FAR EASTERN COLLEGE-SILANG, INC.

SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

METROGATE SILANG ESTATES

SILANG, CAVITE

GENERAL MATHEMATICS HANDOUT

RATIONAL FUNCTIONS

Rational function, is a type of function which contains rational expression. If 𝑃(𝑥) and 𝑄(𝑥) are both
P(x)
polynomials, then the function 𝑓 given by f(x) = Q(x) ; such that Q(x) ≠ 0, is called a rational function.

P(x)
f(x) =
Q(x)
where:
𝑃(𝑥)𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑄(𝑥) are both polynomials, such that 𝑄(𝑥) ≠ 0

Equation #2: Rational Function

The following are some examples of rational functions:

Examples of Rational Functions:
x3
1. f(x) = 3x−3
2x2
2. f(x) = x2 +2x
x2 +3
3. g(x) = x3 +5x+4
x2 +2x+1
4. h(x) = x4 +1

Domain and Range of Rational Functions

Domain: The domain of a rational function are all real numbers x, except those whose values will gain
zero as the denominator. To find the domain of a rational function, just get the zero/es of the
denominator of the rational function. Domain is denoted by the letter 𝐷.

Range: The range of a function is the complete set of all possible resulting values of the dependent
variable (y, usually), after we have substituted the domain. To find the range of the rational function,
solve for the value of x in terms of y. Range is denoted by the letter 𝑅.

Example: Find the domain and range of the following rational functions:
1
1. f(x) = x−1 Answer: D: {𝐱|𝐱 ≠ 𝟏} R: {𝐲|𝐲 ≠ 𝟎}

Solution:

For the domain: Find the zero/es of the denominator by equating the denominator
to 0.

x−1=0
x=1
Therefore, if x = 1, the rational function will become:
1
f(x) = 1−1
 1
f(x) = , thus the function will become undefined because the denominator is equal
0
to 0.

So to write the domain, we say, the domain will be the set of all 𝒙 such that 𝐱 ≠ 𝟏.
In symbols, D: {𝐱|𝐱 ≠ 𝟏}

To arrive with the set builder notation, start with the place holder which is 𝑥 for the
domain, followed by the condition in the solution which is 𝑥 must not be equal to 1
or 𝑥 ≠ 1. Thus, the set builder notation for the domain is, 𝑫: {𝒙|𝒙 ≠ 𝟏}

For the range: Solve for x in terms of y. Remember that 𝒚 is the dependent
variable and 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒚

1
𝑓(𝑥) =
𝑥−1
1 to solve for x here, you may do cross
y=
x−1 multiplication
y(x − 1) = 1 simplify by following distributive property
of multiplication at the right-hand part of
the equation
xy − y = 1 transpose y to the right side of the
equation since we are solving for the value
of x
xy = 1 + y solve for the value of x
1+y This is the resulting equation.
x=
y
Now, what value of y will make the rational function undefined?

That is only 𝑦 = 0

Therefore, the range is the set of all 𝑦 such that y ≠ 0. In symbols, 𝑹: {𝒚|𝒚 ≠ 𝟎}

To arrive with the set builder notation, start with the place holder which is 𝑦 for the
range, followed by the condition in the solution which is 𝑦 must not be equal to 0 or
𝑦 ≠ 0. Thus, the set builder notation for the domain is, 𝑹: {𝒚|𝒚 ≠ 𝟎}

Intercepts of Rational Functions

y- intercept: The y − intercept of the graph of a rational function r(x), if it exists, occurs at r(0),
provided that r(x) is defined at x = 0. To find the y − intercept of a rational function, if it exists, let x =
0
x- intercept: The x − intercept of the graph of a rational function r(x), if it exists, occurs at the zeroes
of the numerator that are not zeroes of the denominators.

Example:
(x+1)(x−3)(x+2)
1. r(x) = (x−1)(x+3)
Answer: y − intercept: (0,2) x−
intercepts: (−1,0), (3,0), (−2,0)

Solution:

To find the 𝐲 − 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭: Let 𝐱 = 𝟎.

(x + 1)(x − 3)(x + 2)
r(x) =
(x − 1)(x + 3)
(0 + 1)(0 − 3)(0 + 2) Substitute the variable by its value, which is 𝑥 =
r(0) =
(0 − 1)(0 + 3) 0
(1)(−3)(2) Simplify the equation.
r(0) =
(−1)(3)
−6 This is the resulting equation. Simplify.
r(0) =
−3
r(0) = 2 This is the final answer.

