WCLN PCMath 12 - Rev.

2019

Name: _______________________________
UNIT 2 - LEARNING GUIDE: GRAPHING RATIONALS
Instructions:
Using a pencil, complete the following questions as you work through the related lessons. Show
ALL work as is explained in the lessons. Do your best and ask your instructor if you do not
understand any questions!
Lesson 1 - Graphing Rational Functions
a
1. Given the rational function: y = x−h
+k

a) Determine the equation of the horizontal asymptote.

b) Determine the equation of the vertical asymptote.

c) Describe the possible effects‘a’ can have on the graph?

2. For each of the following graphs, explicitly state the equations of both asymptotes. Use the
a
asymptotes to write the full equation in the form: y = x−h + k. Show your work for finding a
a) b)

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c) d)

e) f)

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Lesson 2 - Analyzing Rational Functions

1. Sketch the graph of each of the following rational functions. Explicitly state the values asked
for below and show how you determined those values.

a) the equations of any horizontal asymptotes

b) the equations of any vertical asymptotes
c) any non-permissible values as a coordinate (other than asymptotes)
d) any x-intercepts
e) any y-intercepts
f) the domain
g) the range

1
i. y = x−3 + 2

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3x
ii. y = x+4

−2x
iii. y = x−4−1

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x2 +3x
iv. y = x2 −4

x2 −4
v. y = x2 −5x+6

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2x2 −5x−3
vi. y = x2 −4x+3

2. Write the equation of a possible rational function given the following information. Begin with
a factored equation and expand for your final answer.

a) Vertical asymptotes x = −1, 2 and x–intercepts at x = −3 and x = 4

9
b) Vertical asymptote x = 2, discontinuous point (−2, − 4), x–intercept at x = −5 and
horizontal asymptote at y = 3.

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Lesson 3 – Equations and Graphs of Rational Functions

1. Solve algebraically for x in each rational equation. Show your work and give exact answers.

5 1 2x x −36
a) = b) − =
(x−3)2 5 x+4 x−4 x2 −16

x+2 x−2 1 2 x2 −2x

c) = − d) + x = −1 +
2x x x+4 3x−5 5−3x

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 WCLN PCMath 12 - Rev. 2019

2. Lenny Leonardson can paddle in still water at a speed of 4 km/h. He paddles 8 km upstream
against the current and then paddles 8 km back downstream with the current. The total trip takes
5 h. What is the speed of the current? You may find it helpful to fill in the chart. Give your
answer to two decimal places.
distance distance
speed = time = distance = speed × time
time speed

Against Current With Current Total

Speed
Time
Distance

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3. A car can travel 450 km in the same time it takes a train to travel 350 km. The car’s average
speed is 20 km/h faster than the average speed of the train. What is the average speed of the car?
You may find it helpful to fill in the chart. Give your answer to two decimal places.

distance distance
speed = time = distance = speed × time
time speed

Car Train
Speed
Time
Distance

The Next Three Lessons are Optional. Check with your teacher before doing.

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Lesson 4 – Transformations of Radical Functions

1. Determine the domain and range of the following functions.
a) D: R:
b) D: R:
c) D: R:
d) D: R:
e) D: R:
f) D: R:
g) D: R:
h) D: R:

2. Identify the transformations that have been applied to

a)
b)
c)

d)
3. Sketch the graphs of the following radical functions.
a) b)

c) d)

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4. For each of the following graphs determine the equation in the form
a) b)

c) d)

e) f)

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5. Determine the equation of the radical function that has a starting point (2,3) and passes
through the point (-2,1).

6. Determine the equation of the radical function that has a starting point (-3,1) and passes
through the point (-2,-2).

7. Determine the equation of the radical function that has a starting point (5,-1) and passes
through the point (-4,3)

8. Given that the function is translated down 7 units and left 2 units, then
reflected in the x-axis, determine its new equation as well as the domain and range.

