You’ve studied how to identify and manipulate rational expressions and radical expressions such as

[latex]\dfrac{5}{x+2}, \quad \text{ or } \quad \dfrac{x}{x^2-9}, \quad \text{ and } \quad \sqrt{2x+1}[/latex].

You’ve also seen how to solve rational and radical equations (equations in which the variable is contained within one or more rational or radical expressions). This module will extend those concepts to the language of functions, where you’ll learn about graphing and applying rational and radical functions to real-world situations.

To prepare, it will be important to practice applications of rational and radical equations and see how radical functions are graphed using a few key points. This module includes a problem-solving technique known as variation, which involves writing relationships as proportions in order to solve for an unknown, so it will be helpful to review proportions as well.

Warm up for this module by refreshing important concepts and skills you’ll need for success. As you study these review topics, recall that you can also return to Algebra Essentials any time you need to refresh the basics.