Asymptotes

Preuniversity Calculus

Asymptote

A line that a curve approaches, as it heads towards infinity:

Types

There are three types: horizontal, vertical and oblique:

Vertical Asymptotes

It is a Vertical Asymptote when:

as x approaches some constant value c (from the left or right) then the curve
goes towards infinity (or −infinity).

The lim 𝑓 (𝑥 ) ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑏𝑒 ∞, where c is a number(constant) which is not in the

→
domain of the function for x = c to be the vertical asymptote

For 𝐷 = (1, ∞) we might have a vertical asymptote in 1

For 𝐷 = (−∞, 3) ∪ [6, ∞) we might have a vertical asymptote in 3, but not in 6

For 𝐷 = 𝑅, 𝑜𝑟 𝐷 = [4, 6], 𝑜𝑟 𝐷 = (−∞, 3] we can’t have vertical asymptotes

x = c is the equation of the vertical asymptote in c, only

if 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = ∞
𝒙→𝒄
 Asymptotes
Preuniversity Calculus

Vertical asymptotes are vertical lines which correspond to the zeroes of the denominator of a rational function.
(They can also arise in other contexts, such as logarithms, but you'll almost certainly first encounter asymptotes in
the context of rationals.)

Let's consider the following equation:

This is a rational function. More to the point, this is a fraction. Can you have a zero in the denominator of a
fraction? No. So if I set the denominator of the above fraction equal to zero and solve, this will tell me the values
that x cannot be:

x2 – 5x – 6 = 0 (x – 6)(x + 1) = 0 x = 6 or –1
So x cannot be 6 or –1, because then I'd be dividing by zero.

Now look at the graph:

HOMEWORK: Find the domain and vertical asymptotes(s), if any, of the following functions:

Horizontal Asymptotes

It is a Horizontal Asymptote when:

as x goes to infinity (or −infinity) the curve approaches some constant value b

If 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒃 then y = b is the horizontal asymptote

𝒙→
towards +∞

If 𝐥𝐢𝐦 𝒇(𝒙) = 𝒅 then y = d is the horizontal asymptote

𝒙→
towards -∞
 Asymptotes
Preuniversity Calculus

Whereas vertical asymptotes are sacred ground, horizontal asymptotes are just useful suggestions. Whereas you
can never touch a vertical asymptote, you can (and often do) touch and even cross horizontal asymptotes.
Whereas vertical asymptotes indicate very specific behavior (on the graph), usually close to the origin, horizontal
asymptotes indicate general behavior far off to the sides of the graph.

Oblique Asymptotes

It is an Oblique Asymptote when:

as x goes to infinity (or −infinity) then the curve goes towards a line y=mx+n

( )
𝑚 = lim , 𝑛 = lim (𝑓 (𝑥) − 𝑚𝑥)
→ →

y = mx + n is the oblique asymptote towards +∞ or - ∞

(note: m is not zero as that is a Horizontal Asymptote).

Example: (x2 - 3x) / (2x - 2)

The graph of (x2-3x)/(2x-2) has:

 A vertical asymptote at x=1

 An oblique asymptote: y=x/2-1

A FUNCTION CANNOT HAVE SIMULTANOUSLY TOWARDS THE SAME INFINITY, BOTH AN

HORIZONTAL ASYMPTOTE AND AN OBLIQUE ASYMPOTOTE !!!

CHECK THE QUIZ BELOW!!!

 Asymptotes
Preuniversity Calculus
 Asymptotes
Preuniversity Calculus