Why can't a graph have more than 20 horizontal asymptotes?

Answer by  Diddum (348)

That is not correct. Actually the graph of a function cannot have more than 2 (two) horizontal asymptotes. The reason is that the horizontal asymptotes can arise only for the variable x going to plus or to minus infinity, while y goes to a constant.

Answer by  jsmith (2067)

The short answer is that it can - it can have as many as you specify. 20 isn't some magical number, and my intuition says that its some artificial limit set on your homework assignment. For example if you graphed the function 1/x + c where c was any whole number, you would have infinite asymptotes at intervals of 1.

Answer by  kc14 (18)

It CAN have more than 20. For example, imagine taking the graph of y=1/x, and adding in the graph of y=1/x+1, y=1/x+2, etc. A FUNCTION can only have two asymptotes.