General Mathematics

Rational Function and Intercepts

Figure It Out!

Determine the domain of the following rational functions.

Exercise 2.1.1 Exercise 2.1.2 Exercise 2.1.3

f ( x )=2 x 2−3 x+ 5 h ( x )=
9x
g ( x )=
−1
x ( x−5 ) 2
x +1
Domain: Q ( x ) =x ( x−5 ) Q ( x ) =x 2+1
{ x∨x ∈ R } x ( x−5 )=0 2
x + 1=0
x=0∨x−5=0 2
x =−1
x=0∨x=5 x=i∨x=−i

Domain: Domain:
{ x∨x ∈ R∨x ≠ 0,5 } { x∨x ∈ R }

Find the x and y intercepts of the following:

Exercise 2.1.4 Exercise 2.1.5

2 2
x −9 x −7 x +12
F ( x )= G(x )=
1−5 x
2
7x

x-intercept: x-intercept:
2
2
x −9=0 x −7 x+ 12=0
( x +3 ) ( x −3 )=0 ( x−4 ) ( x−3 )=0
x +3=0∨x−3=0 x−4=0∨x−3=0
x=−3∨x=3 x=4∨x=3
x-intercepts of the function: x-intercepts of the function:
−3∧3 4∧3

y-intercept: y-intercept:
2
(0) −9 −9 ( 0 )2−7 ( 0 ) +12 12
y= = =−9 G ( x) = =
1−5 (0)2 1 7 ( 0) 0
y-intercept of the function: y-intercept of the function:
−9 No y−intercept

x-intercept(s): ( 3 , 0 ) ,(−3 , 0) x-intercept(s): ( 4 , 0 ) ,(3 , 0)

y-intercept(s): (0 ,−9) y-intercept(s): ¿

Find the domain and range of the rational function

Exercise 2.1.6

x
F ( x )=
x−4

Domain:
Q ( x ) =( x−4 )
( x−4 )=0
x−4=0
x=4
{ x |x ∈ R| x ≠ 4 }
Range:
Let y =F ( x )
x
y=
x−4
y
x=
y−4
x ( y −4 )= y
xy−4 x= y
xy− y =4 x
y (x−1)=4 x
4x
y=
( x−1)

x−1 ≠ 0
x≠1
{ F ( x ) ∈ R∨F ( x )≠ 1 }
Kindle Your Ideas

True or False.
x
False 1. The domain of f ( x )= 2 is the set of real numbers except x=3.
x −9

x
f ( x )= 2
x −9

Q ( x ) =x 2−9
2
x −9=0
( x +3 ) ( x −3 )=0
x +3=0∨x−3=0
x=−3∨x=3
{ x∨x ∈ R∨x ≠−3,3 }
x 2−2 x+1
False 2. The graph of y= will intersect the x-axis at x=0 .
x

2
x −2 x+1
y=
x

x-intercept:
2
x −2 x+1=0
( x−1 ) ( x−1 )=0
x−1=0
x=1

x 2−2 x+1
True 3. The graph of y= will not intersect the y-axis.
x

x 2−2 x+1
y=
x

y-intercept:
(0)2−2(0)+1 1
y= =
(0) 0
y-intercept of the function:
undefined

False 4. y=4 is not a rational function.

True 5. All polynomial functions are rational functions.

Challenge

Determine the x and y intercept of the following functions:

1. 2.

5 2
x +9
f ( x )= f ( x )=
x 1−x

x-intercept: x-intercept:
5 2
x + 9=0
=0
x x ∈ R (No solution)
5=0 x-intercepts of the function:
x-intercepts of the function: No x −intercept
No x −intercept
y-intercept:
y-intercept: (0)2+ 9 9
5 5 y= = =9
y= = 1−(0) 1
(0) 0 y-intercept of the function:
y-intercept of the function: 9
No y−intercept
x-intercept(s): ¿
x-intercept(s): ¿ y-intercept(s): (0 , 9)
y-intercept(s): ¿