Integration by Partial Functions:

In this section we show how to integrate any rational function (a ratio of polynomials) by
expressing it as a sum of simpler fractions, called partial fractions, that we already know how to
integrate.

Let’s consider a rational function f(x)=P(x)/Q(x) where P and Q are polynomials. It’s possible to
express f(x) as a sum of simpler fractions provided that the degree of P is less than the degree of
Q.
if the degree of P is greater than or equal to the degree of Q, then we must take the
preliminary step of dividing P by Q(by long division).

Example 1:The Diniminator is a product of dinstinct linear factors

4 x2  3 x  4
Evaluate I   x 3  x 2  2 x dx
Solution:
4 x2  3 x  4 4 x2  3 x  4 A B C
3 2
   
x  x  2 x x ( x  1)(x  2) x ( x  1) ( x  2)

Multiplying both sides by the common denominator, we find an identity

4 x 2  3 x  4  A( x  1)( x  2)  Bx( x  2)  C x( x  1)

Putting x  0 , 1 ,  2 , we find A  2 , B  1 & C  3

2 1 3
I   dx  2ln x  ln x  1  3ln x  2  C .
x ( x  1) ( x  2)
Example 2:The Dinominator is a product of linear factors, some of which are repeated.
2 x2  3
Evaluate I   x ( x  1)2
dx

Solution:
2 x2  3 A B C
We have 2
  
x ( x  1) x ( x  1) ( x  1)2
 2 x 2  3  A( x  1)2  B x ( x  1)  C x
 Putting x  0 & 1 , we find A  3 & C  5

Equating the coefficients of both sides, we find B  1

3 1 5 x3 5
 I   2
dx  ln   C.
x ( x  1) ( x  1) x 1 ( x  1)
Example 3:The Dinomiator contains irreducible quadratic factors, none of which is
repeated.
dx
Evaluate I   x (x 2
 x  1)

Solution:
1 A Bx  C
We have  
x ( x 2  x  1) x ( x 2  x  1)
 1  A( x 2  x  1)  ( B x  C ) x

Equating the coefficients of x0 both sides, we find A 1

Equating the coefficients of x2 both sides, we find B  −1

Equating the coefficients of x both sides, we find C = _1

1 x+1 1 _ 1 (2x +1+1)

I x − 2
( x  x  1)
dx   x 2( x 2  x  1) dx

2 _ 2x  1 1 1 2 1  2 x  1  
I  1 2
 2
dx  2ln x _ ln x 2  x  1 
 tan   .
2 x ( x  x  1) ( x  12 )  4 )
3
2 3  3 

Example 4:The Dinominator contains a repeated irreducible quadratic factor.

Evaluate
Solution
The form of the partial fraction decomposition is:

4 x
4 x x
Multiplying by x(x2 + 1)2, we have:
x x
x2 x

2
1
2
2
x

If we equate coefficients, we get the system

x3
This has the solution A = 1, B = –1, C = –1, D = 1, E = 0.

Thus,

x  2 x-3
2
Problem1: Evaluate the Integral:  ( x  1)( x 2  2 x  2) dx
 x2
Problem2: Evaluate the Integral:  ( x  1)2 ( x  1) dx
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1
Problem3: Evaluate the Integral: x dx
4
4
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 e5 x
Problem4: Evaluate the Integral:  e 4 x  1 dx
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The final answers of the extra problems:

4 9 2
1) ln x  1  ln x 2  2 x  2  tan 1 ( x  1)  C .
5 10 5
3 1 1
2) ln x  1   ln x  1  C .
4 2( x  1) 4
1 x2  2 x  2 1
3) ln 2   tan 1 ( x  1)  tan 1 ( x  1)   C .
16 x  2x  2 8

1 ex  1 1
4) ex  ln x  tan 1 e x  C .
4 e 1 2