Partial Fractions Quiz

Module 2
Partial Fractions:
There are 4 main types.

Type 1. The denominator has linear factors.
Example 1.
5𝑥−4
1. Express in Partial fractions.
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−2)
Solution.
5𝑥−4 𝐴 𝐵
Let ≡ +
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−2) 𝑥+1 𝑥−2
5𝑥−4 𝐴(𝑥−2)+𝐵(𝑥+1)
Then
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−2)
≡ (𝑥+1)(𝑥−2)
∴ 5𝑥 − 4 ≡ 𝐴(𝑥 − 2) + 𝐵(𝑥 + 1)
This is an identity so it is true for all values of x
Putting 𝑥 = −1 will give the value of A and putting 𝑥 = 2 will
give the value of B.
Let 𝑥 = −1 −9 = −3𝐴, so 𝐴 = 3
Let 𝑥 = 2 6 = 3𝐵, so 𝐵 = 2
5𝑥−4 3 2
≡ +
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−2) 𝑥+1 𝑥−2
Example 2.
4𝑥 2 −12
Express in partial fractions.
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−1)(𝑥+3)
Solution.
4𝑥 2 −12 𝐴 𝐵 𝐶
Let ≡ + +
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−1)(𝑥+3) 𝑥+1 𝑥−1 𝑥+3
4𝑥 2 −12 𝐴(𝑥−1)(𝑥+3)+ 𝐵(𝑥+1)(𝑥+3)+ 𝐶(𝑥−1)(𝑥+1)
Then ≡
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−1)(𝑥+3) (𝑥+1) (𝑥−1) (𝑥+3)
∴ 4𝑥 2 − 12 ≡ 𝐴(𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 + 3) + 𝐵(𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 + 3) + 𝐶(𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 + 1)

Let 𝑥 = −1 −8 = −4𝐴, so 𝐴 = 2
Let 𝑥 = 1 −8 = 8𝐵, so 𝐵 = −1
Let 𝑥 = −3 24 = 8𝐶, so 𝐶 = 3
4𝑥 2 −12 2 −1 3
≡ + +
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−1)(𝑥+3) 𝑥+1 𝑥−1 𝑥+3
4𝑥 2 −12 2 1 3
≡ − +
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−1)(𝑥+3) 𝑥+1 𝑥−1 𝑥+3
Type 2. The denominator has quadratic factor. This term will have
a numerator of type 𝐴𝑥 + 𝐵.
Example 3.
𝑥 2 +5𝑥+3
(𝑥−1)(𝑥 2 +2)
𝑥 2 +5𝑥+3 𝐴 𝐵𝑥+𝐶
Solution. ≡ +
(𝑥−1)(𝑥 2 +2) 𝑥−1 𝑥 2 +1
∴ 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 3 ≡ 𝐴(𝑥 2 + 2) + (𝐵𝑥 + 𝐶)(𝑥 − 1)
Let 𝑥 = 1 9 = 3𝐴, so 𝐴 = 3
To find B and C, compare coefficients of 𝑥 2 , or 𝑥, or put 𝑥 = 0.
Let 𝑥 = 0 3 = 2𝐴 − 𝐶, so 𝐶 = 3
Coefficients of 𝑥 2 , 1 = 𝐴 + 𝐵, so 𝐵 = −2
( 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑜𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑥, 5 = 𝐶 − 𝐵 𝑖𝑠 𝑢𝑠𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑎𝑠 𝑎 𝑐ℎ𝑒𝑐𝑘)
𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 3 3 2𝑥 − 3
∴ ≡ −
(𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 2 + 2) 𝑥 − 1 𝑥 2 + 1
Note that it is 2𝑥 − 3 not 2𝑥 + 3 in the numerator because of the

minus sign in front of the fraction.
Type 3.
There is a repeated linear factor in the denominator. Note how this is

expressed in the following example.
Example 4.
6𝑥 2 −17𝑥+7
(𝑥−3)(𝑥−1)2
Solution.
6𝑥 2 −17𝑥+7 𝐴 𝐵 𝐶
Let ≡ + +
(𝑥−3)(𝑥−1)2 𝑥−3 𝑥−1 (𝑥−1)2
6𝑥 2 − 17𝑥 + 7 𝐴(𝑥 − 1)2 + 𝐵(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 − 1) + 𝐶(𝑥 − 3)

