Rational Functions

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

7.1 Rational Functions and Variation

Copyright © Cengage Learning. All rights reserved.

Objectives
 Identify a rational function.

 Set up direct and inverse variation problems.

 Find rational functions that model an

application.

 Find the domain of a rational function in an

application.

 Find the domain of a rational function.

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Rational Functions

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Rational Functions
Rational functions are functions that contain fractions
involving polynomials.

These functions can be simple or very complex.

Rational functions often result from combining two

functions together using division.

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Rational Functions
A function such as is a simple rational function
because it has a variable in the denominator of the fraction.
Any expression of the form

where P(x) and Q(x) are polynomials and Q(x) ≠ 0 is called

a rational expression. Notice that Q(x) cannot equal zero,
or you would have division by zero, and the rational
expression would be undefined.

Division by zero is always a concern in working with

rational expressions.
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Rational Functions

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Example 1 – Cost per student
A group of students in the chess club wants to rent a bus to
take them to the national chess competition. The bus is
going to cost $1500 to rent and can hold up to 60 people.

a. Write a model for the cost per student to rent the bus if s
students take the bus and each student pays an equal
share.

b. How much would the cost per student be if 30 students

take the bus?

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Example 1 – Cost per student cont’d

c. How much would the cost per student be if 60 students

take the bus?

d. What would a reasonable domain and range be for this

model? Explain.

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Example 1(a) – Solution
Let C(s) be the cost per student in dollars for s students to
take the bus to the national chess competition. Because
each student is going to pay an equal amount, we might
consider a few simple examples:

If only one student takes the bus, that student would have
to pay $1500.

If two students take the bus, they will have to pay

dollars each.

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Example 1(a) – Solution cont’d

We are taking the total cost of $1500 and dividing it by the

number of students taking the bus.

This pattern would continue, and we would get the

following function.

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Example 1(b) – Solution cont’d

If 30 students take the bus, we can substitute 30 for s

and calculate C(30).

Therefore, if 30 students take the bus, it will cost $50 per

person.

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Example 1(c) – Solution cont’d

Substituting in s = 60, we get

Therefore, if 60 students take the bus, it will cost $25 per

person.

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Example 1(d) – Solution cont’d

In an application problem, we will continue to avoid model

breakdown when setting a domain. Because the bus can
hold only up to 60 people, we must limit the domain to
positive numbers up to 60.

This means that we could have a possible domain of

[1, 60]. With this domain, the range would be [25, 1500].

Of course, there are other possible domains and ranges,

but these would be considered reasonable.

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Direct and Inverse Variation

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Direct and Inverse Variation
The function which we found in part a of
Example 1, is an example of inverse variation, and it
could be stated that the cost, C(s), varies inversely with the
number of students, s.

That is, when one value increases, the other decreases. In

Example 1, the more students who take the bus, the lower
the per student cost will be.

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Direct and Inverse Variation
Variation occurs when two or more variables are related to
one another using multiplication or division.

When two variables are related and both either increase

together or decrease together, we call it direct variation.

The equation D = 60t is an example of direct variation;

when the value of t increases, so does the value of D.

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Direct and Inverse Variation

A linear equation with a vertical intercept of (0, 0) is a

simple representation of direct variation.

The variation constant is the slope of the line.

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Example 2 – Cost for car repair labor
The cost for labor at an auto repair shop is directly
proportional to the time the mechanic spends working on
the car. If a mechanic works on the car for five hours, the
labor cost is $325.

a. Write a model for the labor cost at this auto repair shop.

b. What is the labor cost for two hours of work?

c. If Sam were charged $292.50 for labor on a recent

repair, how many hours did the mechanic work on the
car?
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Example 2(a) – Solution
Let C(h) be the labor cost in dollars for h hours of work
done by the mechanic.

Because the cost is directly proportional to the hours

worked, the cost will be equal to a constant times the
hours.

C(h) = kh

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Example 2(a) – Solution cont’d

We are told that for five hours of work, the cost was $325,
so we substitute these values and solve for k.

Solve for k.

Now that we know that k = 65, we can write the model for
the cost as

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Example 2(b) – Solution cont’d

Substitute h = 2 into our model and calculate the cost.

C(2) = 65(2)

C(2) = 130

If a mechanic works on the car for two hours, the labor cost
will be $130.

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Example 2(c) – Solution cont’d

Sam was charged $292.50 for labor, so we substitute this

value in for C(h) and solve for h.

The mechanic worked on Sam’s car for 4.5 hours, resulting

in a labor cost of $252.50.

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Example 3 – Illumination from a light source

The illumination of a light source is inversely proportional to

the square of the distance from the light source. A certain
light has an illumination of 50 foot-candles at a distance of
5 feet from the light source.

a. Write a model for the illumination of this light.

b. What is the illumination of this light at a distance of 10

feet from the light source?

c. What is the illumination of this light at a distance of 100

feet?
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Example 3(a) – Solution
Let I(d) be the illumination of the light in foot-candles and
let d be the distance from the light source in feet.

