2.6 Rational Functions Asymptotes Tutorial

ASYMPTOTES TUTORIAL
Horizontal
Vertical
Slant
and Holes
Definition of an asymptote
 An asymptote is a straight line which acts as a
boundary for the graph of a function.
 When a function has an asymptote (and not all
functions have them) the function gets closer
and closer to the asymptote as the input value to
the function approaches either a specific value a
or positive or negative infinity.
 The functions most likely to have asymptotes are
rational functions
Vertical Asymptotes
Vertical asymptotes occur when the
following condition is met:
The denominator of the simplified
rational function is equal to 0.
Remember, the simplified rational
function has cancelled any factors
common to both the numerator and
denominator.
Finding Vertical Asymptotes
Example 1
2  5x
Given the function f x  
2  2x
The first step is to cancel
any factors common to
both numerator and
denominator. In this case
there are none. 2  2x  0
The second step is to see 21  x   0
where the denominator of
the simplified function 1 x  0
equals 0. x  1
Example 1 Con’t.
The vertical line x = -1 is the only vertical
asymptote for the function. As the input
value x to this function gets closer and
closer to -1 the function itself looks and
acts more and more like the vertical line
x = -1.
Graph of Example 1
The vertical dotted

line at x = –1 is the
vertical asymptote.
Example 2
2 x 2  10 x  12
If f x  
x2  9
First simplify the 2 x  10 x  12 x  32 x  4
2

function. Factor
x 9
2
x  3x  3
both numerator
2x  4
and denominator 
and cancel any x 3
common factors.
Example 2 Con’t.
The asymptote(s) occur where the x 3  0
simplified denominator equals 0.
The vertical line x=3 is the only vertical x3
asymptote for this function.
As the input value x to this function
gets closer and closer to 3 the function
itself looks more and more like the
vertical line x=3.
Graph of Example 2
The vertical dotted line at

x = 3 is the vertical
asymptote
Example 3
x5
If g x   2
x  x6
Factor both the
x 5 x 5
numerator and 
denominator and cancel x  x  6 x  2x  3
2
any common factors.

In this case there are no
common factors to
cancel.
Example 3 Con’t.
The denominator equals zero whenever
either
x20
x  2
or x 3  0
x3
This function has two vertical asymptotes,
one at x = -2 and the other at x = 3
Graph of Example 3
The two vertical

dotted lines at
x = -2 and x = 3 are
the vertical
asymptotes
Horizontal Asymptotes
Horizontal asymptotes occur when either one of the following
conditions is met (you should notice that both conditions cannot
be true for the same function).
The degree of the numerator is less than the degree of the
denominator. In this case the asymptote is the horizontal line
y = 0.
The degree of the numerator is equal to the degree of the
denominator. In this case the asymptote is the horizontal line
y = a/b where a is the leading coefficient in the numerator and
b is the leading coefficient in the denominator.
When the degree of the numerator is greater than the degree of

the denominator there is no horizontal asymptote
Finding Horizontal Asymptotes
Example 4
x 2  3x  5
f x   3
If
x  27
then there is a horizontal asymptote at the line y=0
because the degree of the numerator (2) is less
than the degree of the denominator (3). This
means that as x gets larger and larger in both the
positive and negative directions (x → ∞ and x → -∞)
the function itself looks more and more like the
horizontal line y = 0
Graph of Example 4
The horizontal line

y = 0 is the
horizontal
asymptote.
Example 5
6 x  3x  5
2
If g x   2
5x  7 x  9
then because the degree of the numerator (2) is
equal to the degree of the denominator (2)
there is a horizontal asymptote at the line
y=6/5. Note, 6 is the leading coefficient of the
numerator and 5 is the leading coefficient of the
denominator. As x→∞ and as x→-∞ g(x) looks
more and more like the line y=6/5
Graph of Example 5
The horizontal dotted

line at y = 6/5 is the
horizontal asymptote.
Example 6
 2 x3  5x  9
If f x  
x2 1
There are no horizontal asymptotes because

the degree of the numerator is greater than the
degree of the denominator.
Graph of Example 6
Slant Asymptotes
Slant asymptotes occur when the degree

of the numerator is exactly one bigger than
the degree of the denominator. In this
case a slanted line (not horizontal and not
vertical) is the function’s asymptote.
To find the equation of the asymptote we
need to use long division – dividing the
numerator by the denominator.
Finding a Slant Asymptote
Example 7
x3  2 x 2  5x  9
 If f x  
x2  x 1
 There will be a slant asymptote because the

degree of the numerator (3) is one bigger than
the degree of the denominator (2).
 Using long division, divide the numerator by the
denominator.
Example 7 Con’t.
x3
x 2  x  1 x3  2 x 2  5x  9

 x3  x 2  x 
3x 2  4 x  9

 3x 2  3x  3 
7 x 12
Example 7 Con’t.
We can ignore the remainder 7 x 12
The answer we are looking for is the quotient x  3
and the equation of the slant asymptote is y  x  3
Graph of Example 7
The slanted line

y = x + 3 is the slant
asymptote
Holes
 Holes occur in the graph of a rational function
whenever the numerator and denominator have
common factors. The holes occur at the x value(s)
that make the common factors equal to 0.
 The hole is known as a removable singularity or a
removable discontinuity.
 When you graph the function on your calculator you
won’t be able to see the hole but the function is still
discontinuous (has a break or jump).
Finding a Hole
Example 8
Remember the 6 x 2  10 x  12 x  32 x  4
f x   
function x 9
2
x  3x  3
We were able to cancel the (x + 3) in the

numerator and denominator before finding the
vertical asymptote.
Because (x + 3) is a common factor there will be
a hole at the point where x3 0
x  3
Graph of Example 8
Notice there is a hole in

the graph at the point
where x = -3. You
would not be able to
see this hole if you
graphed the curve on
your calculator (but it’s
there just the same.)
Finding a Hole
Example 9 3
x 8
 If
f  x  
x2  4
 Factor both numerator and denominator to see if
there are any common factors.
x 3  8 x  2x 2  2 x  4
f x   2 
x 4 x  2x  2
 Because there is a common factor of x - 2 there
will be a hole at x = 2. This means the function
is undefined at x = 2. For every other x value the
function looks like x 2  2 x  4
x  2
Graph of Example 9
There is a hole in the

curve at the point
where x = 2. This
curve also has a
vertical asymptote at
x = -2 and a slant
asymptote y = x.
Problems
Find the vertical asymptotes, horizontal asymptotes, slant

asymptotes and holes for each of the following functions.
(Click mouse to see answers.)
x 2  2 x  15
f  x  2 Vertical: x = -2
x  7 x  10 Horizontal : y=1
Slant: none
Hole: at x = - 5
Vertical: x=3
2 x  5x  7
2
g  x  Horizontal : none
x 3 Slant: y = 2x +11
Hole: none

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ASYMPTOTES TUTORIAL

The vertical dotted

The vertical dotted line at

any common factors.

The two vertical

When the degree of the numerator is greater than the degree of

The horizontal line

The horizontal dotted

There are no horizontal asymptotes because

Slant asymptotes occur when the degree

 There will be a slant asymptote because the

The slanted line

We were able to cancel the (x + 3) in the

Notice there is a hole in

There is a hole in the

Find the vertical asymptotes, horizontal asymptotes, slant

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