Integration – Method of Partial Fractions

The method of partial fractions isn't really calculus, but it may be used to make some integrals much easier than they would
have been otherwise.

If the degree of the numerator in a rational expression is lower than that of the denominator, we can split that rational
expression into Partial Fractions. (Given a rational expression with a numerator having a higher degree than that of the
denominator, we first need to perform long division.)

1
Memorize the common integral x 2
dx  tan 1 x  c
1

Steps
1) Factor the denominator completely. Don't write any factor more than once, use exponents if it is a repeat factor.
4 x 3  5x 2  8 x  3
Let's use one that's already factored
x 2 ( 2 x  3)( x 2  2) 2
2) Split the expression into a sum of smaller fractions. Each possible power of each factor of the denominator will have its
own separate fraction, and the numerator of each fraction will be of degree one less than the factor. For each factor, do not
exceed the largest power in the factored denominator. See below.

4 x 3  5x 2  8x  3 a b c dx  e fx  g
2 2 2
  2   2  2
x ( 2 x  3)( x  2) x x 2 x  3 x  2 ( x  2) 2

3) Multiply both sides by the common denominator

4x3 – 5x2 + 8x – 3 = ax(2x+3)(x2+ 2)2 + b(2x+3)(x2+2)2 + cx2(x2+2)2 + (dx + e)x2(2x + 3)(x2+ 2) + (fx + g)x2(2x + 3)

4) Distribute and simplify the right side, then make an equation for each possible power of the variable x.
The solution to this system can then be back substituted into the fractions in step 2. A substitution trick may also be used. It
may be shown in class or on video.
x 2  7 x  27
Small example
x3  6x 2  9 x
x 2  7 x  27
Step 1) x ( x  3) 2

x 2  7 x  27 a b c
Step 2) 2
  
x( x  3) x x  3 ( x  3) 2
Step 3) x2 – 7x + 27 = a(x – 3)2 + bx(x – 3) + cx

Step 4) x2 – 7x + 27 = ax2 – 6ax + 9a + bx2 – 3bx + cx

From the equation above, looking only at the like x2 terms, we can derive the equation x2 = ax2 + bx2, so a+b=1
From the like x terms, we derive the equation –7x = –6ax – 3bxb + cx , so -6a – 3b + c = -7
From the constants, we derive 9a = 27. Solving this system yields a = 3, b = -2, and c = 5.

x 2  7 x  27 3  2 5
Substituting back into step 2's format gives 2
  
x( x  3) x x  3 ( x  3) 2
Break the following into partial fractions. DO NOT solve for the coefficients.

2 x 3  3x 2  5 6 x 5  2 x 3  x 2  3x
1) 2)
x( 2 x 2  3) 3 x 3 ( 4 x  1)( 2 x 4  7 ) 2

Use the method of partial fractions to help integrate the following

1 14 x 3  2 x 2  32 x  8 5x 4  2 x 2  5
3)  x 2  9 dx 4)  dx 5)  x 5  2 x 3  x dx
x 4  16

Integrate
5e 2 x x 2  2x  3 x 1
6)  e 4 x  1 dx 7)  x 3  x dx 8) x2
dx
1

A bit tougher (Perform long division first)

4 x 3  2 x 2  15 x  5 3x 2  6 x  4
9)  dx 10)  9 x 2  1 dx
x2  4

Solutions to examples
a bx  c dx  e fx  g a b c d ex 3  fx 2  gx  h kx 3  mx 2  nx  p
1)  2   2)  2  3   
2
x 2 x  3 (2 x  3) 2
(2 x 2  3) 3 x x x 4x  1 2x 4  7 ( 2 x 4  7) 2

1 1
3) ln x  3  ln x  3  c (Note: factored denominator is (x - 3)(x + 3))
6 6

3
4) 6 ln x  2  5 ln x  2  ln x 2  4  c (Note: factored denominator is (x – 2)(x + 2)(x2 + 4))
2

4 5
5) 5 ln x  2
 c (Note: factored denominator is x(x2 + 1)2) 6) tan 1 (e 2 x )  c
x 1 2

1
 
7) 2 ln x 2  1  2 tan 1 x  3 ln x  c 8)
2
 
ln x 2  1  tan 1 x  c

5 1
9) 2 x 2  2 x  ln x  2  ln x  2  c
4 4

1 7 19
10) 3 x  18 ln 3x  1  18 ln 3 x  1  c