Math  /  Algebra

Questionf(x)=3x+3x+2f(x) = \frac{3x+3}{x+2}
Graph the rational function.
Start by drawing the vertical and horizontal asymptotes. Then plot two points on each piece of the graph. Finally, click on the graph-a-function button.

Studdy Solution

STEP 1

What is this asking? We need to graph the function f(x)=3x+3x+2f(x) = \frac{3x+3}{x+2}, including asymptotes and two points on each piece of the graph. Watch out! Don't forget to consider both sides of the **vertical asymptote** when plotting points!

STEP 2

1. Find the vertical asymptote
2. Find the horizontal asymptote
3. Find points to the left of the vertical asymptote
4. Find points to the right of the vertical asymptote

STEP 3

A **vertical asymptote** occurs when the denominator of a rational function is equal to zero, and the numerator is *not* zero.
Let's **set the denominator equal to zero** and **solve for** xx: x+2=0x + 2 = 0 x=2x = -2Since the numerator is 3(2)+3=303(-2) + 3 = -3 \ne 0 when x=2x = -2, we have a **vertical asymptote** at x=2x = -2.

STEP 4

To find the **horizontal asymptote**, we look at the degrees of the numerator and denominator.
Both the numerator, 3x+33x + 3, and the denominator, x+2x + 2, have a degree of **1**.
When the degrees are the same, the **horizontal asymptote** is the ratio of the **leading coefficients**.

STEP 5

The **leading coefficient** of the numerator is **3**, and the **leading coefficient** of the denominator is **1**.
So, our **horizontal asymptote** is: y=31=3y = \frac{3}{1} = 3

STEP 6

Let's choose x=3x = -3 and x=4x = -4, which are to the left of our **vertical asymptote** at x=2x = -2.

STEP 7

For x=3x = -3, we have: f(3)=3(3)+33+2=9+31=61=6f(-3) = \frac{3(-3) + 3}{-3 + 2} = \frac{-9 + 3}{-1} = \frac{-6}{-1} = 6 So, we have the point (3,6)(-3, 6).

STEP 8

For x=4x = -4, we have: f(4)=3(4)+34+2=12+32=92=92=4.5f(-4) = \frac{3(-4) + 3}{-4 + 2} = \frac{-12 + 3}{-2} = \frac{-9}{-2} = \frac{9}{2} = 4.5 So, we have the point (4,4.5)(-4, 4.5).

STEP 9

Now let's choose x=1x = -1 and x=0x = 0, which are to the right of our **vertical asymptote** at x=2x = -2.

STEP 10

For x=1x = -1, we have: f(1)=3(1)+31+2=3+31=01=0f(-1) = \frac{3(-1) + 3}{-1 + 2} = \frac{-3 + 3}{1} = \frac{0}{1} = 0 So, we have the point (1,0)(-1, 0).

STEP 11

For x=0x = 0, we have: f(0)=3(0)+30+2=0+32=32=1.5f(0) = \frac{3(0) + 3}{0 + 2} = \frac{0 + 3}{2} = \frac{3}{2} = 1.5 So, we have the point (0,1.5)(0, 1.5).

STEP 12

We found a **vertical asymptote** at x=2x = -2 and a **horizontal asymptote** at y=3y = 3.
We also found two points on each side of the vertical asymptote: (3,6)(-3, 6) and (4,4.5)(-4, 4.5) to the left, and (1,0)(-1, 0) and (0,1.5)(0, 1.5) to the right.
Graph the asymptotes and plot these points to get the graph of f(x)f(x)!

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