Unit 1: Polynomial and

Rational Functions
MHF4U_Advanced Functions 12
Nelson: Advanced Functions 12
Lamia Tchoketch Kebir
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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Lesson 1:
Characteristics of Polynomial Functions
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Learning Goals:
MHF4U_Advanced Functions

• Polynomial functions and their properties (Domain, range, end behaviors,

turning points, and intercepts)
• Investigate the turning points and end behaviors of polynomial functions.
• Finite differences
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Exploring Polynomial Functions MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Goal: Identify polynomial functions.

• A polynomial in one variable is an expression of the form:

𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑛 𝑥 𝑛 + 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑥 𝑛−1 + 𝑎𝑛−2 𝑥 𝑛−2 + ⋯ + 𝑎3 𝑥 3 + 𝑎2 𝑥 2 + 𝑎1 𝑥 + 𝑎0
• The coefficients 𝑎0 , 𝑎1 , 𝑎2 , … , 𝑎𝑛 are real numbers
• The exponents on the variable must be whole numbers.
• The expression contains only one variable, with the powers arranged in
descending order.
• The degree of the function is the highest exponent in the expression n.
• The leading coefficient is 𝑎𝑛
• The constant term 𝑎0
For each of the following functions, decide whether each is a polynomial function 5
MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Function Yes/No Function Yes/No

3𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 + 3 5 2 1
4𝑥 3 − 𝑥 + 2𝑥 −
3 4
1 3𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 + 3
2𝑥 + 5 3𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 1
𝑥 + 5𝑥 3 3𝑥 − 5
−4𝑥 + 5𝑥 7 − 3𝑥 4 + 2 −5𝑥
3𝑥 2 − 5𝑥 2 − 3𝑥 + 2 + 4𝑥 −1 sin( 𝑥 − 30)
2 3
𝑥 − 3𝑥 5 + 4 (2𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 + 1)2
5
4𝑥 − 5𝑥 𝑥 2 𝑦 + 3𝑥 − 4𝑦 −2
-7 3𝑥 3 − 5𝑥 2.5
The simplest polynomial functions are functions that contain a single term. Use a 6
graphing calculator or Desmos app, to graph each of the following polynomial
MHF4U_Advanced Functions
functions, and then complete the table.
Polynomial Type Sketch of Description Domain Range
Function Graph of Graph

𝑓 𝑥 =𝑥

𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥2

𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥3

𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥4

𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥5
Finite differences: 7
Find the difference of the y-values until the differences are constant. What do
you notice? MHF4U_Advanced Functions

𝑓 𝑥 =𝑥

First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth

𝑥 𝑦
difference difference difference difference difference difference
0
1
2
3
Finite differences: 8
Find the difference of the y-values until the differences are constant.
MHF4U_Advanced Functions

𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥2

First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth

𝑥 𝑦
difference difference difference difference difference difference
0
1
2
3
Finite differences: 9
Find the difference of the y-values until the differences are constant.
MHF4U_Advanced Functions

𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥3

First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth

𝑥 𝑦
difference difference difference difference difference difference
0
1
2
3
4
 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥4 10
First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth MHF4U_Advanced Functions
𝑥 𝑦
difference difference difference difference difference difference
0
1
2
3
4
5

Finite Differences Method:

A method of finding the degree of a polynomial that will model a differences
between data values corresponding to equally spaced values of the
independent variable.
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MHF4U_Advanced Functions
Example 1:
Determine the degree of the polynomials represented by the table below.

𝑓 𝑥 =?
First Second Third Fourth Fifth Sixth
𝑥 𝑦
difference difference difference difference difference difference
-5 -1250
0 0
5 -1250
10 -20000
15 -101250
20 -320000

This polynomial is of degree …

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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Example 2:

• Create equations for three different polynomial functions

(degree > 2). Make sure that each function has a different
degree and contains at least three terms. Graph each
function on a graphing calculator and make a detailed
sketch.
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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟐𝒙𝟑 + 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙𝟒 − 𝟐𝒙𝟑 − 𝟐𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟐𝒙𝟓 − 𝒙𝟐 + 𝟏

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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Example 3:

• Create equations for three non-polynomial functions. Make

detailed sketches of their graphs.
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Compare and contrast the graphs and the equations for the polynomial and non-
polynomial functions you created. MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Explain how you can tell whether a function is a polynomial or not by looking at its graph
or equation.

𝒇 𝒙 = 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟐 𝒙𝟐 − 𝟓 𝒇 𝒙 = 𝟒𝟐𝒙 − 𝟐
𝒇 𝒙 =
𝒙
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Key Concepts
MHF4U_Advanced Functions

• A polynomial function has the form 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑎𝑛 𝑥 𝑛 + 𝑎𝑛−1 𝑥 𝑛−1 + 𝑎𝑛 𝑥 𝑛 +

𝑎𝑛−2 𝑥 𝑛−2 + ⋯ + 𝑎3 𝑥 3 + 𝑎2 𝑥 2 + 𝑎1 𝑥 + 𝑎0
• A power function is a polynomial of the form𝑦 = 𝑎𝑥 𝑛 , where n is a whole
number.
• The degree of the function is the highest exponent in the expression.
• The nth finite differences of a polynomial function of degree n are
constant.
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Key Concepts
MHF4U_Advanced Functions

• The domain of a polynomial function is the set of real numbers, 𝑥 ∈ ℝ .

• The range of a polynomial function may be all real numbers, or it may
have a lower bound or an upper bound (but not both).
• The graphs of polynomial functions do not have horizontal or vertical
asymptotes.

• Homework: Nelson, Advanced Functions:

• Page 127: 1-3.
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Characteristics of Polynomial Functions

MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Goal: Investigate the turning points and end behaviors

of polynomial

How can you predict some of the characteristics of a

polynomial function from its equation?

