RATIONAL

FUNCTIONS
LESSON 3: Graphing Rational Functions

Prepared By: Melissa A. Nazar

 OPENING PRAYER
Lord, we offer to you our class today.
We pray that through your Divine
Guidance, we would learn how to listen
attentively to the inputs of our teacher.
Grant that we recognize YOU in each
of our classmates and teachers.
 MATERIALS
• PEN
• PAPER
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Find the domain and range, intercepts,
zeroes, asymptotes of rational functions,

Solve problems involving rational

functions
Recall:
(a) The domain of a function is the set of all values
that the variable x can take.
(b) The range of the function is the set of all values
that f(x) will take.
(c) The zeroes of a function are the values of x which
make the function zero. The real numbered zeroes
are also x-intercepts of the graph of the function
(d) The y-intercept is the function value when x = 0.
The Zeroes of Rational Functions
 
Example 1: Find the zeros of the rational
function .

1. Factor the numerator and denominator of f.

The values x = 2 and x = 1 make the denominator

2. Identify the restrictions.
equal to zero and are restrictions.

3. Identify the vales of x that make the numerator

x = -2 make the numerator equal to zero.
equal to zero.

4. Identify the zero of f. x = -2 will be the zero of f.

  
Example 2: Find the zeros of the rational
function .

1. Factor the numerator and denominator of f.

The values x = -2 and x = 3 make the denominator

2. Identify the restrictions.
equal to zero and are restrictions.

3. Identify the vales of x that make the numerator x = -2 and x = -4 both make the numerator equal to
equal to zero. zero.

x = -2 will not be a zero of f because it is also a

4. Identify the zero of f. restriction.
x = -4 will be the zero of f.
Intercepts of Rational Function

To find the y – intercept, substitute 0 for x and

solve for y or f(x).

To find the x – intercept, substitute 0 for y and

solve for x.
 
Example 1: Find the intercepts of the
rational function .

For y – intercept:
Therefore, the y – intercept is 1.

For x – intercept:
For x – intercept:
Therefore, the x – intercept is -2.
 
Example 2: Find the intercepts of the
rational function .

For y – intercept:
Therefore, the y – intercept is .

For x – intercept: or
For x – intercept: Therefore, the x – intercepts are -2
and -4.
 Vertical Asymptotes

Vertical Asymptotes are the

restrictions on the x – values
of a reduced rational function.
To find the restrictions, equate
the denominator to 0 and solve
for x.
 Horizontal Asymptotes
 

Let n be the degree of numerator and m be the

degree of the denominator:
• If n < m, y = 0
• If n = m, y = , where a is the leading
coefficient of the numerator and b is the
leading coefficient of the denominator.
• If n > m, there is no horizontal asymptote.
 Oblique Asymptotes
1. A given rational function will either have only one oblique
asymptote or no oblique asymptote.
2. If a rational function has a horizontal asymptote, it will not have
an oblique asymptote.
3. Oblique asymptotes only occur when the numerator f(x) has a
degree that is one higher than the degree of the denominator.
4. When you have this situation, simply divide the numerator by the
denominator using long division or synthetic division. The
quotient (set to y) will be the oblique asymptote. Note that the
remainder is ignored.
 
Example 1: Find the vertical and horizontal asymptote
of the rational function .

The denominator can be factored as

(x – 1)(x – 2), so the denominator has
Vertical
zeros 1 and 2.
Asymptote

Therefore, the vertical asymptotes are

x = 1 and x =2.
The degree of the numerator (1) is less
Horizontal
than degree of the denominator (2), so
Asymptote
the horizontal asymptote is y = 0.
 
Example 2: Find the vertical and horizontal asymptote of
the rational function .

The denominator can be factored as

(x + 2)(x - 3), so the denominator has
Vertical
zeros -2 and 3.
Asymptote

Therefore, the vertical asymptotes are

x = -2
The and x of
degree = 3.
the numerator (2) is
Horizontal equal to the degree of the denominator
Asymptote (2), so the horizontal asymptote is
.
 
Example 2: Find the oblique asymptote of the rational
function .
 LEARNERS TASK

MONDAY (NOV. 23, 2020) ONLINE CONSULTATION

TUESDAY (NOV. 24, 2020) Answer Activity 1 Nos. 1 and 4 (PAGE 26)

Answer Activity 2 Nos. 1 and 4

WEDNESDAY (NOV.25, 2020)
Answer Activity 3 No. 3 (Page 26)

THURSDAY (NOV. 26, 2020) Answer Additional Activity No. 1 (Page 29)

FRIDAY (NOV. 27, 2020) SUBMISSION

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act. But a habit.”
/ Aristotle /