Pre-Calculus _ Chapter 5

5.2: Properties of Rational Functions

Objectives:
1- Find the Domain of a Rational Function.
2- Find the Vertical Asymptotes of a Rational function.
3- Find the Hoizental or Oblique Asymptote of a Rational function.

Definition:
• A Rational Function is a function of the form

𝒑𝒑(𝒙𝒙)
𝒇𝒇(𝒙𝒙) =
𝒒𝒒(𝒙𝒙)

where 𝑝𝑝 and 𝑞𝑞 are Polynomial functions and 𝑞𝑞 is not the zero polynomial. The domain of
rational function is the set of all real numbers except those for which the denominator 𝑞𝑞 is 0.
Examples of Rational Functions
𝑥𝑥 2 − 4 𝑥𝑥 3 3𝑥𝑥 2
𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) = 𝐹𝐹(𝑥𝑥) = 𝐺𝐺(𝑥𝑥) =
𝑥𝑥 2 + 𝑥𝑥 + 1 𝑥𝑥 2 − 4 𝑥𝑥 4 − 1

1- Find the Domain of a Rational Function.

Example 1: Find the Domain of a Rational function (Recap)

Find the domain for each of the following rational functions.

2𝑥𝑥 2 −4 1
a) 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = b) 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 2 −4
𝑥𝑥+5

𝑥𝑥 3 𝑥𝑥 2 −1
c) ℎ(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 2 +1 d) 𝐹𝐹(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥−1

oundation Program/ Math Department Page 1 Fall 2021

Pre-Calculus _ Chapter 5

Example 2: Graphing a Rational Function.

Graph the functions. Then find the domain, range, 𝑥𝑥 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 𝑦𝑦 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖, intervals for
which 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) is increasing, decreasing or constant.

1 1
a) 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 b) 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 2

Domain: Domain:
Range: Range:
𝑥𝑥 − 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖: 𝑥𝑥 − 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖:
𝑦𝑦 − 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖: 𝑦𝑦 − 𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖𝑖:
Increasing: Increasing:
Decreasing: Decreasing:
Constant: Constant:

Asymptotes:

A symptote is a straight line that continually approaches a given curve.

Types of asymptotes for rational function:
• Horizontal Asymptotes.
• Vertical Asymptote.
• Oblique Asymptote.

oundation Program/ Math Department Page 2 Fall 2021

Pre-Calculus _ Chapter 5

2- Find the Vertical Asymptote of a Rational Function.

THEOREM

Locating Vertical Asymptotes

𝒑𝒑(𝒙𝒙)
A rational function 𝑹𝑹(𝒙𝒙) = 𝒒𝒒(𝒙𝒙) , in lowest terms, will have a vertical asymptote 𝑥𝑥 = 𝑟𝑟 if 𝑟𝑟 is a
real zero of the denominator 𝒒𝒒(𝒙𝒙). That is, if 𝑥𝑥 − 𝑟𝑟 is a factor of the denominator 𝒒𝒒(𝒙𝒙) of a
𝑝𝑝(𝑥𝑥)
rational function 𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑞𝑞(𝑥𝑥) , in lowest terms, then 𝑅𝑅 will have the vertical asymptote 𝑥𝑥 = 𝑟𝑟.

Example 3: Finding Vertical Asymptotes.

Find the vertical asymptotes, if any, of the graph of each rational function.
𝑥𝑥+3 𝑥𝑥
a) 𝐹𝐹(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥−1 b) 𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 2 −4

oundation Program/ Math Department Page 3 Fall 2021

Pre-Calculus _ Chapter 5

𝑥𝑥 2 𝑥𝑥 2 −9
c) 𝐻𝐻(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 2 +1 d) 𝐺𝐺(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 2 +4𝑥𝑥−21

3- Find the Horizontal or Oblique Asymptote of a Rational Function.

Remark:
𝑝𝑝(𝑥𝑥)
For any rational function 𝑅𝑅 (𝑥𝑥) =
𝑞𝑞(𝑥𝑥)

• If the degree 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑝𝑝(𝑥𝑥) < 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑞𝑞(𝑥𝑥) ⟹ 𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) is called proper rational function.
• If the degree 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑝𝑝(𝑥𝑥) ≥ 𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑𝑑 𝑜𝑜𝑜𝑜 𝑞𝑞(𝑥𝑥) ⟹ 𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) is called improper rational function.

