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Graph of Rational Functions

The steps to graph a rational function are: 1) Factor the numerator and denominator 2) State the domain and location of holes 3) Simplify the function to lowest terms 4) Find the y-intercept and x-intercepts 5) Identify vertical, horizontal, or oblique asymptotes 6) Find points of intersection with asymptotes 7) Use test points to locate the graph above or below the x-axis 8) Analyze the behavior of the graph around asymptotes 9) Sketch the graph based on the analysis

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Ken Aguila
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169 views18 pages

Graph of Rational Functions

The steps to graph a rational function are: 1) Factor the numerator and denominator 2) State the domain and location of holes 3) Simplify the function to lowest terms 4) Find the y-intercept and x-intercepts 5) Identify vertical, horizontal, or oblique asymptotes 6) Find points of intersection with asymptotes 7) Use test points to locate the graph above or below the x-axis 8) Analyze the behavior of the graph around asymptotes 9) Sketch the graph based on the analysis

Uploaded by

Ken Aguila
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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General Steps to Graph a Rational Function

1) Factor the numerator and the denominator

2) State the domain and the location of any holes in the graph

3) Simplify the function to lowest terms

4) Find the y-intercept (x = 0) and the x-intercept(s) (y = 0)

5) Identify any existing asymptotes (vertical, horizontal, or


oblique
General Steps to Graph a Rational Function
6) Identify any points intersecting a horizontal or oblique
asymptote.

7) Use test points between the zeros and vertical asymptotes


to locate the graph above or below the x-axis

8) Analyze the behavior of the graph on each side of an


asymptote

9) Sketch the graph


Example
𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 12
𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥2 − 4
1) Factor the numerator and the denominator
(𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3)
𝑓 𝑥 =
(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 2)
2) State the domain and the location of any holes in the graph
Domain: (−∞, −2) ∪ (−2, 2) ∪ (2, ∞)
No holes
3) Simplify the function to lowest terms
(𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3)
𝑓 𝑥 =
(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 2)
General Steps to Graph a Rational Function
4) Find the y-intercept (x = 0) and the x-intercept(s) (y = 0)
y-intercept (x = 0) x-intercept(s) (y = 0)
(0 + 4)(0 − 3) Use numerator factors
𝑓 0 =
(0 + 2)(0 − 2) 𝑥+4=0 𝑥−3=0
−12 𝑥 = −4 𝑥=3
𝑓 0 = =3
−4 (−4, 0) (3, 0)
(0, 3)
General Steps to Graph a Rational Function
5) Identify any existing asymptotes (vertical, horizontal, or
oblique
𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 12 (𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3)
𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥2 − 4 (𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 2)
Horiz. Or Oblique Asymptotes Vertical Asymptotes
Examine the largest exponents Use denominator factors
Same ∴ Horiz. - use coefficients 𝑥+2=0 𝑥−2=0
1 𝑥 = −2 𝑥=2
𝑦=
1 𝑉𝐴: 𝑥 = −2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑥 = 2
𝐻𝐴: 𝑦 = 1
General Steps to Graph a Rational Function
6) Identify any points intersecting a horizontal or oblique
asymptote.
𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 12
𝑦 = 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥2 − 4
𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 12
1=
𝑥2 − 4
𝑥 2 − 4 = 𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 12
−4 = 𝑥 − 12
8=𝑥
(8,1)
General Steps to Graph a Rational Function
7) Use test points between the zeros and vertical asymptotes
to locate the graph above or below the x-axis
𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒

-4 -2 2 3

(𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3)
𝑓 𝑥 = (+)(−)
(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 2) 𝑓 −3 = =−
(−)(−)
(−5 + 4)(−5 − 3)
𝑓 −5 = 𝑓 −3 = 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤
(−5 + 2)(−5 − 2)
(−)(−) (+)(−)
𝑓 −5 = =+ 𝑓 0 = =+
(−)(−) (+)(−)
𝑓 −5 = 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑓 0 = 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒
General Steps to Graph a Rational Function
7) Use test points between the zeros and vertical asymptotes
to locate the graph above or below the x-axis
𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒

-4 -2 2 3

(𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3)
𝑓 𝑥 =
(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 2)