𝐈𝐟 𝐱 = 𝟎, 𝐲 will be equal to 𝟐. Therefore, 𝐲 − 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭 is at point (𝟎, 𝟐)

 To find the x- intercept, if it exists, find the zeroes of the numerator which are not zeroes of the
denominator.
(x + 1)(x − 3)(x + 2)
r(x) =
(x − 1)(x + 3)

Zeroes of the Numerator: Zeroes of the Denominator:

𝑥 + 1 = 0; 𝑥 = −1 𝑥 − 1 = 0; 𝑥 = 1
𝑥 − 3 = 0; 𝑥 = 3 𝑥 + 3 = 0; 𝑥 = −3
𝑥 + 2 = 0; 𝑥 = −2

What are the zeroes of the numerator that are not zeroes of the denominator?

Answer: x = −1, x = 3, and x = −2

Therefore, the 𝐱 − 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐩𝐭𝐬 of the rational function are (−𝟏, 𝟎), (𝟑, 𝟎), 𝐚𝐧𝐝 (−𝟐, 𝟎)

For item number 2, try to answer on your notebook.

𝑥 2 +3𝑥−4 1
2. 𝑟(𝑥) = 𝑦 − 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡: (0, ) 𝑥 − 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑝𝑡: (1,0)
𝑥 2 −16 4

Zeros of Rational Function

p(x)
The zeros of rational function r(x) = can be determined by solving p(x) = 0.
q(x)

3𝑥+3
1. 𝑓(𝑥) = 2
Answer: zero of 𝑓(𝑥) is −1

3𝑥 + 3
𝑓(𝑥) =
2
3𝑥 + 3 Let 𝑓(𝑥) = 0
0=
2
3𝑥 + 3 Cross multiply.
0=
2
0 = 3𝑥 + 3 Find the value of 𝑥.

−3 = 3𝑥 Divide both sides by 3 to come up with the value

of 𝑥
𝑥 = −1 The zero of 𝑓(𝑥) is −1

2𝑥 2 −8
2. 𝑔(𝑥) = Answer: zeros of 𝑔(𝑥) is 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 − 2
𝑥+4

2𝑥 2 −8
𝑔(𝑥) = 𝑥+4
2 Let 𝑔(𝑥) = 0
2𝑥 − 8
0=
𝑥+4
2𝑥 2 − 8 Cross multiply.
0=
𝑥+4
0 = 2𝑥 2 − 8 Find the value of 𝑥.

8 = 2𝑥 2 Divide both sides by 2 to come up with the value

of 𝑥
𝑥2 = 4 Take the square root of both sides of the
equation.
𝑥 = ±2 The zeros of 𝑔(𝑥) is 2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 − 2

Try to answer item number 3 on your notebook.

2x3 −16
3. h(x) = x+5
Answer: zero of 𝒉(𝒙) is 2
Vertical Asymptotes
An asymptote is an imaginary line to which a graph gets closer and closer as it increases or decreases its
value without limit. This imaginary line will never touch the graph of the function.
To determine the vertical asymptote of a rational function 𝐫(𝐱):
Find the zeros of the denominator that are not zeros of the numerator.
Example:
(x+1)((x−5)(x−2)
1. f(x) = (x−1)(x+2)
x = 1 and x = −2

Zeroes of the Numerator: Zeroes of the Denominator:

𝑥 + 1 = 0; 𝑥 = −1 𝑥 − 1 = 0; 𝑥 = 1

𝑥 − 5 = 0; 𝑥 = 5 𝑥 + 2 = 0; 𝑥 = −2

𝑥 − 2 = 0; 𝑥 = 2

What are the zeros of the denominator that are not zeros of the numerator?
(x+1)((x−5)(x−2)
Answer: x = 1 and x = −2 It means that the function f(x) = (x−1)(x+2)
, will never touch
the vertical asymptote x = 1 and x = −2
Try to find the vertical asymptote of this function, on your notebook.
x2 +5x+6
2. g(x) = Answer: 𝐱 = 𝟒 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐱 = −𝟐
x2 −2x−8

Horizontal Asymptotes
To determine the horizontal asymptote of a rational function you need to compare the degree of the
numerator 𝑛 and the degree of the denominator d.
i. If n < d, the horizontal asymptote is y = 0.

ii. If n = d, the horizontal asymptote y is the ratio of the leading coefficient of the numerator a to
a
the leading coefficient of the denominator ad . That is y = an .
d

iii. If n > d, there is no horizontal asymptote.

