document.write( "Question 1092395: graph of function
\n" ); document.write( "y= (|x-3|+|x+1|)/(|x+3|+|x-1|)
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Algebra.Com's Answer #707005 by greenestamps(13200)\"\" \"About 
You can put this solution on YOUR website!

The behavior of the function changes each time we pass a point where one of the expressions in absolute value symbols is equal to 0.

\n" ); document.write( "For checking the graph we come up with, it is useful to evaluate the function at each of those points.
\n" ); document.write( "\"f%28-3%29+=+%286%2B2%29%2F%280%2B4%29+=+8%2F4+=+2\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"f%28-1%29+=+%284%2B0%29%2F%282%2B2%29+=+4%2F4+=+1\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"f%281%29+=+%282%2B2%29%2F%284%2B0%29+=+4%2F4+=+1\"
\n" ); document.write( "\"f%283%29+=+%280%2B4%29%2F%286%2B2%29+=+4%2F8+=+.5\"

\n" ); document.write( "So the places where the behavior of the graph changes are (-3,2), (-1,1), (1,1), and (3,.5)

\n" ); document.write( "(1) For x < -3...
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\n" ); document.write( "This is a segment of a branch of a hyperbola with horizontal asymptote y=1 and vertical asymptote at x = -1.

\n" ); document.write( "(2) For -3 < x < -1...
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\n" ); document.write( "This is of course a segment of a line.

\n" ); document.write( "(3) For -1 < x < 1...
\n" ); document.write( "\"%28%28-x%2B3%29%2B%28x%2B1%29%29%2F%28%28x%2B3%29%2B%28-x%2B1%29%29+=+4%2F4+=+1%29\"

\n" ); document.write( "And this is clearly a constant function.

\n" ); document.write( "(4) For 1 < x < 3...
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\n" ); document.write( "This is a segment of a branch of a hyperbola with horizontal asymptote y=0 and vertical asymptote at x = -1.

\n" ); document.write( "(5) And for x > 3...
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\n" ); document.write( "And this is part of the other branch of the same hyperbola as in (1).

\n" ); document.write( "Here is a graph of the function. Sorry; I haven't yet figured out how to draw the graph of a piecewise function.

\n" ); document.write( "(1) red line from (-infinity,1) to (-3,2)
\n" ); document.write( "(2) green line from (-3,2) to (-1,1)
\n" ); document.write( "(3) blue line from (-1,1) to (1,1)
\n" ); document.write( "(4) purple line from (1,1) to (3,.5)
\n" ); document.write( "(5) red line again from (3,.5) to (infinity, 1)

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