20

Example 7: Find all values of x (in radians) in the interval [0, 2𝜋] that satisfies the inequality
−1 < tan 𝑥 < 1
21

Rational Functions
𝑃(𝑥)
𝑓(𝑥) = {𝑋𝐸𝑅|𝑄(𝑥) ≠ 0}
𝑄(𝑥)
Vertical asymptote at 𝑄(𝑥) = 0
Rational functions can have vertical asymptotes (1 to ∞), horizontal asymptotes (1 or 2), and slanted
asymptotes (1 or 2)
𝟏 𝟏
1 Vertical Asymptote 𝒇(𝒙) = ∞ Vertical Asymptotes 𝒇(𝒙) =
𝒙 𝒔𝒊𝒏 𝒙

𝒙 𝟐𝟎𝟎
1 Horizontal Asymptote 𝒇(𝒙) = 2 Horizontal Asymptotes 𝒇(𝒙) =
𝒙 𝟏 𝟏 𝟐𝟓𝒆 𝟎.𝟎𝟒𝒙

𝒙𝟐 𝟗 𝒙𝟐
1 Slanted Asymptote 𝒇(𝒙) = 2 Slanted Asymptotes 𝒇(𝒙) = −𝟏 𝟒
𝟐𝒙 𝟒 𝟗

s
22

Vertical Asymptotes
Occur when the denominator of the function in its simplest form is equal to 0.
- Factor numerator/ denominator
- Reduce/ cancel out terms
- Values that cause the denominator to equal 0 are asymptotes

Example 8: find the vertical asymptotes of each function

𝑥 −1
𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥 +𝑥−6

𝑥 −4
𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥 + 𝑥 − 12

𝑥 −9
𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥−3

Horizontal Asymptotes
Occur when the degree of the numerator is less than or equal to the degree of the denominator
To find the horizontal asymptotes: Find lim 𝑓(𝑥) and lim 𝑓(𝑥) (see limits section)
→ →
23

Slanted/Oblique Asymptotes
Occur when the degree of the numerator is exactly 1 more than the degree of the denominator
To find the equation of a slanted asymptote: divide the numerator by the denominator

Example 9: Find all asymptotes for the following functions

𝑥 −9
𝑓(𝑥) =
2𝑥 − 4
24

2𝑥 − 𝑥 − 3
𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥−2
25

Limits
Describe how 𝑓(𝑥) behaves as the input approaches some value a

What is the limit of 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑥 as x approaches 4?

X F(x) X F(x)
1 1 6 36
2 4 5 25
3 9 4.5 20.25
3.5 12.25 4.3 18.49
3.8 14.44 4.1 16.81
3.9 15.21 4.01 16.0801
3.99 15.9201 4.001 16.008001
3.999 15.99201 4.0001 16.00080001
3.9999 15.999201 4.00001 16.0000800001

lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 if and only if lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝐿 = lim 𝑓(𝑥)

→ → →

Example 10: What is the limit of 𝑓(𝑥) = as x approaches -1?

The function does not exist at at x=-1

From the left From the right
x f(x) x f(x)
-1.1 -10 -0.9 10
-1.01 -100 -0.99 100
-1.001 -1000 -0.999 1000
-1.0001 -10000 -0.9999 10000
26

Example 11: Find the limit of 𝑓(𝑥) = as x approaches 0

The function does not exist at x=0

From the left From the right
x f(x) x f(x)
-1 1 1 1
-0.1 100 0.1 100
-0.01 10000 0.01 10000
-0.001 1000000 0.001 1000000

Example 12: Find lim 𝑔(𝑥), lim 𝑔(𝑥), and lim 𝑔(𝑥)
→ → →

𝑔(𝑥)
27

Example 13: Find lim 𝑔(𝑥)

→

𝑔(𝑥)

Limit Laws
If c is a constant and the limits of f(x) and g(x) as x approaches a exist, the following are true:

1. lim [𝑓(𝑥) + 𝑔(𝑥)] = lim 𝑓(𝑥) + lim 𝑔(𝑥)

→ → →
2. lim [𝑓(𝑥) − 𝑔(𝑥)] = lim 𝑓(𝑥) − lim 𝑔(𝑥)
→ → →
3. lim [𝑐𝑓(𝑥)] = 𝑐 lim 𝑓(𝑥)
→ →
4. lim [𝑓(𝑥)𝑔(𝑥)] = lim 𝑓(𝑥) × lim 𝑔(𝑥)
→ → →
( ) ( )
5. lim ( )
= →
( )
𝑖𝑓 lim 𝑔(𝑥) ≠ 0
→ →
→

6. lim [𝑓(𝑥)] = lim 𝑓(𝑥)

→ →
7. lim 𝑐 = 𝑐
→
8. lim 𝑥 = 𝑎
→
9. lim 𝑥 = 𝑎
→
10. lim √𝑥 = √𝑎
→

11. lim 𝑓(𝑥) = lim 𝑓(𝑥) where n is a positive integer

→ →
12. lim 𝑓(𝑥) = 𝑓(𝑎)
→
𝑖𝑓 𝑓 𝑖𝑠 𝑎 𝑝𝑜𝑙𝑦𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑎𝑙 𝑜𝑟 𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙 𝑓𝑢𝑛𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑎 𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑑𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑖𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑓
28

Example 14: Evaluate each limit

lim (2𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 4)
→

(𝑥 − 1)
lim
→ (𝑥 − 1)

lim 2𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 4𝑥 − 1
→
29

2𝑥 − 𝑥 − 21
lim
→ 9−𝑥

3𝑥 + 𝑥 − 14
lim
→ 𝑥 −4

𝑥 + 5𝑥 + 4
lim
→ 𝑥 + 2𝑥 + 1

lim 𝑥 − 16
→
30

lim 𝑥 − 16
→

𝑥−1
lim
→ 𝑥 − 3𝑥 + 2

Infinite Limits or Vertical Asymptotes

Consider lim
→

x F(x)
1 1
0.5 4
0.1 100
0.01 10 000
0.001 1 000 000

x F(x)
-1 1
-0.5 4
-0.1 100
-0.01 10 000
-0.001 1 000 000
31

Find lim and lim

→ →

Limits at infinity or Horizontal Asymptotes

A horizontal asymptote is the limit of a rational function as x approaches ∞ or -∞

Horizontal asymptotes occur when the degree of the numerator is less than or equal to the degree of
the denominator
𝑃(𝑥)
𝑓(𝑥) = {𝑋𝐸𝑅|𝑄(𝑥) ≠ 0}
𝑄(𝑥)
32

Example 15: Evaluate the following limits

2𝑥 + 6𝑥 − 1
lim
→ 𝑥 +𝑥+7

𝑥 +𝑥 +𝑥+1
lim
→ 𝑥 +𝑥+1