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Module 2 Key Concepts of Rational Function

Lesson Outcome(s)
 represents real-life situations using rational functions.
 distinguishes rational function, rational equation, and rational inequality.
 solves rational equations and inequalities.
 represents a rational function through its: (a) table of values, (b) graph, and (c) equation.
 Finds the domain and range of rational function
 Intercepts, Zeroes and Asymptotes of Rational Function

Lesson Outline;
2.1 Representing Real life Situations Using Rational Functions
2.2 Rational Functions Equations and Inequalities
2.3 Solving Rational Equations and Inequalities
2.4 Representation of Rational Functions
2.5 Domain and Range of a Rational Function
2.6 Graphing the Rational Function (Intercepts, zeroes, and asymptotes of rational function

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Lesson 2.1 Representing Real-Life Situations Using
Rational Functions
Recall.

Definition of

Polynomial Function.

A polynomial function p of degree n is a function that can be written in the form.

where a0, a1, . . . , an ∈ R, an  ≠ 0, and n is a positive integer. Each summand is a term of the polynomial
function. The constants a0, a1, a2, . . . , an are the coefficients. The leading coincident is a n. The leading term is anx n
and the constant term is a0.

Definition of
Rational Function.

Example 9. An object is to travel a distance of 10 meters. Express velocity v as a function of travel time t, in
seconds.

Solution. The following table of values show v for various values of t.

t (seconds) 0 1 2 5 10
v (meters/second) 10 5 2.5 2 1

The function v(t) = 10 can represent v as a function of t.

t
Example 10. Suppose that c (t) = 5t (in mg/mL) represents the concentration of a drug in a patient's
t2+1
bloodstream t hours after the drug was administered. Construct a table of values for c(t) for t = 1, 2, 5, 10. Round
off answers to three decimal places. Use the table to sketch a graph and interpret the results. Solution

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The graph indicates that the maximum drug concentration occurs around 1 hour after the drug was administered
(calculus can be used to determine the exact value at which the maximum occurs). After 1 hour, the graph
suggests that drug concentration decreases until it is almost zero.

Solved Examples
Part I

1. A fence is to enclose a rectangular vegetable farm with an area of 400 square meters. If x is the length of one
side of this fence, find a function P (x) representing the perimeter of the fencing material required

Find the perimeter of the fence if one side has length 10 meters, 50 meters.

Answer: 100 m, 116 m

2. Suppose the amount of bacteria growing in a petri dish is represented by the function

where t is in hours and b(t) is in millions.

Evaluate the function at t = 1, 2, 5, 10, 15, 20. Interpret the obtained values.

Answer: 25; 33.33,41.67; 45.45; 46.88; 47.62; The population increases but does not exceed 48 million.

3. The distance from Manila to Baguio is around 250 kilometers.

(a) How long will it take you to get to Baguio if your average speed is 25 kilometers per hour? 40 kilometers
per hour? 50 kilometers per hour?
(b) Construct a function (s) , where s is the speed of travel, that describes the time it takes to drive from
Manila to Baguio.

Solution.

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 (a) Distance is calculated as the product of speed and time. So we can get the time by dividing distance by
the speed.

250 kilometers/ 25 kilometers per hour = 10 hours

250 kilometers/ 40 kilometers per hour = 6.25 hours
250 kilometers/ 50 kilometers per hour = 5 hours

(b) Since time is the quotient of distance and speed, we can write out the function as

The distance is fixed at 250 kilometers so the final function we have is

Part II

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Answer Key

Solved Examples Part II

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Lesson 2.2 Rational Functions, Equations, and

Inequalities
Definition of
Rational Expression
A rational expression is an expression that can be written as a ratio of two polynomials.

A rational expression can be described as a function where either the numerator, denominator, or both
have a variable on it

Example :

Definition of
Rational Equation
An equation involving rational expressions related by the equal sign.

Example

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Definition of
Rational Inequalities

An inequality involving rational expressions

Example:

Definition of
Rational Function

A function of the form of f(x) = p(x) where p(x) and q(x) are polynomials, and q(x) is not the zero
q(x)
function

Example

REMINDER:
A rational equation or inequality can be solved for all x values that satisfy the equation or inequality. Whereas,
we solve an equation or inequality, we do not solve" functions. Rather, a function (and in particular, a rational
function) expresses a relationship between two variables (such as x and y), and can be represented by a table of
values or a graph.

Solved Examples
Part I

Determine whether the given is a rational function, a rational equation, a rational inequality or none of these.

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Part II

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Lesson 2.3 Solving Rational Equations and
Inequalities
To solve an equation or inequality in one variable such as x means to find all values of x for which the equation or
inequality is true.

Procedure for Solving Rational Equations

To solve rational equations:

(a) Eliminate denominators by multiplying each term of the equation by the least common denominator.

(b) Note that eliminating denominators may introduce extraneous solutions. Check the solutions of the
transformed equations with the original equation.

Example 1: Solve for x

Solution. LCD of all the denominators is 10x. Multiply both sides of the equation by 10x and solve the resolving
equation.

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Upon reaching this step, we can use strategies for solving polynomial equations

x2 -3x -10 = 0 (x + 2) (x – 5)
x+2=0 or x–5=0
x = -2 x=5

EXAMPLE 3. In an inter-barangay basketball league, the team from Barangay Culiat has won 12 out of 25 games, a
winning percentage of 48%. How many games should they win in a row to improvetheir win percentage to 60%?

