SOLUTION: Graph r(x)=(x-3)^2/x^2-4

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Question 1116164: Graph r(x)=(x-3)^2/x^2-4
Answer by greenestamps(13198) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!


I will guess that you mean %28x-3%29%5E2%2F%28x%5E2-4%29 instead of %28x-3%29%5E2%2Fx%5E2-4, because the first is far more interesting than the second.

%28x-3%29%5E2%2F%28x%5E2-4%29+=+%28x-3%29%5E2%2F%28%28x%2B2%29%28x-2%29%29

The function has a double root at x=3, where the numerator is zero, and vertical asymptotes at x=-2 and x=2, where the denominator is zero.

To get an idea of where the function is positive or negative, imagine "walking" along the x axis left to right, starting at a large negative value of x.

The function consists of 4 linear factors; for large negative values of x, all 4 factors are negative, so the function is positive.

When you pass the vertical asymptote at x = -2, the sign of one of the 4 factors changes, so the function value changes from positive to negative.

At x=2 you pass another vertical asymptote; one factor changes sign; so the function value changes sign again, from negative to positive.

When you pass the zero at x=3, TWO of the 4 factors change sign at the same time, so the function does NOT change sign. The graph touches the x axis but stays positive.

Finally, for the end behavior, observe that for large negative or large positive values of x the function is very close to x%5E2%2Fx%5E2+=+1; so the graph has a horizontal asymptote at y=1.

Here is a graph....

graph%28400%2C400%2C-5%2C5%2C-10%2C10%2C%28x-3%29%5E2%2F%28x%5E2-4%29%29