Lesson 4: Representing Real-Life Situations Using
Rational Functions
Learning Outcome(s): At the end of the lesson, the learner is able to represent real-life situations
rational functions.
Lesson Outline: 1. Review: Polynomial functions
[Link] functions and real-life situations
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 an. 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
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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
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
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
2
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.
(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
4. The budget of a university organization is split evenly among its various committees. If they have a
budget of P60,000:
(a) Construct a function which would give the amount of money each of the number of committees
would receive.
(b) If the organization has eight committees, how much would each committee have?
Lesson 5: Rational Functions, Equations, and
Inequalities
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Learning Outcome(s): At the end of the lesson, the learner is able to distinguish among rational
functions, rational equations, and rational inequalities
Lesson Outline: 1. Rational functions, rational equations, and rational 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
Definition of
Rational Inequalities
An inequality involving rational expressions
Example:
Definition of
Rational Function
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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
Determine whether the given is a rational function, a rational equation, a rational inequality or none of
these.
Lesson 6: Solving Rational Equations and
Inequalities
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Learning Outcome(s): At the end of the lesson, the learner is able to solve rational equations and
inequalities, and solve problems involving rational equations and inequalities.
Lesson Outline: 1. Solving rational equations.
2. Solving rational inequalities.
3. Solving word problems involving rational equations or 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 %
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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.
Procedure for Solving Rational Inequalities
To solve rational inequalities:
(a) Use addition or subtraction to rewrite the inequality as a single fraction on one side of the inequality
symbol and 0 on the other side. This step is explained more fully in the box below.
(b) Determine over what intervals the fraction takes on positive and negative values.
i. Locate the x-values for which the rational expression is zero or undefined (factoring the
numerator and denominator is a useful strategy).
ii. Mark the numbers found in (i) 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 partition the number line into intervals.
iii. Select a test point within the interior of each interval in (ii). The sign of the rational expression
at this test point is also the sign of the rational expression at each interior point in the
aforementioned interval.