Examples:
𝑥
1. 𝑓(𝑥) = 9𝑥 2−3 The horizontal asymptote is 𝑦 = 0 since the
degree of the numerator is less than the
degree of the denominator.
8−2𝑥 2
2. 𝑔(𝑥) = 5𝑥+1 The horizontal asymptote is 𝑦 = − 5 since
the degree of the numerator is equal to the
degree of the denominator. The horizontal
asymptote is the ratio between the literal
coefficient of the numerator and the
denominator.
2𝑥 3 +2 There is no horizontal asymptote, since the
3. ℎ(𝑥) = 𝑥+5 degree of the numerator is greater than the
degree of the denominator.
Graphs of Rational Functions
𝟏
Consider the function: 𝒇(𝒙) = . Let us try to construct a table of values for this function.
𝒙

x -4 -2 -1 -0.1 -0.01 0.01 0.1 1 2 4

f(x) 𝟏 𝟏 -1 -10 -100 100 10 1 𝟏 𝟏
− −
𝟒 𝟐 𝟐 𝟒

𝟏
Properties of the graph of 𝐟(𝐱) = : no intercepts; vertical asymptote at 𝐱 = 𝟎; horizontal
𝐱
asymptote at 𝐲 = 𝟎; domain: (−∞, 𝟎) ∪ (𝟎, ∞); range: (−∞, 𝟎) ∪ (𝟎, ∞)

How to graph rational functions?

1. Find the intercepts, if there are any.
2. Find the vertical and horizontal asymptotes.
3. The vertical asymptotes will divide the number line into regions. In each region graph at least
one point in each region. This point will tell us whether the graph will be above or below the
horizontal asymptote and if we need to, we should get several points to determine the general
shape of the graph.
4. Sketch the graph.

Example:
3x+3
Consider the function y = x+3
Step 1: Find the intercepts:
y- intercept: (𝟎, 𝟏)
x- intercept: (−𝟏, 𝟎)
Step 2: Find the asymptotes:
Vertical asymptote: 𝐱 = −𝟑
horizontal asymptote: 𝐲 = 𝟑
Steps 3 and 4:
Word Problem:

During the first 30 miles of city driving, you average 40 miles per hour. For the remainder of the trip,
you drive on a highway at a constant rate of 70 miles per hour. Your average speed for the entire
30+𝑥
trip is given by: 𝑟(𝑥) = 3 1
+ 𝑥
4 70

Where x is the number of miles you have driven on the highway.

a. How far will you need to drive on the highway to bring your average speed up to 60 miles
per hour?

b. Determine the horizontal asymptote of the graph of 𝑟, and write a sentence that
explains the meaning of the horizontal asymptote in the concept of this application.

a. Solution:

For problem a, we are asked to find the number of miles that we need to drive to bring the
average speed up to 60 miles per hour. To solve for the average speed for the entire trip,
30+𝑥
we are given with the function: 𝑟(𝑥) = 3 1 , therefore 𝑟(𝑥)= the average speed for the
+ 𝑥
4 70
entire trip and 𝑥 =to the number of miles drove. The average speed is given in the
problem, which is 60mph, but the number of miles drove to bring the average speed to
60mph is not given, therefore we are computing for the value of 𝑥.

Therefore we have,
30 + 𝑥 This is the working equation. First
60 =
3 1 thing to do is to cross multiply.
4 + 70 𝑥
60𝑥 This is the resulting equation.
45 + = 30 + 𝑥
70

60𝑥 Simplify the equation by multiplying

(70) [45 + ] = [30 + 𝑥](70)
70 both sides of the equation by 70.

3150 + 60𝑥 = 2100 + 70𝑥 This will be your resulting equation.

After this, you need to combine like
terms.
3150 − 2100 = 70𝑥 − 60𝑥 This will be your resulting equation.
Perform the indicated operation.
 1050 = 10𝑥 This will be your resulting equation.
Simplify by dividing both sides of the
equation by 10.
𝑥 = 105 𝑚𝑖𝑙𝑒𝑠 105 is the number of miles that we
need to drive to bring the average
speed up to 60 miles per hour

30+𝑥
b. To find the horizontal asymptote, we will consider the function 𝑟(𝑥) = 3 1 . Since
+ 𝑥
4 70
the numerator and the denominator have the same degrees, therefore we need to get
the ratio between the literal coefficients of the numerator and the denominator. In this
1
case we have 𝑦 = 1 or 𝑦 = 70. If the horizontal asymptote is 70, meaning the average
70
speed will not be over than 70 mph.