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DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS 2 – MTH 260S

MATHEMATICS 2 – MTH261S

INTEGRATION BY PARTIAL FRACTIONS

CHAPTER 68 IN BIRD

Lecturer: A. Cloete

We know that
1 1 9
+ =
4 5 20

We can also write it as

9 1 1
= +
20 4 5

9
And say that we have resolved into two partial (simpler) fractions
20
1 1
and . A similar situation occurs in the case of algebraic fractions.
4 5

Consider
𝑝(𝑥)
𝐹(𝑥) = ,
𝑞(𝑥)

Where p(x) and q(x) are polynomials in x. F(x) is called a rational

fraction. If the degree of the numerator is greater than or equal to
the degree of the denominator, the denominator is divided into the
numerator. For example

2𝑥 4 + 𝑥 2 −3𝑥+1 15𝑥 2 +9𝑥+1

= 2𝑥 + 4 +
𝑥 3 −2𝑥 2 −3𝑥 𝑥 3 −2𝑥 2 −3𝑥

The first two terms can be integrated directly, but the fraction cannot.
If the denominator is factorable, the fraction is broken up into simpler
partial fractions. Depending on the nature of the factors of the
denominator, we will deal with four different cases.

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Lecturer: A.Cloete
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Case 1: Linear non-repeated factors

𝑓(𝑥) A B C
= + +
(𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏)(𝑐𝑥 + 𝑑)(𝑒𝑥 + 𝑓) 𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏 c𝑥 + 𝑑 e𝑥 + 𝑓

Case 2: Linear repeated factors

𝑓(𝑥) A B P
= + + ⋯ +
(𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏)𝑛 (𝑎𝑥 + 𝑏)𝑛 (a𝑥 + 𝑏)𝑛−1 a𝑥 + 𝑏

Case 3: Quadratic non-repeated factors

𝑓(𝑥) 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵 Cx + D
= +
(𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐)(𝑑𝑥 2 + 𝑒𝑥 + 𝑓) 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐 d𝑥 2 + 𝑒𝑥 + 𝑓

Case 4: Quadratic repeated factors

𝑓(𝑥) 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵 𝑃𝑥 + 𝑄
= + ⋯ +
(𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐)𝑛 (𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐)𝑛 𝑎𝑥 2 + 𝑏𝑥 + 𝑐

Note: A combination of the different cases can also occur.

In Summary:

1. Our first attempt is to solve our integral from first year

methods.

2. If we cannot solve our integral from first year methods, we

check whether the degree of our numerator is greater or equal
to the degree of our denominator

3. If the degree of our numerator is greater or equal to the

degree of our denominator we use long division. After
applying long division, we see that the first terms of our

MTH260S, MTH261S
Lecturer: A.Cloete
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fraction can be integrated directly (First year integrals), but our

fraction cannot.

4. We check whether our fraction is factorable.

5. If our fraction is factorable we break our fraction up into

simpler partial fractions. We always attempt to work with
linear factors only if possible. This means that if we work with
example quadratic functions, we always check whether we
can further factorise it into linear factors since it is easier to
work with linear factors.

6. Depending on the nature of our factors, we apply one or a

combination of our forms as given above.

7. If our fraction is not factorable we need to use other methods

to solve our integral.

Examples of the different cases will now be examined.

𝑥−1
1. ∫ 𝑥 3 +𝑥 2 −12𝑥 𝑑𝑥

Checks:

 Can we solve our integral from first year methods?

(NO since 𝑥 − 1 is not the derivative or a multiple of the
derivative of 𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 − 12𝑥).

 Is the degree of x-1 smaller than the degree of 𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 − 12𝑥?

(Yes → No need to do long division).

 Is the denominator factorable?

(Yes → we factorise and check whether our quadratic can be
further factorised into linear factors)

𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 = 𝑥 (𝑥 2 + 𝑥 − 12)

=𝑥(𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3)

MTH260S, MTH261S
Lecturer: A.Cloete
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Our factors are all linear and different → we are working with
linear non-repeated factors → we apply Case 1.

𝑥−1 𝑥−1
∫ 𝑑𝑥 = ∫ 𝑑𝑥
𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 − 12𝑥 𝑥(𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3)

𝑥−1 𝐴 𝐵 𝐶
= + +
𝑥(𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3) 𝑥 𝑥+4 𝑥−3

𝑥−1 𝐴(𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3) + 𝐵𝑥(𝑥 − 3) + 𝐶𝑥(𝑥 + 4)

→ =
𝑥(𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3) 𝑥(𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3)

→ 𝑥 − 1 = 𝐴 (𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3) + 𝐵𝑥(𝑥 − 3) + 𝐶𝑥(𝑥 + 4)

1
For 𝑥 = 0: −1 = 𝐴 (4)(−3) → 𝐴=
12

5
For 𝑥 = −4: −5 = 𝐵 (−4)(−7) → 𝐵 =
28

2
For 𝑥 = 3: 2 = 𝐶 (3)(7) → 𝐶=
21

NOTE:
The above are techniques that we apply in order to solve for
𝐴, 𝐵 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐶.
We get 𝑥 = 0 from the factor 𝑥 in order to solve for 𝐴

