Sketching the Graph of Rational

Fractions
– Guidelines:

– Find and plot y-intercept, f(0)=?

– Find the zeros of the numerator, then plot on x-axis. (y-
intercept) solve f(x)=0
– Find the zeros of the denominator, then plot vertical
asymptotes.
– Find and sketch the horizontal asymptotes.
– Plot at least one point between and beyond each x-
intercept and vertical asymptotes.
 an x n  ....  a0
Let f  x   m
bm x  ....  b0

So we have:
 if degree of D < degree of N → y=0 is horizontal Asymptote
 if degree of D = degree of N → y=a_n/b_n is horizontal Asymptote
 if degree of D = degree of N +1 → y=quotient is oblique Asymptote
 if degree of D > degree of N +1 → no Asymptotes
 2  5x
f  x 
2  2x
 2 x 2  10 x  12
f  x 
x2  9
 6 x 2  3x  5
g  x  2
5x  7 x  9
 Problems
Find the vertical asymptotes, horizontal asymptotes,
Oblique asymptotes and holes for each of the following
functions.
x 2  2 x  15
f  x  2 Vertical: x = -2
x  7 x  10 Horizontal : y = 1
Oblique: none
Hole: at x = - 5

Vertical: x=3
2 x  5x  7
2
g  x  Horizontal : none
x3 Oblique: y = 2x +11
Hole: none