose to, you can follow the step 3 procedure with x = 4 through 10; however, you will have to extend your y-axis beyond 10 hash marks.