(+)(−) (+)(+)
𝑓 2.5 = =− 𝑓 4 = =+
(+)(+) (+)(+)
𝑓 2.5 = 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑓 4 = 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒
General Steps to Graph a Rational Function
8) Analyze the behavior of the graph on each side of an
asymptote
𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒

-4 -2 2 3

(𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3)
𝑓 𝑥 =
(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 2)

(+)(−)
𝑥→ −2− 𝑓(𝑥) → − 𝑓(𝑥) → −∞
(0 )(−)

(+)(−)
𝑥→ −2+ 𝑓(𝑥) → + 𝑓(𝑥) → ∞
(0 )(−)
General Steps to Graph a Rational Function
8) Analyze the behavior of the graph on each side of an
asymptote
𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒

-4 -2 2 3

(𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3)
𝑓 𝑥 =
(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 − 2)

(+)(−)
𝑥→ 2− 𝑓(𝑥) → 𝑓(𝑥) → ∞
(+)(0− )

(+)(−)
𝑥→ 2+ 𝑓(𝑥) → 𝑓 𝑥 → −∞
(+)(0+ )
9) Sketch the graph
Example
𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 − 10
𝑓 𝑥 = 2
𝑥 + 8𝑥 + 15
1) Factor the numerator and the denominator
(𝑥 + 5)(𝑥 − 2)
𝑓 𝑥 =
(𝑥 + 5)(𝑥 + 3)
2) State the domain and the location of any holes in the graph
Domain: (−∞, −5) ∪ (−5, −3) ∪ (−3, ∞)
Hole in the graph at 𝑥 = −5
3) Simplify the function to lowest terms
(𝑥 − 2)
𝑓 𝑥 =
(𝑥 + 3)
General Steps to Graph a Rational Function
4) Find the y-intercept (x = 0) and the x-intercept(s) (y = 0)
y-intercept (x = 0) x-intercept(s) (y = 0)
(0 − 2) Use numerator factors
𝑓 0 =
(0 + 3) 𝑥−2=0
2 𝑥=2
𝑓 0 =−
3 (2, 0)
2
(0, − )
3
General Steps to Graph a Rational Function
5) Identify any existing asymptotes (vertical, horizontal, or
oblique
𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 − 10 (𝑥 − 2)
𝑓 𝑥 = 2 𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥 + 8𝑥 + 15 (𝑥 + 3)
Horiz. Or Oblique Asymptotes Vertical Asymptotes
Examine the largest exponents Use denominator factors
Same ∴ Horiz. - use coefficients 𝑥+3=0
1 𝑥 = −3
𝑦=
1 𝑉𝐴: 𝑥 = −3
𝐻𝐴: 𝑦 = 1
General Steps to Graph a Rational Function
6) Identify any points intersecting a horizontal or oblique
asymptote.
𝑥−2
𝑦 = 1 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓 𝑥 =
𝑥+3
𝑥−2
1=
𝑥+3
𝑥+3=𝑥−2
3 = −2
𝑙𝑜𝑠𝑡 𝑣𝑎𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑏𝑙𝑒
𝑛𝑜 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑎𝑠𝑦𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑜𝑡𝑒
General Steps to Graph a Rational Function
7) Use test points between the zeros and vertical asymptotes
to locate the graph above or below the x-axis
𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒

-3 2

(𝑥 − 2)
𝑓 𝑥 = (−)
(𝑥 + 3) 𝑓 0 = =−
(+)
(−4 − 2)
𝑓 −4 = 𝑓 0 = 𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑤
(−4 + 3)
(−) (+)
𝑓 −4 = =+ 𝑓 3 = =+
(−) (+)
𝑓 −4 = 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝑓 3 = 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑣𝑒
Section 5.3 – The Graph of a Rational Function
General Steps to Graph a Rational Function
8) Analyze the behavior of the graph on each side of an
asymptote

-3 2

(𝑥 − 2)
𝑓 𝑥 =
(𝑥 + 3)

(−)
𝑥→ −3− 𝑓(𝑥) → − 𝑓(𝑥) → ∞
(0 )

(−)
𝑥→ −3+ 𝑓(𝑥) → + 𝑓 𝑥 → −∞
(0 )
9) Sketch the graph

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