Rational Functions

Lecture Notes

Maham Kiran

March 2022
Outline:

 Rational Functions
 Graph of a rational function
 Vertical Asymptote
 Horizontal Asymptote
 Examples
 Practice Problems
Rational Function:
( )
A function of the form 𝑓(𝑥) = , 𝑥 ∈ ℝ, where P(x) and Q(x) are
( )
polynomials, is called the rational function.

Graph of a Rational Function:

( )
 If 𝑄(𝑥) has no real zero, then graph of is a smooth curve for all real x.
( )
( )
 If 𝑄(𝑥) has real zeros, then graph of consists of smooth curves on each open
( )
interval that does not include a zero.

𝟏 𝟏
𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒇(𝒙) =
𝒙 𝒙𝟐

Vertical Asymptote:

The line 𝑥 = 𝑎 is a vertical asymptote of the graph of a function 𝑓 if, as

𝑥 approaches to 𝑎 from the values that are greater than and less than 𝑎, the value of the function
grows beyond all bounds, either positive or negative.

 The graph has vertical asymptote at each zero of 𝑄(𝑥).

 The cases are shown in the following table, along with the notation generally used:
Horizontal Asymptote:

The line 𝑦 = 𝑎 is a horizontal asymptote of the graph of a function 𝑓 if, as

𝑥 grows beyond all bounds, either positive or negative, 𝑓(𝑥) approaches the value 𝑎.

The cases are shown in the following table, along with the notation generally used:
Finding Horizontal Asymptote:

Example 1: Sketch the graph of 𝑓(𝑥) = . Find vertical asymptote for the graph. Also explain
why it is the vertical asymptote.
Sol:

Graph: The graph of the function is

𝟑
Fig: 𝒇(𝒙) =
𝒙 𝟐

Vertical Asymptote: The vertical asymptote of this graph is 𝑥 = 2.

Reason:

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𝟐𝒙 𝟏
Example 2: Find the horizontal asymptotes, if any, for 𝑓(𝒙) = .
𝒙 𝟓

Sol:

Since the numerator and denominator both have degree 1, the quotient can be written as:

2𝑥 + 1
𝑓(𝑥) = = (2𝑥 + 1) ÷ (𝑥 − 5)
𝑥−5
 1
2𝑥 + 1 𝑥 − 5 2 + 𝑥
= ÷ =
𝑥 𝑥 5
1−
𝑥
Now use the second rule to find the horizontal asymptote.

Here, 𝑎 = 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑏 = 1. So 𝑦 = = = 2 is a horizontal asymptote.

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Example 3: Find the horizontal asymptotes, if any, of 𝑓(𝑥) = .

Sol:

Since the degree of the numerator is less than the degree of the denominator, the 𝑥 − 𝑎𝑥𝑖𝑠,
𝑦 = 0 is the horizontal asymptote.

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Example 3: Find the horizontal asymptotes, if any, of 𝑓(𝑥) = .

Sol:

Since the degree of the numerator is greater than the degree of the denominator, the graph has
no horizontal asymptote.

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Practice Problems:

1. Sketch the graph of the following functions. Also find the vertical asymptotes of the
following functions:

2. Find the horizontal asymptotes, if any, of the following functions:

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