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Lesson 5 – The Square Root Function

1. Describe where invariant points could be located if the square root of a function is taken.

_______________________________________________________________________

2. Describe which parts in the domain of the linear function y = 2x + 6 will not be defined
after taking the square root of the function

________________________________________________________________________

3. For what range of y-values does the graph of the square root of a function 𝑦𝑦 = �𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥)
map to above the original function y = f(x)?
________________________________________________________________________

4. For what range of y-values does the graph of the square root of a function 𝑦𝑦 = �𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥)
map to below the original function y = f(x)?
________________________________________________________________________
5. Determine the range of 𝑦𝑦 = �𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) if the range of the function y = f(x) is given below.

a) 0 ≤ y ≤ 25 b) 4 ≤ y ≤ 9 c) −16 ≤ y ≤ 36
_____________ _____________ _____________

6. For each of the following dotted graphs of y = f(x), graph 𝑦𝑦 = �𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) on the same grid.
Clearly indicate any invariant points.
a) b)

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c) d)

e) f)

7. For each of the following points on y = f(x) does a corresponding point exist on the graph
of 𝑦𝑦 = �𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) ?

If yes, state the coordinates of that corresponding point. If not, explain why it would not
exist.
a) (0,4) _______________________________________________

b) (1,-9) _______________________________________________

c) (1/2,49) _______________________________________________

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d) (-4,5) _______________________________________________
Lesson 6 – Solving Radical Equations

1. Solve each of the following radical equations algebraically for the exact values of their roots.

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2. A company that produces parachutes uses a formula to determine the

descent velocity v (m/s) of an object having a mass m (kg), where r (m) represents the
radius of the parachute.
a) What is the velocity of an object with mass of 80kg if the parachute has radius of 7m?

b) A safe descent velocity is no more than 2m/s, if a parachute had radius 9m, what is the
maximum mass of the object being dropped?

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SOLUTIONS
Lesson 1 - Functions and Their Graphs, Domain and Range
1. a) y = k b) x = h c) the a can cause an exp/comp of y as well as a reflection in the x-axis
1 1 1 1 2 4
2. a) y = − b) y = c) y = − +1 d) y = +4 e) y = −3 f) y = +2
x x+2 x−1 x+2 x+1 x−3

Lesson 2 – Analyzing Rational Functions

1. i. a) y = 2 b) x = 3 c) None d) x = 2.5 e) y = 1.66 f) x ≠ 3 g) y ≠ 2
ii. a) y = 3 b) x = −4 c) None d) x = 0 e) y = 0 f) x ≠ −4 g) y ≠ 3
iii. a) y = −3 b) x = 4 c) None d) x = 1.33 e) y = −1 f) x ≠ 4 g) y ≠ −3
iv. a) y = 1 b) x = 2, −2 c) None d) x = 0, −3 e) y = 0 f) x ≠ 2, −2 g) y ≠ 0
v. a) y = 1 b) x = 3, 2 c) (2, −4) d) x = −2 e) y = −0.66 f) x ≠ 2, 3 g) y ≠ 1, −4
vi. a) y = 2 b) x = 1 c) (3, 3.5) d) x = −0.5 e) y = −1 f) x ≠ 1, 3 g) y ≠ 2, 3.5

i. ii. iii.

iv. v. vi.

x2 −x−12 3x2 +21x−30

2. a) y = b) y =
x2 −x−2 x2 −4

Lesson 3 – Equations and Graphs of Rational Functions

1. a) x = −2, 8 b) x = 6 c) x = 2 ± 2√7 d) x = -1/2, 3/2
2. The speed of the current is 1.79 km/hr
3. The average speed of the car is 90 km/h

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Lesson 6 – Solving Radical Equations

1. a) x = 8 b) x = 52 c) x = −7 d) x = 6 e) x = 7 f) x = 2, 3
g) no solution h) x = 2 i) x = 1, 5 j)
2. a) 2.30m/s b) 100kg

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