Math 225-02 §7.

4 Partial Fractions & Laplace Transforms

A Partial Review of Partial Fraction Decomposition

Often, solving an initial value problem with Laplace Transforms requires doing a partial
fraction decomposition. For example,
s+3 s+3
= ,
s2 + 3s + 2 (s + 1)(s + 2)
A B
= + ,
s+1 s+2
A(s + 2) B(s + 1)
= + ,
(s + 1)(s + 2) (s + 1)(s + 2)
(A + B)s + (2A + B)
= .
s2 + 3s + 2
Equating numerators gives the following system of equations for A and B:

A + B = 1,
2A + B = 3,

which has the solution A = 2 and B = −1. Thus,

s+3 2 −1
= + .
s2 + 3s + 2 s+1 s+2

Partial Fractions Require Proper Fractions

Remember that you must have a proper rational function before you attempt a partial
fraction decomposition. That is, the degree of the polynomial in the numerator must be
strictly less than the degree of the polynomial in the denominator. If this is not the case, do
a polynomial long division first, and then use partial fractions on the remainder, which will
be a proper rational function.

Shortcut Method for Partial Fractions

Notice in the above partial fraction decomposition that we could have avoided solving the
system of equations by directly considering the equality of numerators:

s + 3 = A(s + 2) + B(s + 1),

which has to hold for all values of s.

If we let s = −1, then we see immediately that 2 = A. Likewise, if we take s = −2, then
1 = B(−1), or B = −1. Note that each choice of s always “zeros out” one of the terms.
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Repeated Linear Factors

If a linear factor is repeated in the denominator, then you must include additional “copies”
of the linear factor, with increasing powers, in the partial fraction decomposition. Include
an extra copy for each repeat. For example,
s+3 s+3
2
= ,
s + 4s + 4 (s + 2)2
A B
= + ,
s + 2 (s + 2)2
A(s + 2) B
= 2
+ ,
(s + 2) (s + 2)2
As + (2A + B)
= .
s2 + 4s + 4
Note that the shortcut method is not quite as straightforward here. Choosing s = −2 cancels
the A terms in the numerator and gives B = −2 + 3 = 1. Next, choosing s = 0 and using
B = 1 gives 3 = 2A + 1, or A = 1.

Irreducible Quadratics
The shortcut method does not completely work on irreducible quadratics. For example, x 2 +9
is not factorable over the real numbers, so that
1 1
= ,
s3 − 5s2 + 9s − 45 (s − 5)(s2 + 9)
A Bs + C
= + 2 ,
s−5 s +9
A(s2 + 9) (Bs + C)(s − 5)
= 2
+ ,
(s − 5)(s + 9) (s − 5)(s2 + 9)
(A + B)s2 + (−5B + C)s + (9A − 5C)
= .
s3 − 5s2 + 9s − 45
Equating numerators gives the following system of equations for A, B, and C:

 A+B = 0,
−5B + C = 0,
9A − 5C = 1,

1
which has the solution A = 34
, B= −1
34
, and C = −5
34
. So
1
1 34
−1
34
s + −5
34
= + .
s3 − 5s2 + 9s − 45 s−5 s2 + 9
If we try the usual shortcut method on
1 = A(s2 + 9) + (Bs + C)(s − 5),
it does not completely work because there is no real value for s that makes s2 + 9 = 0.
1
Choosing s = 5 gives A = 34 , but we must choose s = ±3i to get s2 + 9 = 0 which still leads
to a system of two equations to solve for B and C.
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Reducing Irreducible Quadratics Using Complex Numbers

In order to use the shortcut method, we could fully factor the irreducible quadratic using
complex numbers as follows:
1 1
= ,
s3 − 5s2 + 9s − 45 (s − 5)(s2 + 9)
1
= ,
(s − 5)(s + 3i)(s − 3i)
A B C
= + + ,
s − 5 s + 3i s − 3i
A(s + 3i)(s − 3i) B(s − 5)(s − 3i) C(s − 5)(s + 3i)
= + + ,
(s − 5)(s + 3i)(s − 3i) (s − 5)(s + 3i)(s − 3i) (s − 5)(s + 3i)(s − 3i)
A(s2 + 9) + B(s − 5)(s − 3i) + C(s − 5)(s + 3i)
= ,
(s − 5)(s2 + 9)
A(s2 + 9) + B(s − 5)(s − 3i) + C(s − 5)(s + 3i)
= ,
s3 − 5s2 + 9s − 45
so that
1 = A(s2 + 9) + B(s − 5)(s − 3i) + C(s − 5)(s + 3i),
which has to hold for all complex values of s.
1
Letting s = 5 gives A = 34 . Letting s = −3i gives 1 = B(−3i − 5)(−6i) = B(−18 + 30i), or
1 1
B = −18+30i . Finally, letting s = 3i gives 1 = C(3i − 5)(6i) = C(−18 − 30i), or C = −18−30i .
Altogether,
1 1 1
1 34
= + −18+30i
+ −18−30i
.
s3 − 5s2 + 9s − 45 s−5 s + 3i s − 3i
Now we re-combine the last two terms to get an answer with only real terms:
1 s−3i s+3i
1 34
= + −18+30i
+ −18−30i
,
s3 − 5s2 + 9s − 45 s − 5 (s + 3i)(s − 3i) (s + 3i)(s − 3i)
(s−3i)(−18−30i) (s+3i)(−18+30i)
1
(−18−30i)(−18+30i)
+ (−18−30i)(−18+30i)
34
= + ,
s−5 s2 + 9
(−18s−90)−(30s−54)i
1
34 182 +302
+ (−18s−90)+(30s−54)i
182 +302
= + ,
s−5 s2 + 9
1 −36s−180
34 1224
= + ,
s−5 s2 + 9
1 1 5
34
− 34 s − 34
= + .
s−5 s2 + 9
This is the same answer as before when the quadratic was not reduced! Of course, we did
just as much work, if not more, to get our answer. Although, the method illustrates the
equivalence of working fully in the “complex realm”.