SOLUTION: How do you find the points of discontinuity in a rational function.

Algebra ->  Rational-functions -> SOLUTION: How do you find the points of discontinuity in a rational function.      Log On


   



Question 1006241: How do you find the points of discontinuity in a rational function.
Answer by MathLover1(20850) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Points of discontinuity, also called removable discontinuities, are moments within a function that are undefined and appear as a break or hole in a graph. A point of discontinuity is created when a function is presented as a fraction and an inputted variable creates a denominator equal to zero. Evaluating a function for points of discontinuity aids in solving and graphing the function.
For example:
if the expression is f%28x%29+=+%28+x%5E2+%2B+x+-+2+%29+%2F+%28x-2%29
rewrite the denominator expression as an equation set to zero
for this example, the denominator expression x+-+2 becomes the equation x+-+2+=+0
solve the denominator's equation and you see that the function has a point of discontinuity when x+=2

+graph%28+600%2C+600%2C+-20%2C+20%2C+-20%2C+20%2C+%28+x%5E2+%2B+x+-+2+%29+%2F+%28x-2%29%29+

as you can see, there is a break or hole in a graph when x=2 (I will draw a line to show you that line does not have any common points with a graph of given function