The graphs of some polynomial functions are shown

next, complete the table.
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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Equation and Graph Degree Even or Leading End Behaviours Number Number
Odd Coefficient of of zeros
Degree? 𝒙 → −∞ 𝒙→∞ Turning
Points
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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Equation and Graph Degree Even or Leading End Behaviours Number Number
Odd Coefficient of of zeros
Degree? 𝒙 → −∞ 𝒙→∞ Turning
Points
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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Equation and Graph Degree Even or Leading End Behaviours Number Number
Odd Coefficient of of zeros
Degree? 𝒙 → −∞ 𝒙→∞ Turning
Points
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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Equation and Graph Degree Even or Leading End Behaviours Number Number
Odd Coefficient of of zeros
Degree? 𝒙 → −∞ 𝒙→∞ Turning
Points
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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Equation and Graph Degree Even or Leading End Behaviours Number Number
Odd Coefficient of of zeros
Degree? 𝒙 → −∞ 𝒙→∞ Turning
Points
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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Equation and Graph Degree Even or Leading End Behaviours Number Number
Odd Coefficient of of zeros
Degree? 𝒙 → −∞ 𝒙→∞ Turning
Points
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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Equation and Graph Degree Even or Leading End Behaviours Number Number
Odd Coefficient of of zeros
Degree? 𝒙 → −∞ 𝒙→∞ Turning
Points
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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Equation and Graph Degree Even or Leading End Behaviours Number Number
Odd Coefficient of of zeros
Degree? 𝒙 → −∞ 𝒙→∞ Turning
Points
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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Equation and Graph Degree Even or Leading End Behaviours Number Number
Odd Coefficient of of zeros
Degree? 𝒙 → −∞ 𝒙→∞ Turning
Points

1) What do you think is the maximum number of turning points that a polynomial function of degree n can have?
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Recall:
MHF4U_Advanced Functions

Even functions:
any function that is
symmetric about the y-
axis; algebraically, all even
functions have the
property 𝑓 −𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 .

Odd functions: any

function that has
rotational symmetry about
the origin; algebraically, all
odd functions have the
property 𝑓 −𝑥 = −𝑓 𝑥 .
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2) Determine 𝑓(−𝑥) for each function and state whether the function in MHF4U_Advanced Functions

odd, even or neither odd nor even.

a) 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 2 − 5.

b) 𝑓 𝑥 = −𝑥 3 + 2𝑥

c) 𝑓 𝑥 = 𝑥 4 − 2𝑥 3 − 1
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3) Is every function of odd degree an odd function? MHF4U_Advanced Functions

4) Is every function of even degree an even function?

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MHF4U_Advanced Functions

absolute maximum/absolute
minimum: the greatest/least
value attained by a function
for all values in its domain

Local maximum/minimum:
the greatest/least value
attained by a function within
a given range
.
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5) Which functions below contain absolute maxima or minima? MHF4U_Advanced Functions

What pattern can you generalize from this observation?

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6) Why must all polynomial functions of odd degree have at least one zero?
MHF4U_Advanced Functions
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7) Can the graph of a polynomial function have no zeros? Explain. MHF4U_Advanced Functions
8) End Behavior: 35
MHF4U_Advanced Functions
Example 1 36
Reasoning about characteristics of a given polynomial function
MHF4U_Advanced Functions
• Describe the end behaviors of each function, the possible number of turning
points, and the possible number of zeros. Use these characteristics to sketch
possible graphs of the function.
a) 𝑓 𝑥 = −3𝑥 5 + 4𝑥 3 − 8𝑥 2 + 7𝑥 − 5

b) 𝑔 𝑥 = 2𝑥 4 + 4𝑥 2 + 2
Example 2:
Reasoning about how given characteristics fit particular functions
37
MHF4U_Advanced Functions
• What could the graph of a polynomial function that has range
𝑅 = 𝑦 ∈ ℝ ≤ 10 and three turning points look like?
• What can you conclude about its equation?
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Key Concepts
MHF4U_Advanced Functions

• Polynomial functions of the same degree have similar

characteristics.
• The degree and the leading coefficient in the equation of a
polynomial function indicate the end behaviors of the graph.
• The degree of a polynomial function provides information about
the shape, turning points, and zeros of the graph.
Key Concepts 39
MHF4U_Advanced Functions
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Key Concepts
MHF4U_Advanced Functions

• Turning Points: A polynomial function of degree n has at most n-1 turning points.
• Number of Zeros:
• A polynomial function of degree n may have up to n distinct zeros.
• A polynomial function of odd degree must have at least one zero.
• A polynomial function of even degree may have no zeros.
• Symmetry
• Some polynomial functions are symmetrical in the y-axis. These are even
functions, where 𝑓 −𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 .
• Some polynomial functions have rotational symmetry about the origin. These are
odd functions, where 𝑓 −𝑥 = −𝑓 𝑥 .
• Most polynomial functions have no symmetrical properties. These are functions
that are neither even nor odd, with no relationship between f(-x) and f(x).
Key Concepts 41
MHF4U_Advanced Functions

• Symmetry
• Some polynomial functions are symmetrical in the y-axis. These are
even functions, where 𝑓 −𝑥 = 𝑓 𝑥 .
• Some polynomial functions have rotational symmetry about the origin.
These are odd functions, where 𝑓 −𝑥 = −𝑓 𝑥 .
• Most polynomial functions have no symmetrical properties. These are
functions that are neither even nor odd, with no relationship between
f(-x) and f(x).
Homework: Nelson, Advanced Functions:
• page 136: 1-4,
• page 137: 5-7,
• page 138: 10-14