Rational Functions and Their Graphs

Section 3.5

JMerrill,2005
Revised 08
Why Should You Learn This?
Rational functions are used to model and
solve many problems in the business world.
Some examples of real-world scenarios are:
Average speed over a distance (traffic
engineers)
Concentration of a mixture (chemist)
Average sales over time (sales manager)
Average costs over time (CFOs)
Introduction to Rational Functions

What is a rational number? 5

A number that can be expressed as a fraction:
, 3, 4.5
2
So just for grins, what is an irrational
number?
A number that cannot be expressed as a fraction: , 2

A rational function has the form

p( x)
f ( x)
q( x)
where p and q are polynomial functions
Parent Function
The parent function is
1
x
The graph of the
parent rational
function looks
like.

The graph is not

continuous and has
asymptotes
Transformations
1
The parent function x
1
How does this move? 3
x
Transformations
1
The parent function x
How does this move?
1
( x 3)
Transformations
1
The parent function x
And what about this?
1
4
( x 2)
Transformations
1
The parent function x
1
How does this move? x 2
 Transformations
1 1
2
2
x2 x

1 1
4
( x 3) 2 ( x 3) 2
Domain
f(x) 1
Find the domain of
x2
Think: what numbers can I put in for x????

Denominator cant equal 0

(it is undefined there)
x20
x 2

Domain , 2 2,
You Do: Domain

Find the domain of f(x) x -1

(x 1)(x 2)

Denominator cant equal 0

x 1 x 2 0
x 1, 2

Domain , 2 2, 1 1,
You Do: Domain

Find the domain of f(x) x

x2 1

Denominator cant equal 0

x2 1 0
x 2 1

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.

f(x) 1
x2 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 x2

The equation of the vertical asymptote is x 2

Vertical Asymptotes
Definition: The line x = a is a vertical
asymptote of the graph of f(x) if f x
or f x as x approaches a either from
the left or from the right.

Look at the table of values for f(x) 1

x2
Vertical Asymptotes
x f(x) x f(x)
-3 -1 -1 1
-2.5 -2 -1.5 2
-2.1 -10 -1.9 10
-2.01 -100 -1.99 100
-2.001 -1000 -1.999 1000
As x As x
approaches____-2 approaches____-2
from the _______,
left right
from the _______,

f(x) approaches f(x) approaches
_______. _______.
Therefore, by definition, there is a vertical asymptote at
x 2
Vertical Asymptotes - 4
Describe what is happening to x and determine if a vertical
asymptote exists, given the following information:
x f(x) x f(x)
-4 -1.333 -2 1
-2.5 2.2222
-3.5 -2.545
-3.1 Therefore,
-12.16 a vertical-2.9asymptote
11.837

-3.01 -120.2 -2.99 119.84

-3.001 -1200
occurs at x =-2.999
-3. 1199.8
As x As x
approaches____-3 -3
approaches____
left
from the _______, right
from the _______,

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)
x2

What is the domain?

x 2 so (, 2) (2, )

What is the vertical asymptote?

x = 2 (Set denominator = 0, plug back into
numerator, if it 0, then its a vertical asymptote)
You Do
2 x2 7 x 4
f ( x) 2
x x2
Domain: x2 + x 2 = 0
(x + 2)(x - 1) = 0, so x -2, 1
(, 2) (2,1) (1, )

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?
2 x2 7 x 4
Look at the last example: f ( x) 2
x x2

Since the domain is (, 1) (1, 2) (2, ) , and

the vertical asymptotes are x = 2, -1, that
means that if the function crosses the
vertical asymptote, then for some y-value,
x would have to equal 2 or -1, which would
make the denominator = 0!
Points of Discontinuity (Holes)
Set denominator = 0. Solve for x
Substitute x-values into numerator. You
want to keep the x-values that make the
numerator = 0 (a zero is a hole)
To find the y-coordinate that goes with that
x: factor numerator and denominator,
cancel like factors, substitute x-value in.
Example
x 4
2

Function: f ( x) 2
x 2x 8 x2 2x 8 0
Solve denom. ( x 4)( x 2) 0
x 4, 2

( x 2)( x 2)
Factor and cancel ( x 4)( x 2)

( x 2) 2 2 4 2 2

Hole is 3
2,
Plug in -2: ( x 4) 2 4 6 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 functions 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
x2
Horizontal Asymptotes
x f(x) x f(x)

1 .3333 -1 1

10 .08333 -10 -0.125

-100 -0.0102
100 .0098
-1000 -0.001
1000 .0009

0
y_____ as 0 as
y____

x________
x________

Therefore, by definition, there is a horizontal

asymptote at y = 0.
Examples
4 2x
f ( x) 2 f ( x) 2
x 1 3x 1
Horizontal Horizontal
Asymptote Asymptote
at y = 0 at y = 0

What similarities do you see between problems?

The degree of the denominator is larger
than the degree of the numerator.
Examples
2x 1 5x 2 1
h( x) g(x) 2
x1 2x 8
Horizontal Horizontal
Asymptote Asymptote
at y = 2 at y 5
2
What similarities do you see between problems?

The degree of the numerator is the same as

the degree or the denominator.
Examples
3x 5x 4x 5
3 2
x2 9
f(x) g(x)
3x 1 x2
No No
Horizontal Horizontal
Asymptote Asymptote

What similarities do you see between problems?

The degree of the numerator is larger than

the degree of the denominator.
Asymptotes: Summary
1. The graph of f has vertical asymptotes at the
_________
zeros of q(x).
2. The graph of f has at most one horizontal
asymptote, as follows:
line y = 0
a) If n < d, then the ____________ is a
horizontal asymptote. a
y
b) If n = d, then the line ____________
b is a
horizontal asymptote (leading coef. over
leading coef.)
no
c) If n > d, then the graph of f has ______
horizontal asymptote.
You Do
Find all vertical and horizontal asymptotes
of the following function
2x 1
f x
x 1

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

Vertical Asymptote: none

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
at x = 1
x 1
x 1 x2 2 y=x+1
n > d by exactly one, so
- x2 x
no horizontal
asymptote, but there is x2
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?

Since n = d (in degree) then y = 400

Describe what this represents for the

company.
C(x) = 400x + 500,000
x
The horizontal asymptote
means that the more
wheelchairs produced
per month, the closer
the average cost comes
to $400. Lower prices
take place with higher
production levels,
posing potential
problems for small
businesses.