1. Rational Functions and Their Graphs

2. 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 (CFO’s)

3. Introduction to Rational Functions
What is a rational number?
So what is an irrational number?
A rational function has the form
A number that can be expressed as a fraction:
A number that cannot be expressed as a fraction:

4. Parent Function The parent function is
The graph of the parent rational function looks like…………………….
The graph is not continuous and has asymptotes

5. Transformations
The parent function
How does this move?

6. Transformations
The parent function
How does this move?

7. Transformations
The parent function
And what about this?

8. Transformations
The parent function
How does this move?

9. Transformations

10. Domain Find the domain of
Think: what numbers can I put in for x????
Denominator can’t equal 0 (it is undefined there)

11. You Do: Domain
Find the domain of
Denominator can’t equal 0

12. You Do: Domain
Find the domain of
Denominator can’t equal 0

13. 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.
none

14. Vertical Asymptotes The figure below shows the graph of
The equation of the vertical asymptote is

15. Vertical Asymptotes
Definition: The line x = a is a vertical asymptote of the graph of f(x) if
as x approaches “a” either from the left or from the right. or
Look at the table of values for

16. Vertical Asymptotes As x approaches____ from the _______,
f(x) -3 -1
-2.5 -2
-2.1
-10
-2.01
-100
-2.001
-1000 x
f(x) -1 1
-1.5 2
-1.9 10
-1.99
100
-1.999
1000
As x approaches____ from the _______,
f(x) approaches _______.
As x approaches____ from the _______,
f(x) approaches _______. -2 -2
right
left
Therefore, by definition, there is a vertical asymptote at

17. Therefore, a vertical asymptote occurs at x = -3.
Vertical Asymptotes - 4
Describe what is happening to x and determine if a vertical asymptote exists, given the following information: x
f(x) -2 1
-2.5
2.2222
-2.9
11.837
-2.99
119.84
-2.999
1199.8 x
f(x) -4
-1.333
-3.5
-2.545
-3.1
-12.16
-3.01
-120.2
-3.001
-1200
As x approaches____ from the _______, f(x) approaches _______.
As x approaches____ from the _______, f(x) approaches _______. -3 -3
left
right
Therefore, a vertical asymptote occurs at x = -3.

18. Vertical Asymptotes Set denominator = 0; solve for x
Substitute x-values into numerator. The values for which the numerator ≠ 0 are the vertical asymptotes

19. Example What is the domain? x ≠ 2 so What is the vertical asymptote?
x = 2 (Set denominator = 0, plug back into numerator, if it ≠ 0, then it’s a vertical asymptote)

20. You Do Domain: x2 + x – 2 = 0 Vertical Asymptote: x2 + x – 2 = 0
(x + 2)(x - 1) = 0, so x ≠ -2, 1
Vertical Asymptote: x2 + x – 2 = 0
(x + 2)(x - 1) = 0
Neither makes the numerator = 0, so
x = -2, x = 1

21. The graph of a rational function NEVER crosses a vertical asymptote
The graph of a rational function NEVER crosses a vertical asymptote. Why?
Look at the last example:
Since the domain is , 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!

22. Class work 4-1

23. Asymptotes

24. Examples Horizontal Asymptote at y = 0 Horizontal Asymptote at y = 0
The degree of the n < m, y =o is horizontal asymptote.

25. Examples Horizontal Asymptote at y = 2 Horizontal Asymptote at
What similarities do you see between problems?
The degree of the numerator is the same as the degree or the denominator. n = m

26. Examples No Horizontal Asymptote n >m

27. Asymptotes: Summary
1. The graph of f has vertical asymptotes at the _________ of q(x).
 2. The graph of f has at most one horizontal asymptote, as follows:
 a)   If n < m, then the ____________ is a horizontal asymptote.
b)    If n = m, then the line ____________ is a horizontal asymptote (leading coef. over leading coef.)
c)   If n > m, then the graph of f has ______ horizontal asymptote.
zeros
line y = 0 no

28. You Do
Find all vertical and horizontal asymptotes of the following function
Vertical Asymptote: x = -1
Horizontal Asymptote: y = 2

29. You Do Again
Find all vertical and horizontal asymptotes of the following function
Vertical Asymptote: None
Horizontal Asymptote: y = 0

30. 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.

31. Example Find all asymptotes. y = x Vertical Horizontal Slant x = 1
None
y=x
Vertical x -1 =1
Horizontal since n not equal m No horizontal asymptote
Slant n > m use long division

32. Example Find all asymptotes: Vertical asymptote at x = 1
n > m by exactly one, so no horizontal asymptote, but there is an oblique asymptote.
Slant asymptote y = x + 1

33. CW 4-2