≡
(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 − 1)2 (𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 − 1)2
𝐵𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑛 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑦
∴ 6𝑥 2 − 17𝑥 + 7 ≡ 𝐴(𝑥 − 1)2 + 𝐵(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 − 1) + 𝐶(𝑥 − 3)
Let 𝑥 = 1 −4 = −2𝐶, so 𝐶 = 2
5
Let 𝑥 = 3 10 = 4𝐴, so 𝐴 =
2
To find B, compare coefficients of 𝑥 2 , or 𝑥 or put 𝑥 = 0

7
Coefficient of 𝑥 2 . 6 = 𝐴 + 𝐵, so 𝐵 =
2
6𝑥 2 − 17𝑥 + 7 5 7 2
≡ + +
(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 − 1)2 𝑥 − 3 𝑥 − 1 (𝑥 − 1)2
Type 4.
The highest power of 𝑥 in the numerator is equal to, or greater than,
the highest power of 𝑥 in the denominator. By division a quotient and
the remaining fraction are obtained.
Example 5.
2𝑥 2 +3𝑥−8
Express in partial fraction.
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−2)
Solution.
2𝑥 2 +3𝑥−8 2(𝑥 2 −𝑥−2)+5𝑥−4

Let =
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−2) (𝑥+1)(𝑥−2)
5𝑥 − 4
=2+
(𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 − 2)
Using the method and result of example 1, this is,
2𝑥 2 + 3𝑥 − 8 3 2
=2+ +
(𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 − 2) 𝑥+1 𝑥−2
Example 6.
𝑥 3 +𝑥 2 +𝑥−8
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−2)
Solution.
𝑥 3 +𝑥 2 +𝑥−8 5𝑥−4
By division, =𝑥+2+
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−2) (𝑥+1)(𝑥−2)
Using long division and the result of example 1, this is
𝑥 3 +𝑥 2 +𝑥−8 3 2
=𝑥+2+ + .
(𝑥+1)(𝑥−2) 𝑥+1 𝑥−2

Partial Fractions Quiz

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Partial Fractions Quiz

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Partial Fractions Quiz

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Module 2

There are 4 main types.

∴ 4𝑥 2 − 12 ≡ 𝐴(𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 + 3) + 𝐵(𝑥 + 1)(𝑥 + 3) + 𝐶(𝑥 − 1)(𝑥 + 1)

∴ 𝑥 2 + 5𝑥 + 3 ≡ 𝐴(𝑥 2 + 2) + (𝐵𝑥 + 𝐶)(𝑥 − 1)

Note that it is 2𝑥 − 3 not 2𝑥 + 3 in the numerator because of the

There is a repeated linear factor in the denominator. Note how this is

6𝑥 2 − 17𝑥 + 7 𝐴(𝑥 − 1)2 + 𝐵(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 − 1) + 𝐶(𝑥 − 3)

𝐵𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑢𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑜𝑚𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑜𝑟 𝑜𝑛 𝑏𝑜𝑡ℎ 𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑠 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑡𝑦

∴ 6𝑥 2 − 17𝑥 + 7 ≡ 𝐴(𝑥 − 1)2 + 𝐵(𝑥 − 3)(𝑥 − 1) + 𝐶(𝑥 − 3)

To find B, compare coefficients of 𝑥 2 , or 𝑥 or put 𝑥 = 0

2𝑥 2 +3𝑥−8 2(𝑥 2 −𝑥−2)+5𝑥−4

You might also like