How do you find the asymptotes for y=(x^2-5x+4)/ (4x^2-5x+1)?

1 Answer
Nov 16, 2016

The vertical asymptote is x=1/4
The horizontal asymptote is y=1/4
A hole when x=1
No slant asymptote

Explanation:

Let's factorise the numerator and the denominator

x^2-5x+4=(x-4)(x-1)

4x^2-5x+1=(4x-1)(x-1)

Therefore,

y=(x^2-5x+4)/(4x^2-5x+1)=((x-4)cancel(x-1))/((4x-1)cancel(x-1)

So, we have a hole at x=1

As we cannot divide by 0, x!=1/4

x=1/4 is a vertical asymptote

The degree of the numerator = the degree of the denominator, we don't have a slant asymptote.

We take the term of highest coefficient.

lim_(x->+-oo)y=lim_(x->+-oo)x/(4x)=1/4

So y=1/4 is a horizontal asymptote
graph{(y-(x-4)/(4x-1))(y-1/4)=0 [-7.024, 7.024, -3.507, 3.52]}