Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

Section 2.6: Rational Functions

Homeworks in the section 2.5 include: 7, 15, 21, 27, 49, 81.

7. In Exercise 7, find the domain of the function and discuss the behavior of f near any excluded x-values

3x2
f (x) =
x2 − 1
Solution

The domain of the function f is the set of real number such that x2 − 1 ̸= 0. That is

x2 − 1 ̸= 0 ⇔ x ̸= ±1

Thus, the domain of the function is D = R \ {1, −1}.

The behavior of f near x = 1:

x 0.555 0.666 0.888 0.999 →1← 1.00001 1.0001 1.001 1.5

f (x) −1.34 −2.39 −11.2 −1497 150002.25 15002.25 1502.25 5.4

Thus, f (x) → −∞ as x → 1− and f (x) → +∞ as x → 1+ .

The behavior of f near x = −1:

x −2 −1.5 −1.01 −1.0001 → −1 ← −0.999 −0.88 −0.66 −0.55

f (x) 4 5.4 152.3 15002.3 −1497.8 −10.3 −2.3 −1.3

Thus, f (x) → −∞ as x → (−1)+ and f (x) → +∞ as x → (−1)− .

15. In Exercise 14, find all vertical and horizontal asymptotes of the graph of the function.

x2 − 3x − 4
f (x) =
2x2 + x − 1
Solution

The domain of the function:

x ̸= −1
"
2x2 + x − 1 ̸= 0 ⇔ (2x − 1)(x + 1) ̸= 0 ⇔ 1
x ̸=
2

1
Thus, the domain of the function is D = R \ {−1, }.
2
First, I am going to find all vertical asymptotes of the graph of the function.

x2 − 3x − 4 (x + 1)(x − 4) x−4
f (x) = 2
= =
2x + x − 1 (2x − 1)(x + 1) 2x − 1

x−4 −5 5
• lim f (x) = lim = =
x→(−1)+ x→(−1)+ 2x − 1 −3 3
x−4 −5 5
• lim f (x) = lim = =
x→(−1)− x→(−1)+ 2x − 1 −3 3

Thus, x = −1 is not a vertical asymptote of the graph of the function.

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Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

x−4 −3.5
• lim f (x) = lim = + = −∞
x→(0.5)+ x→(0.5)+ 2x − 1 0
x−4 −3.5
• lim f (x) = lim = − = +∞
x→(0.5)− x→(0.5)− 2x − 1 0

1
Thus, x = is a vertical asymptote of the graph of the function.
2
Secondly, I am going to find all horizontal asymptotes of the graph of function.

x−4 1
• lim f (x) = lim =
x→+∞ x→+∞ 2x − 1 2
x−4 1
• lim f (x) = lim =
x→−∞ x→−∞ 2x − 1 2
1
Thus, y = is a horizontal asymptote of the graph of the function.
2

In Exercises 21, (a) state the domain of the function, (b) identify all intercepts, (c) find any vertical or
horizontal asymptotes, and (d) plot additional solution points as needed to sketch the graph of the rational
function.
2x + 3 2x
21. C(x) = 27. h(x) = 2
x+2 x − 3x − 4
Solution
2x + 3
21. C(x) =
x+2

(a) The domain of the function is (−∞, −2) ∪ (−2, +∞)

(b) The x-intercepts of the function are the roots of the equation
2x + 3 3
C(x) = 0 ⇔ = 0 ⇔ 2x + 3 = 0 ⇔ x = −
x+2 2

The y-intercept of the function is the point with x = 0. That is

3
C(0) =
2

3 3
Thus, the x-intercept is at the point (− , 0), and the y-intercept is at the point (0, ).
2 2
(c) Vertical asymptotes:
2x + 3 −1
• lim C(x) = = + = −∞
lim
x→(−2)+ x+2 0
x→(−2)+
2x + 3 −1
• lim C(x) = lim = − = +∞
x→(−2)− x→(−2)− x + 2 0
Thus, x = −2 is a vertical asymptote of the graph of the function.

Horizontal asymptotes:
2x + 3
• lim C(x) = lim =2
x→+∞ x→+∞ x + 2
2x + 3
• lim C(x) = lim =2
x→−∞ x→−∞ x + 2

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Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

Thus, y = 2 is a horizontal asymptote of the graph of the function.

