Chapter 10
Acting Rationally with Functions
IN THIS CHAPTER
Covering the basics of rational functions
Identifying vertical, horizontal, and oblique asymptotes
Spotting removable discontinuities in rational graphs
Edging up to rational limits
Taking rational cues to sketch graphs
The word rational has many interpretations. You say that rational people act reasonably and predictably. You can also say that rational numbers are reasonable and predictable — their decimals either repeat (have a distinctive pattern as they go on forever and ever) or terminate (come to an abrupt end). This chapter gives your rational repertoire another boost — it deals with rational functions.
A rational function may not appear to be reasonable but it’s definitely predictable. In this chapter, you refer to the intercepts, the asymptotes, any removable discontinuities, and the limits of rational functions to tell where the function values have been, what they’re doing for particular values of the domain, ...
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