LESSON 7:

REPRESENTATIONS OF
RATIONAL FUNCTIONS
A rational function is a function of
the form f(x) = p(x) / q(x) where
p(x) and q(x) are polynomial
functions and q(x) is not the zero
polynomial (i.e., q(x) ≢ 0). The
domain of f(x) is all values of x
where q(x) ≠0.
Average speed (or velocity) can be computed by the
formula s = d/t.
Consider a 100-meter track used for foot races. The speed
of a runner can be computed by taking the time for him
to run the track and applying it to the formula, s = 100/t
since the distance is fixed at 100 meters.
Example 1. Represent the speed of a
runner as a function of the time it takes to
run 100 meters in the track.
Example 2. Continuing the scenario
above, construct a table of values for
the speed of a runner against different
run times.
Let x be the runtime and s(x) be the speed of the
runner in meters per second, where s(x) = 100/x. The
table of values for run times from 10 seconds to 20
seconds is as follows:
Example 3. Plot the points on the table of
values on a Cartesian plane. Determine if
the points on the function s(x) = 100/x
follow a smooth curve or a straight line.
Example 4. Represent the rational
𝑥−1
function given by 𝑓(𝑥)= using a table
𝑥+1
of values and plot a graph of the
function by connecting points.

𝑥 −𝟏𝟎 −𝟖 −𝟔 −𝟒 −𝟐 𝟎 𝟐 𝟒 𝟔 𝟖 𝟏𝟎
𝑓(𝑥) 1.22 1.29 1.4 1.67 3 −1 0.33 0.6 0.71 0.78 0.82
Example 5. Represent the rational
𝑥2−3𝑥−10
function 𝑓(𝑥)= using a table of
𝑥
values. Plot the points given in the table
of values and sketch a graph by
connecting the points.
LET’S DO THIS.
1. In an inter-barangay basketball league, the team from
Barangay Culiat has won 12 out of 25 games, a winning
percentage of 48%. We have seen that they need to win 8
games consecutively to raise their percentage to at least
60%. What will be their winning percentage if they win:
(a) 10 games in a row? (b) 15? 20? 30? 50? 100 games?
(c) Can they reach a 100% winning percentage?
LET’S DO THIS.
10
2. Given 𝑓(𝑥)= ,
𝑥−3
 Construct a table of values using the numbers from
-2 to 8.
 Plot the points in the Cartesian plane and determine
whether the points form a smooth curve or a straight
line.
LET’S DO THIS.
3. Ten goats were set loose in an island and their population
60 (t−1)
growth can be approximated by the function P(t) = [ ]
t+6
where P represents the goat population in year t since they
were set loose. Recall that the symbol denotes the greatest
integer function.
(a) How many goats will there be after 5 years?
(b) What is the maximum goat population that the island can
support?