QUICK REVIEW
INTERCEPTS OF RATIONAL
FUNCTIONS
WHAT IS INTERCEPT?
FINDING X-INTERCEPT and Y-INTERCEPT OF RATIONAL
FUNTION
FINDING ZEROES OF RATIONAL
FUNCTIONS
STEP IN DETERMINING ZEROES OF RATIONAL FUNCTIONS
ASYMPTOTES AND HOLE
RATIONAL FUNCTIONS
Asymptotes
Asymptotes are the boundary lines that a rational function
approaches, but never crosses.
We draw these as Dashed Lines on our graphs.
There are three types of asymptotes:
Vertical
Horizontal (Graph can cross these)
Slant
RATIONAL FUNCTIONS
Vertical Asymptotes
Vertical Asymptotes exist where the denominator would be zero.
They are graphed as Vertical Dashed Lines
There can be more than one!
To find them, set the denominator equal to zero and solve for “x”
RATIONAL FUNCTIONS
Vertical Asymptotes
• Find the vertical asymptotes for the
following function:
•Set the denominator equal to zero
•x – 1 = 0, so x = 1
•This graph has a vertical asymptote
at x = 1
y-
axis
9 Vertical
8 Asymptote at
7
6 X=1
5
4
3
1 2
0
0 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1
0 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 x-
-2 0 axis
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
Other Examples:
• Find the vertical asymptotes for the following functions:
Horizontal Asymptotes
• Horizontal Asymptotes are also Dashed Lines drawn horizontally to
represent another boundary.
• To find the horizontal asymptote you compare the degree of the
numerator with the degree of the denominator
Horizontal Asymptote (HA)
Given Rational Function:
Compare DEGREE of Numerator to Denominator
If N < D , then y = 0 is the HA
If N > D, then the graph has NO HA
If N = D, then the HA is
Example #1
• Find the horizontal asymptote for the following
function:
•Since the degree of numerator is equal
to degree of denominator (m = n)
•Then HA: y = 1/1 = 1
•This graph has a horizontal asymptote
at y = 1
y-
axis
9
8
7
6 Horizontal
5 Asymptote at
4
3
y=1
1 2
0
0 -9 -8 -7 -6 -5 -4 -3 -2 -1 1
0 -1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 x-
-2 0 axis
-3
-4
-5
-6
-7
-8
-9
Other Examples:
• Find the horizontal asymptote for the following
functions:
Slant Asymptotes (SA)
• Slant asymptotes exist when the degree of the numerator is one
larger than the denominator.
• Cannot have both a HA and SA
• To find the SA, divide the Numerator by the Denominator.
• The results is a line y = mx + b that is the SA.
Example of SA
-2
26
Holes
• A hole exists when the same factor
exists in both the numerator and
denominator of the rational
expression and the factor is
eliminated when you reduce!
27
Example of Hole Discontinuity
28
