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Ch. 3 - Polynomial and Rational Functions
Chapter 4, Problem 1

Provide a short answer to each question. What is the domain of the function ƒ(x)=1/x? What is its range?

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Domain of a Function

The domain of a function refers to the set of all possible input values (x-values) for which the function is defined. For the function ƒ(x) = 1/x, the domain excludes any value that would make the denominator zero, which in this case is x = 0. Therefore, the domain is all real numbers except zero, often expressed as (-∞, 0) ∪ (0, ∞).
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Range of a Function

The range of a function is the set of all possible output values (y-values) that the function can produce. For ƒ(x) = 1/x, as x approaches zero from either side, the function values approach positive or negative infinity, but never actually reach zero. Thus, the range is also all real numbers except zero, represented as (-∞, 0) ∪ (0, ∞).
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Asymptotes

Asymptotes are lines that a graph approaches but never touches or crosses. In the case of the function ƒ(x) = 1/x, there is a vertical asymptote at x = 0, indicating that the function is undefined at this point. Additionally, there is a horizontal asymptote at y = 0, which shows that as x approaches infinity or negative infinity, the function values approach zero but never reach it.
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