Using a graphing calculator, a student measures the distance traveled by a car and finds that the car approaches a certain point but never actually reaches it. What can be concluded about the behavior of the function that models the distance traveled?

Core Concept

The primary reason the student can conclude that the function approaches a vertical asymptote is because the car never actually reaches the certain point, which indicates that the function is approaching an asymptote. This is a characteristic of rational functions, not discontinuous functions. (D) is incorrect because the function is not continuous, as the car does not actually reach the point. (C) is incorrect because the function's derivative being undefined does not necessarily imply that it approaches a vertical asymptote.