How do you know a function is rational?
A rational function is a function that is a fraction and has the property that both its numerator and denominator are polynomials. In other words, R(x) is a rational function if R(x) = p(x) / q(x) where p(x) and q(x) are both polynomials.
What does it mean when a function is rational?
Introduction. A rational function is one that can be written as a polynomial divided by a polynomial. Since polynomials are defined everywhere, the domain of a rational function is the set of all numbers except the zeros of the denominator. f(x) = x / (x – 3).
What makes a rational equation rational?
A rational equation is an equation containing at least one fraction whose numerator and denominator are polynomials, … These fractions may be on one or both sides of the equation. A common way to solve these equations is to reduce the fractions to a common denominator and then solve the equality of the numerators.