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    Asymptote IB Maths HL

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    scarlet
    this is a document of IB maths HL. For finding asymptotes in graphs. It also included some exercises for students to do to show more understanding.

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    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

    Asymptote IB Maths HL

    Uploaded by

    scarlet
    2K views2 pages
    this is a document of IB maths HL. For finding asymptotes in graphs. It also included some exercises for students to do to show more understanding.

    Copyright

    © © All Rights Reserved

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    PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd

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    this is a document of IB maths HL. For finding asymptotes in graphs. It also included some exercises for students to do to show more understanding.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    2K views2 pages

    Asymptote IB Maths HL

    Uploaded by

    scarlet
    this is a document of IB maths HL. For finding asymptotes in graphs. It also included some exercises for students to do to show more understanding.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 2

    Vertical and Horizontal Asymptotes

    (This handout is specific to rational functions P( x) where P ( x) and Q( x) are polynomial functions.)
    Q( x)

    What is an asymptote? An asymptote is a line that the graph of a function approaches.


    IMPORTANT: The graph of a function may cross a horizontal asymptote any number of times, but the
    graph continues to approach the asymptote as the input increases and/or decreases without bound.
    IMPORTANT NOTE ON HOLES: In order to find asymptotes, functions must FIRST be
    reduced. Factor both the numerator and denominator to see if they have any factors in
    common that can be cancelled out. Any factor that cancels produces a hole in the
    graph. A hole exists at a value of x if that value makes both the numerator and
    denominator equal to zero (0).
    x2
    x 4

    Example: f ( x) =
    2

    The graphs of f ( x) =

    x2
    1
    This means that the graph of f ( x) has a hole when x = 2

    ( x 2)( x + 2)
    x+2

    1
    x2
    and y =
    are exactly the same except for the hole when x = 2 on the
    2
    x+2
    x 4

    first graph. Graphing calculators will not show the hole in the first graph, but the table will show an
    error when x = 2 .

    Vertical Asymptotes: These vertical lines are written in the form: x = k , where k is a constant.
    Once a rational function is reduced, vertical asymptotes may be found by setting the denominator
    equal to zero (0) and solving for the input variable.
    2x +1
    3x 6
    denominator = 0 3x 6 = 0 3x = 6 x = 2

    f ( x)

    Example: f ( x) =

    Function approaching
    the line x = 2

    The graph of f ( x) has a the vertical asymptote x = 2


    Vertical Asymptote
    x=2

    1
    Example: g ( x) = 2
    x 4
    denominator = 0 x 2 4 = 0 x 2 = 4 x = 2

    g ( x)

    The graph of g ( x) has the


    vertical asymptotes x = 2 and x = 2

    Chandler-Gilbert Community College

    Function approaching
    the line x = 2

    Vertical Asymptotes
    x=
    2 & x =
    2

    Horizontal Asymptotes: These horizontal lines are written in the form: y = k , where k is a constant.
    Because functions approach horizontal asymptotes for very large positive or negative input values,
    ONLY the terms with the highest degree (largest exponent) in both the numerator and denominator
    need to be considered when finding the horizontal asymptote. The resulting ratio (fraction) should
    then be reduced by cancelling common factors.
    Case
    Case 1: If the result has no
    variables in the denominator,
    the function has no
    horizontal asymptote.
    Case 2: If the result is
    a number, the
    horizontal asymptote is

    y = that number.
    Case 3: If the result has no
    variables in the numerator,
    the horizontal asymptote is

    y = 0.

    Example
    a( x) =

    Graph

    x2 + 1
    x 3

    a( x)

    x2 + 1
    x2 x
    )
    a( x=
    =
    2x 6
    2x 2

    No Horizontal

    No horizontal asymptote

    Asymptote

    b( x ) =

    1 6x
    3x + 7

    b( x )

    Function approaching
    the line y = 2

    1 6x
    6 x

    =
    2 y =
    2
    3x + 9
    3x
    Horizontal Asymptote
    y = 2

    The horizontal asymptote is y = 2


    1 + 2 x2
    3x3 4
    1 + 2 x2
    2 x2
    2
    c( x) =

    =
    y= 0
    3
    3
    3x 4
    3x
    3x
    c( x) =

    The horizontal asymptote is y = 0

    c( x)

    Function approaching
    the line y = 0

    Horizontal Asymptote
    y=0

    Final Note:
    There are other types of functions that have vertical and horizontal asymptotes not discussed in this
    handout.
    There are other types of straight-line asymptotes called oblique or slant asymptotes.
    There are other asymptotes that are not straight lines.
    Example graphs of other functions with asymptotes:

    Chandler-Gilbert Community College

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