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Rational Functions: Asymptotes

Rational functions are quotients of two polynomials with no common factors. They have three types of asymptotes: vertical asymptotes where the denominator is 0, horizontal asymptotes where the degree of the numerator is less than or equal to the degree of the denominator, and slant/oblique asymptotes where the degree of the numerator is one larger than the degree of the denominator. To graph a rational function, important points to plot include intercepts, points near vertical asymptotes, and points at the ends of the graph.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
9K views2 pages

Rational Functions: Asymptotes

Rational functions are quotients of two polynomials with no common factors. They have three types of asymptotes: vertical asymptotes where the denominator is 0, horizontal asymptotes where the degree of the numerator is less than or equal to the degree of the denominator, and slant/oblique asymptotes where the degree of the numerator is one larger than the degree of the denominator. To graph a rational function, important points to plot include intercepts, points near vertical asymptotes, and points at the ends of the graph.

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MUDASSIR
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ASYMPTOTES 

Rational Functions                                                                                                                       
  A rational function is a function   that is a quotient of two polynomials, that is,  

   

where   and   are polynomials with no common factor other than ± 1 and   is not the zero 


polynomial.  The domain of   consists of all inputs x for which     0. 

Vertical Asymptotes  (VA)                                                                                                                                 
  These asymptotes occur when the denominator     0.  They have the form      .   

Example:        

The denominator is 0 when     1 and      1.  The vertical lines  1 and  1 are the vertical 


asymptotes. 

Horizontal Asymptotes  (HA)                                                                                                                                               
These asymptotes occur when the degree of the numerator is less than or equal to the degree of the 
denominator. 

 If the deg(num)   deg(den), then the horizontal asymptote is     0 (the x‐axis) 


 
Example:               deg(num) = 1 and deg(den) = 2 

So the horizontal asymptote is y = 0 

 If the deg(num) = deg(den), then the asymptote is    , where a is the leading coefficient of the 
numerator and b is the leading coefficient of the denominator. 
 
Example:              deg(num) = 2 and deg(den) = 2 

So the horizontal asymptote is     

Slant or Oblique Asymptotes  (SA)                                                                                                                      
These asymptotes occur when the degree of the numerator is one larger than the degree of the denominator.  If 
this occurs you will have to do polynomial division and the quotient (the answer) is your slant asymptote. 

  Example:            deg(num) = 2 and deg(den) = 1 

             2     2           The equation of the slant asymptote is  2 2  


                                                                         1     2   1      (Note the remainder does not affect this.) 
             2 2  
    2   1 
2   2
 
            1

NOTE:  You will never have both a SA and a HA on the same graph.  Graphs can cross HA and SA, but will never  
              cross VA. 

 
Recommended Points to Plot                                                                                                                                  
‐intercept     0   if one exists 

‐intercepts     0   if they exist 

two points close to each vertical asymptote (one on each side) 

a point out towards each “end” of the graph.  For example   10 or  100 


 VA     1
NOTE:  You may need or want to plot some other points as well. 

   

 
Example:       
 
VA:   1 0 
 
                                      1                          (0, 1) 
 
   1            these are your VA’s  HA   0  (0.5, 0) 
 
HA:  since deg(num) = 1 < deg(den) = 2; then y = 0   
is the HA.   
 
 SA:  since you have a HA, you do not have a SA. 
 
­intercept:   0 

 
      1 
   
  Therefore the y­intercept is (0,1) 
0  1 
­intercept:   0   
1  Undefined 
2
    0   ­1  Undefined 
0.5  0 
    0 2 1 
1.25  ≈ 2.66667 
    0.5  ­1.25  ≈ ­6.22222 
6  ≈ 0.314286 
  Thus, the x­intercept is (0.5, 0) 
­6  ≈ ­0.371429 
 
 
 
 
   
Points close to VA:                                               Points close to HA:                                                                                  
          1.25       6 
. .
  2.66667      0.314286 
. .

. .
     
6.22222                                                                    0.371429 
. .

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