(d) Additional points

Test Interval x-value f (x) Sign of f (x) Point

(−∞, −2) −3 3 Positive (−3, 3)
(−2, − 23 ) −1.75 −2 Negative (−1.75, −2)
(− 23 , +∞) −1 1 Positive (−1, 1)

x = −2 y

2 y=2

x
−6 −4 −2 2 4

−2

−4

2x
27. h(x) =
x2 − 3x − 4

(a) The domain of the function h is the set of real number except the roots of the equation:

2 x = −1
x − 3x − 4 = 0 ⇔ (x + 1)(x − 4) = 0 ⇔
x=4

Thus, the domain of the function h is the set R \ {−1, 4}.

(b) The x-intercept of the function is the roots of the equation:

2x
= 0 ⇔ 2x = 0 ⇔ x = 0
x2 − 3x − 4

Thus, the x-intercept of the function is at the point (0, 0).

The y-intercept of the function is at the point with x = 0. That is

2(0)
y= =0
02 − 3(0) − 4

Thus, the y-intercept of the function is at the point (0, 0).

(c) Vertical asymptotes:

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Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

2x 8
• lim h(x) = lim = − = −∞
x→4− x→4− x2
− 3x − 4 0
2x 8
• lim h(x) = lim 2 = + = +∞
x→4+ x→4+ x − 3x − 4 0
Thus, x = 4 is a vertical asymptote of the graph of the function h.
2x −2
• lim h(x) = lim 2
= + = −∞
x→(−1)− x→(−1)− x − 3x − 4 0
2x −2
• lim h(x) = lim 2
= − = +∞
x→(−1) + x→(−1) x − 3x − 4
+ 0
Thus, x = −1 is a vertical asymptote of the graph of the function h.

Horizontal asymptotes:
2
2x x2 ( )
• lim h(x) = lim 2 = lim x =0
x→+∞ x→+∞ x − 3x − 4 x→+∞ 2
3 4
x (1 − − )
x x2
2
2x x2 ( )
• lim h(x) = lim 2 = lim x =0
x→−∞ x→−∞ x − 3x − 4 x→−∞ 2 3 4
x (1 − − )
x x2
Thus, y = 0 is the only horizontal asymptote of the graph of the function h.

(d) Additional points

Test Interval x-value h(x) Sign of h(x) Point

(−∞, −1) −2 − 23 Negative A(−2, − 23 )
4
(−1, 0) −0.5 9 Positive B(−0.5, 49 )
(0, 4) 1 − 13 Negative C(1, − 13 )
5
(4, +∞) 5 3 Positive D(5, 53 )

2
D

B
−4 −2 2 4 6
x
8
C
A
−2

−4

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Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

49. In Exercises 49, (a) state the domain of the function, (b) Identify all intercepts, (c) find any vertical
or slant asymptotes, and (d) plot additional solution points as needed to sketch the graph of the rational
function.
2x2 + 1
f (x) =
x
Solution

(a) The domain of the function is D = R \ {0}.

(b) x-intercepts of the function are roots of the equation:

2x2 + 1
=0
x

Since 2x2 + 1 is greater than 0 for all x ∈ D, the function has no x-intercept.

y-intercept of the function is at the point with x = 0. However, x = 0 is not in the domain of the function,
so the function also has no y-intercept.

(c) Vertical asymptote:

2x2 + 1 1
• lim f (x) = lim = lim − = −∞
x→0− x→0− x x→0 0
−

2x2 + 1 1
• lim f (x) = lim = lim + = +∞
x→0+ x→0+ x x→0 0
+

Thus, x = 0 is a vertical asymptote of the graph of the function.

Since the degree of the numerator is exactly one more than the degree of the denominator, then the graph
of the function as a slant asymptote:

2x2 + 1 1
f (x) = = 2x +
x x

As x approaches to −∞ or +∞, the graph of f approaches the lines 2x.

Thus, the slant asymptote of the graph is y = 2x.

(d) Additional points:

Test Interval x-value h(x) Sign of h(x) Point

(−∞, 0) −1 −3 Negative A(−1, −3)
(0, +∞) 1 4 Positive B(1, 3)

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Ly Ba Hoang - 1695172 MTH 1114 Homeworks

B
2

−2 2 4
x

−2

A
−4

In Exercises 80 - 82, write a rational function f whose graph has the specified characteristics. (There are
many correct answers.)
81. Vertical asymptote: x = −2, x = 1
Horizontal asymptote: None

Solution

81. The general form of the rational function f is

N (x)
f (x) =
D(x)

Vertical asymptotes are zeros of the denominator D(x), thus I can find D(x) as follows

D(x) = (x − 1)(x + 2)

Since the function f has no horizontal asymptote, the degree of N (x) must be greater than the degree of
D(x). I choose N (x) as s5x3 + 9, so a rational function f is

25x3 + 9
f (x) =
(x − 1)(x + 2)

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