Intercepts, Zeroes, and

Asymptotes of Rational
Functions
Quick Recall
INTERCEPTS AND ZEROES OF RATIONAL
FUNCTIONS
◦ The intercepts of the graph of a rational function are the
points of intersection of its graph and an axis.
◦ The y-intercept of the graph of a rational function r(x) if
it exists, occurs at r(0), provided that r(x) is defined at x =
0. To find y-intercept simply evaluate the function at x =
0.
INTERCEPTS AND ZEROES OF RATIONAL
FUNCTIONS
◦ The x-intercept of the graph of a rational function r(x), if it
exists, occurs at the zeros of the numerator that are not zeros
of the denominators. To find x – intercept equate the function
to 0.
◦ The zeroes of a function are the values of x which make the
function zero. The numbered zeroes are also x-intercepts of
the graph of the function.
INTERCEPTS
AND ZEROES
OF RATIONAL
FUNCTIONS
 ◦ An asymptote is an imaginary
line to which a graph gets
closer and closer as the x or y
increases or decreases its value
without limit.
ASYMPTOTES
Kinds of Asymptote
• Vertical Asymptote
• Horizontal Asymptote
• Oblique / Slant Asymptote
VERTICAL
ASYMPTOTE
◦ The vertical line 𝑥=𝑎 is a
vertical asymptote of a
function f if the graph
increases or decreases
without bound as the x
values approach 𝒂 from the
right or left.
 ◦To determine the vertical
asymptote of a rational
Finding function, first reduce the
Vertical given function to simplest
Asymptote form then find the zeroes
of the denominator that are
not zeros of the numerator.
HORIZONTAL
ASYMPTOTE
◦ The horizontal line
y=b is a horizontal
asymptote of the
function f if f(x) gets
closer to b as x
increases or decreases
without bound.
Finding the horizontal asymptote of a rational function
To determine the horizontal asymptote of a rational function,
compare the degree of the numerator n and the degree of the
denominator d.
• If n < d, the horizontal asymptote is y= 0
• If n = d, the horizontal asymptote y is the ratio of the leading coefficient of
the numerator a, to the leading coefficient of the denominator b. That is .
• If n > d, there is no horizontal asymptote.
◦ Note: A rational function may or may not cross its horizontal
asymptote. If the function does not cross the horizontal asymptote
y=b, then b is not part of the range of the rational function
SLANT / OBLIQUE
ASYMPTOTE

◦ An oblique asymptote is a
line that is neither vertical nor
horizontal. It occurs when the
numerator of 𝑓(𝑥) has a degree
that is one higher than the
degree of the denominator.
◦ To find slant asymptote
simply divide the
numerator by the Finding
denominator by either Oblique or
using long division or
synthetic division. The
Slant
oblique asymptote is the Asymptote
quotient with the
remainder ignored and set
equal to y.