Graphs for Rational Functions

1. Find all intercepts and vertical and horizontal asymptotes of the following rational functions
and sketch their graphs.
1
3x 2
a.
h.
y
y 3
x 3
x 9x
b.

1
( x 4) 2

i.

( x 3)( x 4)
( x 2)( x 1)2

c.

x
( x 2)

j.

(2 x 1) 2 ( x 2)
( x 3)( x 1)( x 5)

d.

( x 2)
( x 3)2

k.

( x 3) 2 (2 x 1)
( x 2 1)( x 2 1)

e.

(2 x)
( x 5)

l.

1
x 3

m.

x3
y 2
x 1

f.

x2 1
( x 2 4)

g.

x4
x 2x 3
2

a. intercept 0,
3

vertical asymptote: x = 3
horizontal asymptote: y = 0
y

1
intercept 0,
16
vertical asymptote: x = 4
horizontal asymptote: y = 0

b.

1
x 3

1
( x 4)2

(0, 1/16)
(0, -1/3)

x=3
x=4

-1-

Sample Graphs for Polynomials & Rational FunctionsExplanation

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c. intercept (0, 0)

2
intercept 0, (2, 0)
9
vertical asymptote: x = 3
horizontal asymptote: y = 0

d.

vertical asymptote: x = 2
horizontal asymptote: y = 1
y

x
( x 2)
y=2

( x 2)
( x 3)2

(0, 2/9)
(0, 0)

(-2, 0)
x=3

x=2

e. intercept (0, 0)

1
intercept 0, (1, 0)(1, 0)
4
vertical asymptotes: x = 2, x = 2
horizontal asymptote: y = 1

f.

vertical asymptote: x = 5
horizontal asymptote: y = 2
y

(2 x)
( x 5)

x2 1
( x 2 4)

y=2

y=1

(0, 1/4)
-1

(0, 0)
x=5

x=2

4
g. intercept 0, (4, 0)
3
vertical asymptotes: x = 1, x = 3
horizontal asymptote: y = 0

x4
x2 2 x 3

x=2

2
h. intercept , 0
3
vertical asymptotes: x = 3, x = 0, x = 3
horizontal asymptote: y = 0
y

3x 2
x3 9 x

x=3

(0, 4/3)

(2/3, 0)
(4, 0)

x=3

x = 1

x=3

Sample Graphs for Polynomials & Rational FunctionsExplanation

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 2 1
j. intercepts: 0, , , 0 (2, 0)
15 2
vertical asymptotes: x = 5, x = 1, x = 3
horizontal asymptote: y = 4

i. intercepts: (0, 6) (4, 0) (3, 0)

vertical asymptotes: x = 1, x = 2
horizontal asymptote: y = 0
( x 3)( x 4)
y
( x 2)( x 1)2
x=2

(2 x 1) 2 ( x 2)
( x 3)( x 1)( x 5)

x=1
(0, 2/15)
(1/2, 0)(2,

(3, 0)

(4, 0)

x=5

x=3

x = 1

k. intercepts: (0, 9) (3, 0)

vertical asymptotes: x = 1, x = 1
horizontal asymptote: y = 0

l.

( x 3) 2 (2 x 1)
( x 2 1)( x 2 1)

0)

intercepts: (0, 1/3)

vertical asymptote: none
horizontal asymptote: y = 0

1
x2 3

x = 1
(0, 1/3)

(3, 0)

x=1

(0, 9)

m.

intercept: (0, 0)
vertical asymptotes: x = 1, x = 1
horizontal asymptote: none exist

x3
x2 1
(0, 0)
x = 1

x=1

Sample Graphs for Polynomials & Rational FunctionsExplanation

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607