Horizontal Asymptote of a Rational Function

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 142 views

**Understanding Horizontal Asymptotes: A Comprehensive Guide** ===========================================================

What is a Horizontal Asymptote?

A horizontal asymptote is a horizontal line that a function approaches as the input (or x-value) gets arbitrarily large in the positive or negative direction. In other words, it's a line that the function gets arbitrarily close to as x goes to infinity or negative infinity.

Horizontal Asymptote of a Rational Function

To determine the horizontal asymptote of a rational function, we need to examine the degrees of the numerator and denominator. If the degree of the numerator is less than the degree of the denominator, the horizontal asymptote is y = 0. If the degree of the numerator is equal to the degree of the denominator, the horizontal asymptote is the ratio of the leading coefficients. If the degree of the numerator is greater than the degree of the denominator, there is no horizontal asymptote.

Determining the Horizontal Asymptote of $f(x)=\frac{1}{x-7}+9$

Given the function $f(x)=\frac{1}{x-7}+9$ , we need to determine its horizontal asymptote.

Step 1: Identify the Degree of the Numerator and Denominator

The numerator of the function is 1, which is a constant. The denominator is x - 7, which is a linear expression. Since the degree of the numerator is less than the degree of the denominator, we can conclude that the horizontal asymptote is y = 0.

Step 2: Consider the Constant Term

However, we also need to consider the constant term 9 in the function. Since the constant term is added to the fraction, it will shift the horizontal asymptote upwards.

Step 3: Determine the Horizontal Asymptote

Taking into account the constant term, we can conclude that the horizontal asymptote of the function $f(x)=\frac{1}{x-7}+9$ is y = 9.

Q&A

Q: What is a horizontal asymptote?

A: A horizontal asymptote is a horizontal line that a function approaches as the input (or x-value) gets arbitrarily large in the positive or negative direction.

Q: How do you determine the horizontal asymptote of a rational function?

A: To determine the horizontal asymptote of a rational function, we need to examine the degrees of the numerator and denominator. If the degree of the numerator is less than the degree of the denominator, the horizontal asymptote is y = 0. If the degree of the numerator is equal to the degree of the denominator, the horizontal asymptote is the ratio of the leading coefficients. If the degree of the numerator is greater than the degree of the denominator, there is no horizontal asymptote.

Q: What is the horizontal asymptote of $f(x)=\frac{1}{x-7}+9$ ?

A: The horizontal asymptote of $f(x)=\frac{1}{x-7}+9$ is y = 9.

Q: Why is the horizontal asymptote of $f(x)=\frac{1}{x-7}+9$ y = 9?

A: The horizontal asymptote of $f(x)=\frac{1}{x-7}+9$ is y = 9 because the degree of the numerator is less than the degree of the denominator, and the constant term 9 is added to the fraction, shifting the horizontal asymptote upwards.

Q: What happens if the degree of the numerator is greater than the degree of the denominator?

A: If the degree of the numerator is greater than the degree of the denominator, there is no horizontal asymptote.

Q: Can a function have more than one horizontal asymptote?

A: No, a function can have only one horizontal asymptote.

Q: How do you find the horizontal asymptote of a function with a radical in the denominator?

A: To find the horizontal asymptote of a function with a radical in the denominator, you need to rationalize the denominator and then determine the horizontal asymptote using the methods described above.

Q: What is the significance of the horizontal asymptote in calculus?

A: The horizontal asymptote is significant in calculus because it helps us understand the behavior of a function as the input (or x-value) gets arbitrarily large in the positive or negative direction.