THEOREM

Locating Horizontal or oblique Asymptotes

• If a rational function 𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) is proper. The line 𝒚𝒚 = 𝟎𝟎, is a horizontal asymptote of its graph.
• If a rational function 𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) is improper. Then we use long division to write 𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) in the form

𝑝𝑝(𝑥𝑥) 𝑟𝑟(𝑥𝑥)
𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) = = 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) +
𝑞𝑞(𝑥𝑥) 𝑞𝑞(𝑥𝑥)

Proper

1) If 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑏𝑏 (constant), the line 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑏𝑏 is a horizontal asymptote of the graph of 𝑅𝑅.

2) If 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏, the line 𝑦𝑦 = 𝑎𝑎𝑎𝑎 + 𝑏𝑏 is an oblique asymptote of the graph of 𝑅𝑅.
3) In all other cases, the graph of 𝑅𝑅 approaches the graph of 𝑓𝑓, and there are no
horizontal or oblique asymptotes.

oundation Program/ Math Department Page 4 Fall 2021

Pre-Calculus _ Chapter 5

Example 4: Finding a Horizontal Asymptote.

Find the horizontal asymptote, if one exists, of the graph of
𝑥𝑥−12
𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) =
4𝑥𝑥 2 +𝑥𝑥+1

Example 5: Finding a Horizontal or Oblique Asymptote.

Find the horizontal or oblique asymptote, if one exists, of the graph of

3𝑥𝑥 4 −𝑥𝑥 2 8𝑥𝑥 2 −𝑥𝑥+2

a) 𝐻𝐻(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 3 −𝑥𝑥 2 +1 b) 𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) = 4𝑥𝑥 2 −1

2𝑥𝑥 5 −𝑥𝑥 3 +2
c) 𝐺𝐺(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 3 −1

oundation Program/ Math Department Page 5 Fall 2021

Pre-Calculus _ Chapter 5

Extra Exercises for students

1) Find the domain of each rational function.
4𝑥𝑥 −4𝑥𝑥 2
1) 𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥−3 2) 𝐻𝐻(𝑥𝑥) = (𝑥𝑥−2)(𝑥𝑥+4

3𝑥𝑥(𝑥𝑥−1) 𝑥𝑥
3) 𝐹𝐹(𝑥𝑥) = 2𝑥𝑥 2 −5𝑥𝑥−3 4) 𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 4 −1

3𝑥𝑥 2 +𝑥𝑥 1
5) 𝐻𝐻(𝑥𝑥) = 6) 𝐹𝐹(𝑥𝑥) = 5𝑥𝑥 4 − 𝜋𝜋𝑥𝑥 3 + 2
𝑥𝑥 2 +4

2) Use the graph shown to find

a) The domain and range of each function
b) Horizontal asymptote, if any.
c) The intercepts, if any.
d) Oblique asymptote, if any.
e) Vertical asymptote, if any.
a) b) c)

oundation Program/ Math Department Page 6 Fall 2021

Pre-Calculus _ Chapter 5

3) Graph each rational function using transformations.

1 1
a) 𝐹𝐹(𝑥𝑥) = 2 + 𝑥𝑥 b) 𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) = 3 + 𝑥𝑥 2

1 −1
c) 𝑄𝑄(𝑥𝑥) = (𝑥𝑥−1)2 d) 𝐹𝐹(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 2 +4𝑥𝑥+4

1
e) 𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥−1 + 1

4) Find the vertical, horizontal, and oblique asymptotes, if any, of each rational function.
3𝑥𝑥 3𝑥𝑥+5
a) 𝑅𝑅(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥+4 b) 𝐹𝐹(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥−6

𝑥𝑥 3 −8 𝑥𝑥 3
d) 𝐻𝐻(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 2 −5𝑥𝑥+6 e) 𝑇𝑇(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 4 −1

oundation Program/ Math Department Page 7 Fall 2021