SOLUTION: Need help with the following: Find a rational function that has x=2 and x=-1 as vertical asymptotes, and (4,0) as an x-intercept.

Algebra ->  Polynomials-and-rational-expressions -> SOLUTION: Need help with the following: Find a rational function that has x=2 and x=-1 as vertical asymptotes, and (4,0) as an x-intercept.       Log On


   



Question 39839: Need help with the following:
Find a rational function that has x=2 and x=-1 as vertical
asymptotes, and (4,0) as an x-intercept.

Answer by AnlytcPhil(1806) About Me  (Show Source):
You can put this solution on YOUR website!
Need help with the following:

Find a rational function that has x=2 and  x=-1 as vertical
asymptotes, and  (4,0)  as an x-intercept.

A rational function is a fraction, so we write y = a fraction bar:

                
y = 覧覧覧覧覧覧覧覧
     

To have a vertical asymptote of x = 2 we must have gotten that equation by
setting one of the factors of the denominator = 0 and solving for x.
To have gotten x = 2, we must have set x - 2 = 0.  Therefore (x - 2)
must be a factor of the denominator. So we now have

          
y = 覧覧覧覧覧覧覧覧
     (x - 2)

To have a vertical asymptote of x = -1 we must have gotten that equation by
setting one of the factors of the denominator = 0 and solving for x.
To have gotten x = -1, we must have set x + 1 = 0.  Therefore (x + 1)
must be a factor of the denominator.  So we now have

          
y = 覧覧覧覧覧覧覧覧
     (x - 2)(x + 1)

To have (4,0) as an x-intercept, y must be 0 when x = 4.  So the numerator
could have as a factor x - 4, since that is 0 when x = 4.  So the easiest
answer is

         x - 4 
y = 覧覧覧覧覧覧覧覧
     (x - 2)(x + 1)

or you can multiply the bottom out if you like and get

       x - 4 
y = 覧覧覧覧覧覧
     xイ - x - 2

Edwin McCravy
AnlytcPhil@aol.com