How do you identify all asymptotes or holes for f(x)=(x^2+11x+18)/(2x+1)?

1 Answer
Dec 16, 2016

There is no hole. We have vertical asymptote at x=-1/2 and oblique asymptote at 2x-4y+21=0

Explanation:

Let us examine f(x)=(x^2+11x+18)/(2x+1).

As x^2+11x+18=x^2+9x+2x+18

= x(x+9)+2(x+9)=(x+2)(x+9)

As a common factor cannot be crossed out from both the numerator and the denominators, we do not have a hole in f(x).

It is also apparent that as x->-1/2, (2x+1)->0

and as we have f(x)=(x^2+11x+18)/(2x+1), f(x)->oo

Hence, we have a vertical asymptote at x=-1/2.

Further, f(x)=(x^2+11x+18)/(2x+1)

= (x/2(2x+1)+21/4(2x+1)+51/4)/(2x+1)

= x/2+21/4+51/(4(2x+1)

Hence, as x->oo. f(x)->x/2+21/4

and we have an oblique asymptote at y=x/2+21/4 or 2x-4y+21=0
graph{(y-(x^2+11x+18)/(2x+1))(x+1/2)(2x-4y+21)=0 [-21.08, 18.92, -5.32, 14.68]}