We get 𝑥 = −4 from the factor (𝑥 + 4) in order to solve for 𝐵

We get 𝑥 = 3 from the factor (𝑥 − 3) in order to solve for 𝐶

𝑥−1 𝐴 𝐵 𝐶
∫ = ∫ 𝑑𝑥 + ∫ 𝑑𝑥 + ∫ 𝑑𝑥
𝑥(𝑥 + 4)(𝑥 − 3) 𝑥 𝑥+4 𝑥−3
1 5 2
12 28 21
= ∫ 𝑑𝑥 + ∫ 𝑑𝑥 + ∫ 𝑑𝑥
𝑥 𝑥+4 𝑥−3

1 5 2
= 𝑙𝑛𝑥 + ln(𝑥 + 4) + ln(𝑥 − 3) + 𝑐
12 28 21

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Lecturer: A.Cloete
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𝑡 3 −𝑡+3
2. ∫ 𝑡 2 (𝑡−2) 𝑑𝑡

The degree in the numerator is equal to the degree in

the denominator → we use long division.

By using long division

𝑡 3 −𝑡+3 2𝑡 2 −𝑡+3
=1+
𝑡 2 (𝑡−2) 𝑡 3 −2𝑡 2

𝑡3 − 𝑡 + 3 2𝑡 2 − 𝑡 + 3
=1+
𝑡 2 (𝑡 − 2) 𝑡 3 − 2𝑡 2

2𝑡 2 − 𝑡 + 3 2𝑡 2 − 𝑡 + 3
= 2
𝑡 3 − 2𝑡 2 𝑡 (𝑡 − 2)
𝐴 𝐵 𝐶
= + +
𝑡2 𝑡 𝑡−2

→ 2𝑡2 − 𝑡 + 3 = 𝐴(𝑡 − 2) + 𝐵𝑡(𝑡 − 2) + 𝐶𝑡2 *

3
For 𝑡 = 0: 3 = 𝐴 (−2) → 𝐴=−
2

9
For 𝑡 = 2: 9=4𝐶 →𝐶 =
4

3 9
Substitute 𝐴=− and 𝐶= in * , group the
2 4
"𝑡 2 " 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑠, 𝑡ℎ𝑒 "𝑡" 𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑚𝑠 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑑 𝐵.

3 9
∴ 2𝑡 2 − 𝑡 + 3 = − (𝑡 − 2) + 𝐵𝑡(𝑡 − 2) + 𝑡2
2 4

3 9
= −
2
𝑡 + 3 + 𝐵𝑡2 − 2𝐵𝑡 + 4 𝑡2

MTH260S, MTH261S
Lecturer: A.Cloete
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9 −3
= 𝑡 2 ( + 𝐵) + 𝑡 ( − 2𝐵) + 3
4 2
9 1
→ +𝐵 =2 → 𝐵= −
4 4

3 1 9
𝑡 3 −𝑡+3 −2 −4 4
∫ 𝑡 2 (𝑡−2) 𝑑𝑡 = ∫ 𝑑𝑡 + ∫ 𝑡 2 𝑑𝑡 + ∫ 𝑡
𝑑𝑡 + ∫
𝑡−2
𝑑𝑡
3 1 9
=𝑡+ − 𝑙𝑛𝑡 + ln(𝑡 − 2) + 𝑐
2𝑡 4 4

2𝑥 2 − 𝑥+4
3. ∫ (𝑥+2)(3𝑥−1)(𝑥 2+4) 𝑑𝑥

2𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 4 𝐴 𝐵 𝐶𝑥 + 𝐷
= + +
(𝑥 + 2)(3𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 2 + 4) 𝑥 + 2 3𝑥 − 1 𝑥2 + 4

→ 2𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 4 = 𝐴 (3𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 2 + 4) + 𝐵(𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 2 + 4) + (𝐶𝑥 +

𝐷)(𝑥 + 2)(3𝑥 − 1)
1
𝑥 = −2 ∶ → 14 = 𝐴 (−7)(8) → 𝐴=−
4

1 35 7 37 15
𝑥= ∶ → = 𝐵 ( )( ) → 𝐵=
3 9 3 9 37

∴ 2𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 4
1 15
= − (3𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 2 + 4) + (𝑥 + 2)(𝑥 2 + 4) + (𝐶𝑥
4 37
+ 𝐷)(𝑥 + 2)(3𝑥 − 1)

1 15
= − (3𝑥 3 + 12𝑥 − 𝑥 2 − 4) + (𝑥 3 + 4𝑥 + 2𝑥 2 + 8)
4 37
2
+ (𝐶𝑥 + 𝐷)(3𝑥 + 5𝑥 − 2)

