Precalculus (10th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0-32197-907-9
ISBN 13: 978-0-32197-907-0

Chapter 2 - Functions and Their Graphs - 2.1 Functions - 2.1 Assess Your Understanding - Page 57: 57

Answer

Domain is all real numbers except $0$.

Work Step by Step

Given $f(x)=\frac{x-2}{x^3+x}$. Determine the values of $x$ that will make the function undefined. The function is undefiend when the denominator is equal to zero, thus: ${x^3+x}\ne0$ $x(x^2+1)\ne0$ Use the Zero-Product Property, we obtain: \begin{align*} x&\ne0 &\text{ or }& &x^2+1\ne0\\ x&\ne0 &\text{ or }& &x^2\ne-1\\ \end{align*} No real number $x$ will have $x^2=-1$. Thus, the only number that makes the function undefined is $0$. Therefore, the domain is {$x|x\ne0$}
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