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How do you find vertical asymptotes of a rational function?

  1. Factor the numerator and denominator. 2. Identify zeros of the denominator. 3. Check if those zeros are also zeros of the numerator. 4. If a zero is only in the denominator, there's a vertical asymptote there.
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How do you find vertical asymptotes of a rational function?

  1. Factor the numerator and denominator. 2. Identify zeros of the denominator. 3. Check if those zeros are also zeros of the numerator. 4. If a zero is only in the denominator, there's a vertical asymptote there.

How do you determine the behavior of a function near a vertical asymptote?

  1. Find the vertical asymptote. 2. Evaluate the one-sided limits as xx approaches the asymptote from the left and right. 3. Determine if the function approaches \infty or -\infty from each side.

How do you determine if a rational function has holes?

  1. Factor the numerator and denominator. 2. If a factor cancels out from both, there is a hole at the x-value that makes that factor zero.

Given r(x)=x21x22x+1r(x) = \frac{x^2 - 1}{x^2 - 2x + 1}, find the vertical asymptote(s).

  1. Factor: r(x)=(x1)(x+1)(x1)(x1)r(x) = \frac{(x-1)(x+1)}{(x-1)(x-1)}. 2. Simplify: r(x)=x+1x1r(x) = \frac{x+1}{x-1}. 3. Vertical asymptote: x=1x=1.

What are the differences between vertical asymptotes and holes?

Vertical Asymptotes: Occur when the denominator is zero, and the numerator is non-zero. Function approaches infinity. | Holes: Occur when both numerator and denominator are zero. Represent removable discontinuities.

Explain how denominator zeros relate to vertical asymptotes.

If x=ax = a makes the denominator q(x)q(x) zero and the numerator p(x)p(x) non-zero, then there's a potential vertical asymptote at x=ax = a.

What happens if a zero appears in both the numerator and denominator?

It might indicate a 'hole' in the graph rather than a vertical asymptote.

Explain the impact of multiplicity on vertical asymptotes.

If the multiplicity of a zero in the denominator is greater than in the numerator, there's a vertical asymptote. Higher difference means faster approach to infinity.

Describe the behavior of a function near a vertical asymptote.

As xx approaches a vertical asymptote from the left or right, the function approaches either positive or negative infinity.

How do limits relate to vertical asymptotes?

One-sided limits approaching a vertical asymptote will tend towards \infty or -\infty.