Given the functionf ( x ) = x^2 + 7 x + 10/ x^2 + 9 x + 20

Mathematics

1 answer:

vladimir1956 [14]4 years ago

5 0

<em>x = -4 is a vertical asymptote for the function.</em>

<h2>Explanation:</h2>

The graph of $y=f(x)$ is a vertical has an asymptote at $x=a$ if at least one of the following statements is true:

$1) \ \underset{x\rightarrow a^{-}}{lim}f(x)=\infty\\ \\ 2) \ \underset{x\rightarrow a^{-}}{lim}f(x)=-\infty \\ \\ 3) \ \underset{x\rightarrow a^{+}}{lim}f(x)=\infty \\ \\ 4) \ \underset{x\rightarrow a^{+}}{lim}f(x)=\infty$

The function is:

$f(x)=\frac{x^2+7x+10}{x^2+9x+20}$

First of all, let't factor out:

$f(x)=\frac{x^2+5x+2x+10}{x^2+5x+4x+20} \\ \\ f(x)=\frac{x(x+5)+2(x+5)}{x(x+5)+4(x+5)} \\ \\ f(x)=\frac{(x+5)(x+2)}{(x+5)(x+4)} \\ \\ f(x)=\frac{(x+2)}{(x+4)}, \ x\neq 5$

From here:

$\bullet \ When \ x \ approaches \ -4 \ on \ the \ right: \\ \\ \underset{x\rightarrow -4^{+}}{lim}\frac{(x+2)}{(x+4)}=? \\ \\ \underset{x\rightarrow -4^{+}}{lim}\frac{(-4^{+}+2)}{(-4^{+}+4)} \\ \\ \\ The \ numerator \ is \ negative \ and \ the \ denominator \\ is \ a \ small \ positive \ number. \ So: \\ \\ \underset{x\rightarrow -4^{+}}{lim}\frac{(x+2)}{(x+4)}=-\infty$

$\bullet \ When \ x \ approaches \ -4 \ on \ the \ left: \\ \\ \underset{x\rightarrow -4^{-}}{lim}\frac{(x+2)}{(x+4)}=? \\ \\ \underset{x\rightarrow -4^{-}}{lim}\frac{(-4^{-}+2)}{(-4^{-}+4)} \\ \\ \\ The \ numerator \ is \ a \ negative \ and \ the \ denominator \\ is \ a \ small \ negative \ number \ too. \ So: \\ \\ \underset{x\rightarrow -4^{-}}{lim}\frac{(x+2)}{(x+4)}=+\infty$