What are Rational Functions?
Rational Function which is also called rational expression, is a mathematical expression that represents the ratio of two polynomial functions and the denominator here can never be 0. For example, two polynomial expressions i.e., 2x – 7 and 3x2; can form two rational expressions. One of which is 2x-7/3x2 and the other is 3x2/(2x-7). These functions are only defined when their denominator is non-zero.
Rational Function Definition
Mathematically, a rational function can be represented as f(x) = g(x)/h(x)
Where f(x), g(x) and h(x) are all polynomials in variable x and h(x)≠0.
For example f(x) = (x+1)/x is a rational function if x≠0.
Note: A function where the numerator is a polynomial but the denominator is a constant other than zero, is said to be a linear function and not a rational function.
Rational Function
Rational Function is a type of function that is expressed as a fraction where both the numerator and denominator must be a polynomial and the denominator can never equal zero. Thus a rational function is similar to a fraction but the numerator and denominator are polynomial functions. In simple words, the rational function can be defined as the ratio of two polynomials. Rational functions find applications in various daily life problems and in various fields in life.
In this article, we shall discuss rational function in detail.
Table of Content
- What are Rational Functions?
- Properties of Rational Function
- Simplifying Rational Functions
- Operations On Rational Functions
- Graphing Rational Functions