Because we are told that the illumination, I(d), is inversely

proportional to the square of the distance, d2, from the light
source, the illumination will be equal to a constant divided
by distance squared.

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Example 3(a) – Solution
We still need to find the variation constant k. Because we
are told that at 5 feet from the light source, the illumination
is 60 foot-candles, we can substitute these values in and
find k.

Substitute the given values for I and d.

Multiply both sides by 25 to solve for k.

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Example 3(a) – Solution cont’d

Now that we know that k = 1250, we can write the model

for illumination as

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Example 3(b) – Solution cont’d

We are given the distance of 10 feet, so we can substitute

d = 10 and calculate the illumination.

Therefore, the illumination at 10 feet from the light source is

12.5 foot-candles.
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Example 3(c) – Solution cont’d

We are given the distance of 100 feet, so we can substitute

d = 100 and calculate the illumination.

Therefore, the illumination at 100 feet from the light source

is 0.125 foot-candle.
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Domain of a Rational Function

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Domain of a Rational Function
When considering the domain of a rational function, we will
mainly be concerned with excluding values from the
domain that would result in the denominator being zero.

The easiest way to determine the domain of a rational

function is to set the denominator equal to zero and solve.

The domain then becomes all real numbers except those

values that make the denominator equal zero.

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Domain of a Rational Function
Any place where the denominator is zero would result in a
vertical asymptote or a hole with a missing value.

Basic logarithmic functions had the y-axis as a vertical

asymptote.

Vertical asymptotes are also similar to the horizontal

asymptotes that we can see in the graphs of exponential
functions.

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Domain of a Rational Function
The graph of a function will not touch a vertical asymptote
but instead will get as close as possible and then jump over
it and continue on the other side.

Whenever an input value makes the numerator and

denominator both equal to zero, a hole in the graph will
occur instead of a vertical asymptote.

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Domain of a Rational Function
Consider the two graphs below to see when a vertical
asymptote occurs and when a hole occurs.

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Domain of a Rational Function
A vertical asymptote occurs when an input value makes the
denominator equal zero but the numerator does not equal
zero. A hole occurs in a graph when an input value makes
both the numerator and denominator equal zero.

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Example 6 – Finding the domain of a rational function

Find the domain of the following rational functions.

Determine whether the excluded values represent where a
vertical asymptote or a hole appear in the graph.

a. b.

c. d.

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Example 6 – Finding the domain of a rational function
cont’d

e.

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Example 6(a) – Solution
Because the denominator of the function would
be zero when x = 0, we have a domain of all real numbers
except zero.

This can also be written simply as x ≠ 0. When x = 0,

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Example 6(a) – Solution cont’d

The denominator is zero but the numerator is not, so a

vertical asymptote occurs when x = 0.

Looking at the graph of f(x), we see that the function jumps

over the input value x = 0, and there is a vertical asymptote
in its place.

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Example 6(b) – Solution cont’d

The denominator of the function would be

zero when so its domain is all real numbers such
that When

The denominator is zero but the numerator is –4, so there

is a vertical asymptote at x = –9.

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Example 6(b) – Solution cont’d

Looking at this graph again, we see a vertical asymptote.

Pay attention to the way in which this function must be
entered into the calculator with parentheses around the
numerator and another set of parentheses around the
denominator of the fraction.

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Example 6(c) – Solution cont’d

If you set the denominator of the function

equal to zero, you get

(x + 4)(x – 7) = 0

x+4=0 x–7=0

x = –4 x=7

Therefore, the domain is all real numbers except x = –4

or 7. When x = –4,

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Example 6(c) – Solution cont’d

Both the numerator and denominator equal zero, so a hole

occurs in the graph when x = –4. When x = 7,

The denominator equals zero but the numerator equals 11,

so there is a vertical asymptote at x = 7.

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Example 6(c) – Solution cont’d

This graph is shown in two parts so that you can see the
hole that appears at x = –4 and then the asymptote at
x = 7. Without setting up two windows, it is almost
impossible to see the hole.

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Example 6(d) – Solution cont’d

Set the denominator of the function

equal to zero.

x2 + 5x + 6 = 0

(x + 3)(x + 2) = 0

x+3=0 x+2=0

x = –3 x = –2

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Example 6(d) – Solution cont’d

Therefore, the domain is all real numbers except

x = –3 or –2. For both x = –3 and –2, the denominator
equals zero but the numerator does not.

Therefore, there are vertical asymptotes at x = –3 and

x = –2. This graph has an interesting shape, but it does
have two vertical asymptotes. Again the numerator and
denominator of the fraction need parentheses around them
to create the graph correctly.

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Example 6(e) – Solution cont’d

The graph of this function shows a vertical asymptote at

about x = 3, so the domain should be all real numbers
except x = 3. We cannot see any holes in the given graph.

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