1 15
= − (3𝑥 3 + 12𝑥 − 𝑥 2 − 4) + (𝑥 3 + 4𝑥 + 2𝑥 2 + 8) + 3𝐶𝑥 3
4 37
+ 5𝐶𝑥 − 2𝐶𝑥 + 3𝐷𝑥 2 + 5𝐷𝑥 − 2𝐷
2

Equating coefficients of 𝑥 3 we get:

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3 15 17
0=− + + 3𝐶 → 𝐶=
4 37 148

Equating coefficients of 𝑥 2 we get:

1 30 9
2= + + 5𝐶 + 3𝐷 → 𝐷=
4 37 74

2𝑥 2 − 𝑥 + 4
∴ ∫ 𝑑𝑥
(𝑥 + 2)(3𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 2 + 4)

1 15 17 9
− 𝑥+
=∫ 4 𝑑𝑥 + ∫ 37 𝑑𝑥 + ∫ 148 74 𝑑𝑥
𝑥+2 3𝑥 − 1 2
𝑥 +4

1 5 17 9 𝑥
= − ln(𝑥 + 2) + ln(3𝑥 − 1) + ln(𝑥 2 + 4) + 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛 ( ) + 𝑐
4 37 296 148 2

2𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 +4
4. ∫ 𝑑𝑥
(𝑥 2 +4)2

2𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 + 4 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵 𝐶𝑥 + 𝐷
= +
(𝑥 2 + 4)2 (𝑥 2 + 4)2 𝑥2 + 4

→ 2𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 + 4 = 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵 + (𝐶𝑥 + 𝐷)(𝑥 2 + 4)

= 𝑥 3 𝐶 + 𝑥 2 𝐷 + 𝑥(𝐴 + 4𝐶) + (𝐵 + 4𝐷)

→ 𝐶 = 2, 𝐷=1

𝐴 + 4𝐶 = 0 → 𝐴 = −8

𝐵 + 4𝐷 = 4 → 𝐵 = 0

2𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 + 4 −8𝑥 2𝑥 + 1
∴ ∫ 𝑑𝑥 = ∫ 𝑑𝑥 + ∫ 𝑑𝑥
(𝑥 2 + 4)2 (𝑥 2 + 4)2 𝑥2 + 4

2𝑥 1
= − 8 ∫ 𝑥 (𝑥 2 + 4)−2 𝑑𝑥 + ∫ 𝑑𝑥 + ∫ 𝑑𝑥
𝑥2 + 4 𝑥2 + 4

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 8

4 2
1 𝑥
= + ln(𝑥 + 4) + 𝑎𝑟𝑐𝑡𝑎𝑛 ( )+𝑐
𝑥2 + 2 2 2

Exercises

Determine the following integrals:

3𝑥−7
1. ∫ (𝑥−1)(𝑥−2)(𝑥−3) 𝑑𝑥

4𝑥+3
2. ∫ 4𝑥 3+8𝑥 2+3𝑥 𝑑𝑥

1
3. ∫ (𝑥+1) (𝑥 2+1)2 𝑑𝑥

1
4. ∫ 𝑥 (𝑥+1)2 𝑑𝑥

1
5. ∫ 𝑥(𝑥 2+𝑥+1) 𝑑𝑥

3 𝑥+1
6. ∫2 𝑑𝑥
𝑥 2 (𝑥−1)

𝑥3+ 𝑥2
7. ∫ 𝑥 2+𝑥−2 𝑑𝑥

1
8. ∫ 𝑥 4+4𝑥 2+3 𝑑𝑥

1
9. ∫ (𝑥+3)(𝑥 2−𝑥−2) 𝑑𝑥

𝑥 2 +𝑥+1
10. ∫ ( 𝑥+3)(𝑥−1)( 𝑥−2) 𝑑𝑥

5𝑥 2 −1
11. ∫ 𝑑𝑥
𝑥 3 −𝑥

4𝑥 3 + 2𝑥 2 +1
12. ∫ 𝑑𝑥
4𝑥 3 − 𝑥

𝑥 2 −3
13. ∫ (𝑥+1)2(𝑥+2) 𝑑𝑥

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𝑥2
14. ∫ (4𝑥 2 −1)(2𝑥+3) 𝑑𝑥

2𝑥 2 +1
15. ∫ (𝑥+2)3 𝑑𝑥

𝑥3
16. ∫ (𝑥 2 +1)2 𝑑𝑥

𝑥2+ 𝑥
17. ∫ 𝑥 3− 𝑥 2+𝑥−1 𝑑𝑥

2 𝑥 3 +𝑥 2 +4
18. ∫ 𝑑𝑥
(𝑥 2 +4)2

𝑥 3 −3𝑥 2 + 𝑥−1
19. ∫ 𝑑𝑥
𝑥 2 −4𝑥+4

𝑥 4 − 𝑥 3 − 3𝑥 2 −2𝑥+1
20. ∫ 𝑑𝑥
𝑥 3 + 𝑥 2 −2𝑥

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