How do you find vertical, horizontal and oblique asymptotes for f(x)= (x^3+8) /(x^2+9)?

1 Answer
Dec 4, 2016

The oblique asymptote is y=x
No vertical and horizontal asymptotes

Explanation:

The domain of f(x) is D_f(x)=RR

The denominator x^2+9>0, AAx in RR

So there are no vertical asymptotes.

As the degree of the numerator is > degree of the denominator, there is an oblique asymptote.

Let's do a long division

color(white)(aaaa)x^3+8color(white)(aaaa)x^2+9

color(white)(aaaa)x^3+9xcolor(white)(aaa)x

color(white)(aaaa)0-9x+8

So,

(x^3+8)/(x^2+9)=x-(9x-8)/(x^2+9)

So, the oblique asymptote is y=x

To calculate the limits as x-+-oo, we take the terms of highest degree in the numerator and the denominator

lim_(x->+-oo)f(x)=lim_(x->+-oo)x^3/x^2=lim_(x->+-oo)x=+-oo

graph{(y-(x^3+8)/(x^2+9))(y-x)=0 [-5.546, 5.55, -2.773, 2.774]}