Rational

Functions
 Objectives:

• Find the Vertical Asymptotes

• Find the Horizontal & Oblique

Asymptotes
• Find the Holes of the Rational
function
 Rational Functions

A rational function f(x) is a function that can

be written as
p( x)
f ( x) 
q( x)
where p(x) and q(x) are polynomial functions
and q(x)  0 .

A rational function can have more than one

vertical asymptote, but it can have at most one
horizontal asymptote.
 Vertical Asymptotes

If p(x) and q(x) have no common

factors, then f(x) has vertical
asymptote(s) when q(x) = 0. Thus
the graph has vertical asymptotes
at the zeros of the denominator.
 Vertical Asymptotes

V.A. is x = a, where a represents real zeros of q(x).

Example:
2x
Find the vertical asymptote of f ( x)  .
x2  1
2
Since q ( x )  x  1  ( x  1)(x  1) the zeros
are 1 and -1. Thus the vertical asymptotes
are x = 1 and x = -1.
 Horizontal Asymptotes
A rational function f(x) is a function that can
be written as p( x)
f ( x) 
q( x)
where p(x) and q(x) are polynomial functions
and q(x)  0 .

The horizontal asymptote is

determined by looking at the
degrees of p(x) and q(x).
 Horizontal Asymptotes
p( x)
f ( x) 
q( x)

a. If the degree of p(x) is less than the degree of

q(x), then the horizontal asymptote is y = 0.

b. If the degree of p(x) is equal to the degree of

q(x), then the horizontal asymptote is
leading coefficient of p( x)
y .
leading coefficient of q( x)

c. If the degree of p(x) is greater than the degree

of q(x), then there is no horizontal asymptote.
 Horizontal Asymptotes
• deg of p(x) < deg of q(x), then H.A. is y = 0
p( x) • deg of p(x) = deg of q(x), then H.A. is
f ( x) 
q( x) leading coefficien t of p( x)
y .
leading coefficien t of q( x)
• deg of p(x) > deg of q(x), then no H.A.
Example:
3x
Find the horizontal asymptote: f ( x)  2
.
x 1
Degree of numerator = 1
Degree of denominator = 2
Since the degree of the numerator is
less than the degree of the denominator,
horizontal asymptote is y = 0.
 Horizontal Asymptotes
• deg of p(x) < deg of q(x), then H.A. is y = 0
p( x) • deg of p(x) = deg of q(x), then H.A. is
f ( x) 
q( x) leading coefficient of p( x)
y
leading coefficient of q( x )
• deg of p(x) > deg of q(x), then no H.A.

Example:
3x  1
Find the horizontal asymptote: f ( x)  .
2x  1
Degree of numerator = 1
Degree of denominator = 1
Since the degree of the numerator is
equal to the degree of the denominator,
horizontal asymptote is y  3 .
2
 Horizontal Asymptotes
• deg of p(x) < deg of q(x), then H.A. is y = 0
p( x) • deg of p(x) = deg of q(x), then H.A. is
f ( x) 
q( x) leading coefficien t of p( x)
y
leading coefficien t of q( x)
• deg of p(x) > deg of q(x), then no H.A.
Example:
3x2  1
Find the horizontal asymptote: f ( x )  .
2x  1
Degree of numerator = 2
Degree of denominator = 1
Since the degree of the numerator is greater
than the degree of the denominator, there is
no horizontal asymptote.
 Vertical & Horizontal Asymptotes
V.A. : H.A. :
x = a, where a • deg of p(x) < deg of q(x), then H.A. is y = 0
represents real • deg of p(x) = deg of q(x), then H.A. is
zeros of q(x).
leading coefficient of p( x)
y
leading coefficient of q( x )
• deg of p(x) > deg of q(x), then no H.A.
Practice:
Find the vertical and horizontal asymptotes:

3x2  1
f ( x) 
2x  1

Answer Now
 Vertical & Horizontal Asymptotes
V.A. : H.A. :
x = a, where a • deg of p(x) < deg of q(x), then H.A. is y = 0
represents real • deg of p(x) = deg of q(x), then H.A. is
zeros of q(x).
leading coefficient of p( x )
y
leading coefficient of q( x )

• deg of p(x) > deg of q(x), then no H.A.

Practice:
Find the vertical and horizontal asymptotes:
3x2  1
f ( x)  .
2x  1 1
V.A. : x =
2
H.A.: none
 Vertical & Horizontal Asymptotes
V.A. : H.A. :
x = a, where a • deg of p(x) < deg of q(x), then H.A. is y = 0
represents real • deg of p(x) = deg of q(x), then H.A. is
zeros of q(x).
leading coefficient of p( x )
y
leading coefficient of q( x )

• deg of p(x) > deg of q(x), then no H.A.

Practice:
Find the vertical and horizontal asymptotes:
2x
f ( x) 
x 1
2

Answer Now
 Vertical & Horizontal Asymptotes
V.A. : H.A. :
x = a, where a • deg of p(x) < deg of q(x), then H.A. is y = 0
represents real • deg of p(x) = deg of q(x), then H.A. is
zeros of q(x).
leading coefficient of p( x )
y
leading coefficient of q( x )
• deg of p(x) > deg of q(x), then no H.A.
Practice:
Find the vertical and horizontal asymptotes:
2x
f ( x) 
x2  1 V.A. : none
H.A.: y = 0

x 1
2 is not factorable and thus has no real roots.
 Vertical & Horizontal Asymptotes
V.A. : H.A. :
x = a, where a • deg of p(x) < deg of q(x), then H.A. is y = 0
represents real • deg of p(x) = deg of q(x), then H.A. is
zeros of q(x).
leading coefficient of p( x )
y
leading coefficient of q( x )

• deg of p(x) > deg of q(x), then no H.A.

Practice:
Find the vertical and horizontal asymptotes:
2x  1
f ( x) 
x 1
Answer Now
 Vertical & Horizontal Asymptotes
V.A. : H.A. :
x = a, where a • deg of p(x) < deg of q(x), then H.A. is y = 0
represents real • deg of p(x) = deg of q(x), then H.A. is
zeros of q(x).
leading coefficient of p( x )
y
leading coefficient of q( x )
• deg of p(x) > deg of q(x), then no H.A.
Practice:
Find the vertical and horizontal asymptotes:
2x  1
f ( x) 
x 1 V.A. : x = -1

H.A.: y = 2
 Oblique Asymptotes
O.A. :
• deg of p(x) is 1 higher than q(x) then
perform long division. Take the quotient &
graph ignoring the remainder.

Examples:

x2 1 2 x 2  7 x  10
f ( x)  . f ( x)  .
x 1 , x2
 Holes of the Rational function
Steps to find the Holes;

1.Factor completely
2.If the P(x) and q(x) have any common factor, set them equal to Zero
and solve for X.
3.Plug solutions into the simplified function to find f(x)=Y

Examples:

x 2  25 2x
f ( x)  2
f ( x)  . .
2 x  10 , x x