The equation is a rational equation. Solve the equation using the techniques previously discussed:

Since 25 + x is the only denominator, we multiply it to both sides of the equation. We then solve the
resulting equation

Since x represents the number of games, this number should be an integer. Therefore Barangay Culiat
needs to win 8 games in a row to raise their winning percentage to 60 %

EXAMPLE 4. Jens walks 5 kilometers from his house to Quiapo to buy a new bike which he uses to return home.
He averaged 10 kilometers faster on his bike than on on foot. If his total trip took 1 hour and 20 minutes, what is
his walking speed in kph? Use the formula v = d
t

Solution. Using the formula v = d / t , we have the formula for time t = d v .

Let v be Jens' walking speed. Then v + 10 is his speed on his new bike. Jens' walking time is 5/ v and his biking
time is 5 /(v+10) .

Rewriting the time 1 hour and 20 minutes as the fraction 4 3 hours, the equation becomes:

Answer.

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Interval Set Notation

An inequality may have infinitely many solutions. The set of all solutions can be expressed using set notation or
interval notation. These notations are presented in the table
below:

Procedure for Solving Rational Inequalities

To solve rational inequalities:
1. Rewrite the inequality as a single fraction on one side of the inequality symbol
and 0 on the other side.

2. Determine over what intervals the fraction takes on positive and negative values.

a. Locate the x-values for which the rational expression is zero or undefined.
Factor the numerator and denominator.

b. Mark the numbers found in (a.) on a number line. Use a shaded circle to
indicate that the value is included in the solution set, and a hollow circle to
indicate that the value is excluded. These numbers divide the number line
into intervals.

c. Select a test point within the interior of each interval in (b.). the sign of the
rational expression at this test point is also the sign of the rational expression
at each interior point in the interval.

d. Choose the interval that satisfy the sign of the inequality. Summarize the
interval containing the solutions.

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(b) The rational expression will be zero for x = 1 and undefined for x = –1.
The value x = 1 is included while x = –1 is not. Mark these on the number line.
Use a shaded circle for x = 1 (a solution) and an unshaded circle for x = -1 (not a solution).

(c) Choose convenient test points in the intervals determined by –1 and 1 to determine the sign of in these
intervals. Construct a table of signs as shown below.

(d) Since we are looking for the intervals where the fraction is positive or zero, we determine the solution
intervals to be x < −1 and x ≥ 1. Plot these intervals on The number line.

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 (b) The rational expression will be zero for x = –1 and undefined for 0 and 2.
Plot these points on a number line. Use hollow circles since these values are not part of the solution.

(c) Construct a table of signs to determine the sign of the function in each interval
determined by−1, 0, and 2.

(e) Summarize the intervals satisfying the inequality. Plot these intervals on the number line.

The solution set of the inequality is the set {x ∈ R|x < −1 or 0 < x < 2}. All numbers in this set (such as −2
or 1) make the inequality true, while all numbers not on this set (such as 0 or 3) make the inequality false.

EXAMPLE 8. A box with a square base is to have a volume of 8 cubic meters. Let x be the length of the side of the
square base and h be the height of the box. What are the possible measurements of a side of the square base if
the height should be longer than a side of the square base?

Solution.

The volume of a rectangular box is the product of its width, length, and height. Since the base of the box is
square, its width and length are equal.

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The variable x is the length of a side of the box, while h is its height. The equation relating h and x is . Expressing h
in terms of x, we obtain

Since the height is greater than the width h> x , our inequality is

(a) To solve for the inequality we rewrite with zero on one side:

(b) The rational expression will be zero for x = 16 and x = 28 and undened for x = 0 and x = 4.Plot on a
number line and use hollow circles since these values are not part of the solution set.

(c) Construct a table of signs to determine the sign of the function in each interval determined by 0 and 2.

(d) Since the rational expression is positive in the interval 0 < x < 2, this is the solution set of the inequality.
We reject the interval x < 0 even if the expression is positive here since we only consider positive values
of x for this problem.

Therefore the height of the box should be less than 2 meters

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Solved Examples
1. Find the solutions for each rational equation below. Make sure to check for extraneous solutions.

2. Find the solution set for each rational inequality below. Graph the solution set on a number line.

3. Two ships travelling from Dumaguete to Cagayan de Oro dier in average speed by 10 kph. The slower
ship takes 3 hours longer to travel a 240 kilometer route than for the faster ship to travel a 200 kilometer
route.

Find the speed of the slower ship. Hint: Construct an equation with time t as the variable.

Answer: 30 kph

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Lesson 2.4 Representation of Rational Functions
Rational Functions can be represented through its;
(a) Table of Values
(b) Graph
(c) Equation

Why would the graph unexpectedly break the smooth curve and jump from the point B to point C? The answer is
that it doesn’t! Let us take a look at the function again:

Observe that the function will be undefined at x = −3. This means that there cannot be a line connecting point 7
and point -5 as this implies that there is point in the graph of the function where xx = −3. We will cover this aspect
of graphs of rational functions in a future lesson, so for now we just present a partial graph for the function above
as follows:

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Solved Examples

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Lesson 2.5 Domain and Range of a Rational Function

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Lesson 2.6 Graphing the Rational Function
Recall
The domain of a function is the set of all values that the variable x can take.

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The range of a function is the set of all values that f(x) or y can take.

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Sample Problem

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nswer key

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Reference
Learning Material/ Teaching Guide Department of Education Phils.

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