Lesson 4: Representing Real-Life

Situations Using Rational

Functions

OBJECTIVE:
1.Represent real-life situations
rational functions.
REVIEW:
What is a polynomial function?
A polynomial function p of degree n is a
function that can be written in the form p(x)
n n-2
= an x + an-1 x + an-2 x +… + a1 x + a0
n-1

where a0 ,a 1 ,…,an ϵ R an ≠ 0 and n is positive

integer.
an - is the leading coefficient
a n xn is the leading term
a 0 is the constant
What is a rational function?
A rational function is a function of the
form f(x) = p(x) / q(x) where p(x)
and q(x) are polynomial functions
and q(x) is not the zero function.
The domain of f(x) is the set of all
values of x where q(x) is not equal
to zero.
MOTIVATION:

PROBLEM:
AN OBJECT IS TO TRAVEL A DISTANCE
OF 10 METERS.EXPRESS VELOCITY
(V) AS A FUNCTION OF TRAVEL
TIME (T) IN SECONDS.
PROBLEM:
AN OBJECT IS TO TRAVEL A DISTANCE OF 10
METERS.EXPRESS VELOCITY (V) AS A
FUNCTION OF TRAVEL TIME (T) IN SECONDS.

Time (s) 1 2 4 5 10 n
Velocity (m/s) 10 5 2.5 2 1 n/t
EXERCISES:
2
1. Suppose that c(t) = 5t / t +1 (in
mg/ml) represent the
concentration of a drug in a
patient’s bloodstream t (hours)
after the drug was administered.
Construct a table of values for c(t)
for t = 1, 2, 5, 10 .
SOLUTION:
1. Suppose that c(t) = 5t / t +1 (in mg/ml)
represent the concentration of a drug in
a patient’s bloodstream t (hours) after
the drug was administered. Construct a
table of values for c(t) for t = 1, 2, 5, 10 .
t 0 1 2 5 10
C(t) 0 2.5 3 0.962 0.495
GRAPH:
PROBLEMS:
1. In an organ pipe, the frequency f of
vibration of air is inversely
proportional to the length L of the
pipe.1 Suppose that the frequency of
vibration in a 10-foot pipe is 54
vibrations per second. Express f as a
function of L.
SOLUTION:
f(x) = k/L where f(x) =frequency & L =
length of pipe, k = constant of
proportionality, therefore k = 540
f(x) = k / L , k = f(x) [ L ]
2. The distance from Manila to Baguio is
around 250 kilometers. (a) How long
will it take you to get to Baguio if your
average speed is 25 kilometers per
hour? 40 kilometers per hour? 50
kilometers per hour? (b) Construct a
function(s) , where (s) is the speed of
travel, that describes the time it takes
to drive from Manila to Baguio.
 SOLUTION:
(a) Distance is calculated as the product of speed
and time. So we can get the time by dividing
distance by the speed.
250 kilometers/ 25 kilometers per hour = 10 hours
250 kilometers/ 40 kilometers per hour = 6.25 hours
250 kilometers/ 50 kilometers per hour = 5 hours
(b) Since time is the quotient of distance and
speed, we can write out the function as t(s)=d/s
The distance is fixed at 250 kilometers so the
final function we have is t(s) = 250 km/s
CLOSURE:
What insight that you have learned
from the topic?