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Asymptotes

12 practice questions with full worked solutions. Free, no account needed.

Problems & worked solutions

Problem #2201 International

Problem 1 — Horizontal Asymptotes

The horizontal asymptote of the graph of the function f(x)=3x2+2x2+5 is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. y=3✓ correct
  2. B. y=25
  3. C. y=0
  4. D. y=3x

The numerator and denominator both have degree 2, so lim⁡x→±∞f(x)=31=3. The horizontal asymptote is y=3 (the same at +∞ and −∞).

Verification (sympy): `limit((3*x2+2)/(x2+5), x, oo)` and `limit(..., x, -oo)` → both 3. ✓

Problem #2210 International

Problem 2 — Vertical Asymptotes

The vertical asymptote of the graph of the function f(x)=5x−3 is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. x=3✓ correct
  2. B. x=−3
  3. C. x=5
  4. D. x=0

The denominator vanishes at x=3, and the numerator (5) does not vanish there, so lim⁡x→35x−3=±∞. The vertical asymptote is x=3.

Verification (sympy): `solve(x-3, x)` → {3}; the numerator at x=3 is 5≠0. ✓

Problem #0142 International

Problem 3 — Asymptotes

The horizontal asymptote of f(x)=2x+1x−5 at ±∞ is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. y=0
  2. B. y=1
  3. C. y=2✓ correct
  4. D. no horizontal asymptote

lim⁡x→±∞2x+1x−5=2, so y=2.

Problem #0143 International

Problem 4 — Asymptotes

The function f(x)=x2 has at x→∞:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. a horizontal asymptote at y=0
  2. B. no horizontal asymptote✓ correct
  3. C. a vertical asymptote
  4. D. a slant asymptote

lim⁡x→∞x2=∞, so there is no horizontal asymptote.

Problem #0141 International

Problem 5 — Asymptotes

The vertical asymptote of f(x)=1x−3 is the line:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. y=0
  2. B. y=3
  3. C. x=3✓ correct
  4. D. x=0

x−3=0⇒x=3.

Problem #0146 International

Problem 6 — Asymptotes

For f(x)=1x−1, lim⁡x→1+f(x) equals:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. −∞
  2. B. 0
  3. C. ∞✓ correct
  4. D. 1

x−1→0+, so 1x−1→+∞.

Problem #0145 International

Problem 7 — Asymptotes

The slant (oblique) asymptote of f(x)=x2+1x as x→±∞ is:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. y=1
  2. B. y=x✓ correct
  3. C. y=x2
  4. D. y=x+1

f(x)=x+1x. As x→±∞, 1x→0, so the slant asymptote is y=x.

Problem #0147 International

Problem 8 — Asymptotes

The function f(x)=tan⁡x has vertical asymptotes at:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. x=nπ, n∈Z
  2. B. x=π2 only
  3. C. x=π2+nπ, n∈Z✓ correct
  4. D. nowhere

tan⁡x=sin⁡xcos⁡x has vertical asymptotes where cos⁡x=0, i.e. x=π2+nπ.

Problem #0144 International

Problem 9 — Asymptotes

The function f(x)=x2+1x2−4 has vertical asymptotes at:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. x=0 only
  2. B. x=1 only
  3. C. x=2 only
  4. D. x=−2 and x=2✓ correct

x2−4=0⇒x=±2. Both vertical asymptotes.

Problem #0149 International

Problem 10 — Asymptotes

The function f(x)=e−x has at x→∞:

Show answer & worked solution
  1. A. a horizontal asymptote at y=0✓ correct
  2. B. a horizontal asymptote at y=1
  3. C. a vertical asymptote at x=0
  4. D. no asymptote

lim⁡x→∞e−x=0, so y=0 is a horizontal asymptote at +∞.

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