Polynomial and Rational Functions

Polynomial and rational functions are the clearest case study for a question the entire course keeps asking: what does a function actually do to its inputs? Here, you build the vocabulary for answering that precisely. End behavior tells you what a function does at extremes; zeros, asymptotes, and holes tell you what it does locally; rates of change tell you how fast it does it. The claim this unit makes is that function behavior is readable, not guessed. Master that reading here, and every function class that follows is a variation on a skill you already own.

30–40% of exam