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Rational Functions and Their Graphs
Rational Functions and Their Graphs
1 1
+4
( x - 3) 2 ( x - 3) 2
Domain
f(x) = 1
Find the domain of x+2
Think: what numbers can I put in for x????
Domain ( -��
, )
Vertical Asymptotes
At the value(s) for which the domain is undefined,
there will be one or more vertical asymptotes. List
the vertical asymptotes for the problems below.
1
f(x) =
x+2 x = -2
f(x) = x - 1 x = -1, x = -2
(x + 1)(x + 2)
f(x) = 2x none
x +1
Vertical Asymptotes
f(x) = 1
The figure below shows the graph of x+2
-�
f(x) approaches f(x) approaches
_______. �
_______.
Vertical Asymptotes
Set denominator = 0; solve for x
Substitute x-values into numerator. The
values for which the numerator ≠ 0 are the
vertical asymptotes
Example
2 x 2 - 3x - 1
f ( x) =
x-2
Vertical Asymptote: x2 + x – 2 = 0
(x + 2)(x - 1) = 0
Neither makes the numerator = 0, so
x = -2, x = 1
The graph of a rational function NEVER
crosses a vertical asymptote. Why?
2x2 + 7 x - 4
Look at the last example: f ( x) = 2
x + x-2
Function: f ( x) = 2
x - 2x - 8
x2 - 2x - 8 = 0
( x - 4)( x + 2) = 0
Solve denom.
x = 4, -2
( x + 2)( x - 2)
( x - 4)( x + 2)
Factor and cancel
( x - 2) -2 - 2 -4 2 � 2�
= = = Hole is �-2, �
Plug in -2: ( x - 4) -2 - 4 -6 3 � 3�
Asymptotes
Some things to note:
Horizontal asymptotes describe the behavior at the
ends of a function. They do not tell us anything about
the function’s behavior for small values of x. Therefore,
if a graph has a horizontal asymptote, it may cross the
horizontal asymptote many times between its ends, but
the graph must level off at one or both ends.
The graph of a rational function may or may not cross a
horizontal asymptote.
The graph of a rational function NEVER crosses a
vertical asymptote. Why?
Horizontal Asymptotes
Definition:The line y = b is a horizontal asymptote if
f ( x ) � b as x � � or x � -�
f ( x) =
1
Look at the table of values for
x+2
Horizontal Asymptotes
x f(x) x f(x)
1 .3333 -1 1
-10 -0.125
10 .08333
-100 -0.0102
100 .0098
-1000 -0.001
1000 .0009
0
y→_____ as 0 as
y→____
�
x→________ -�
x→________
Horizontal Horizontal
Asymptote Asymptote
at y = 0 at y = 0
Horizontal Horizontal
Asymptote Asymptote
5
at y = 2 at y =
2
What similarities do you see between problems?
Vertical Asymptote: x = -1
Horizontal Asymptote: y = 2
You Do Again
Find all vertical and horizontal asymptotes
of the following function
4
f ( x) = 2
x +1
Horizontal Asymptote: y = 0
Oblique/Slant Asymptotes
The graph of a rational function has a
slant asymptote if the degree of the
numerator is exactly one more than the
degree of the denominator. Long division
is used to find slant asymptotes.
The only time you have an oblique
asymptote is when there is no horizontal
asymptote. You cannot have both.
When doing long division, we do not care
about the remainder.
Example
Find all asymptotes.
x2 - x - 2
f ( x) =
x -1
Vertical Horizontal Slant
x
x=1 none x -1 x2 - x - 2
(
- x2 - x )
-2
y=x
Example
x2 - 2
Find all asymptotes: f ( x) =
x -1
Vertical asymptote
x +1
at x = 1
x -1 x2 - 2 y=x+
1
n > d by exactly one, so
- ( x2 - x )
no horizontal
asymptote, but there is x-2
an oblique asymptote.
-( x - 1)
-1
Solving and Interpreting a Given
Scenario
The Average Cost of Producing a
Wheelchair
A company that manufactures wheelchairs
has costs given by the function
C(x) = 400x + 500,000, where the x is the
number of wheelchairs produced per
month and C(x) is measured in dollars.
The average cost per wheelchair for the
company is given by …
Original: C(x) = 400x + 500,000
C(x) = 400x + 500,000
x
a. Find the interpret C(1000), C(10,000),
C(100,000).
C(1000) = 900; the average cost of
producing 1000 wheelchairs per month is
$900.
C(x) = 400x + 500,000
x
Find the interpret C(10,000)
C(10,000) = 450; the average cost of
producing 10,000 wheelchairs per month
is $450.
Find the interpret C(100,000)
C(100,000) = 405; the average cost of
producing 100,000 wheelchairs per
month is $405.
C(x) = 400x + 500,000
x
b. What is the horizontal asymptote for the
average cost function?