Partial Fractions

& Integration
1.Introduction
5
To evaluate  x  2x  3 dx we need to be able to split the fraction into what are

called Partial Fractions.

Adding fractions
1

1

 x  3   x  2  
5
 x  2  x  3  x  2  x  3  x  2  x  3
This implies that in doing the reverse process
5
“Express in partial fractions” we will get 2 fractions of the form
x  2x  3
A B
and
x  2 x  3
5
Example Express in partial fractions
x  2x  3
5 A B
Let  
x  2x  3 x2 x3

gives A( x  3)  B( x  2)  5

The values of x  2 and x  3 makes one bracket zero giving the value of one
unknown in each case.
A( 2  3)  B( 2  2)  5
Putting x  2
A 1
A( 3  3)  B( 3  2)  5
Putting x  3
B  1
5 1 1
So  
x  2x  3 x  2 x  3
Which is where we started!

Exercise 1
Simplify the following ie express them as single fractions

1 2 2x 3
1.  2. 
 x  1  2 x  1 2
x 1 2x  1
1 1 1 3 5
3.   4.  2
x 1  x  1 2
 x  1 3  x  1  x  3
 2. Some Partial Fractions
(i) Proper fractions

x 2  9 x  25
is a proper fraction as the highest power in the numerator is 2.
x  12 x  1x  5

x3
is improper as the highest power in both numerator and
x  12 x  1x  5
denominator is 3.

x 4  3x 2  x  1
is improper as the highest power in numerator (4) is greater than
x  12 x  1x  5
the highest power in the denominator (3).

In the following they are all proper fractions.

Type 1: denominator with only linear factors such as question 1 above

f ( x) A B C
  
x  12 x  1x  5 x  1 2 x  1 x  5
Type 2: denominator with a quadratic factor such as question 2 above
f ( x) Ax  B C D
    
x 2  1 2 x  1x  5 x 2  1 2 x  1 x  5
Type 3: denominator with repeated linear factor such as question 3 above
f ( x) A B C D
   
2 x  1 x  5
x  1 2 x  1 x  1 x  1
3 3

(a) - Type 1

3x  1
Express in partial fractions
x  12 x  1
3x  1 A B
Let  
x  12 x  1 x  1 2 x  1
gives 3x  1  A  2 x  1  B  x  1
put x  1
3  1  A  2  1  A  43
1
put x  
2 3   12   1  B   12  1  B  13

3x  1 4 1
Solution  
x  12 x  1 3x  1 32 x  1

1
 (b) - Type 2

3x  1
x  1x 2  1
Express in partial fractions

3x  1 A Bx  C
x  1x2  1  
Let  
x  1 x2  1

3x  1  Ax 2  1  Bx  C x  1

putting x  1 3  1  A1  1  A  2
equate coefficient of x 2 0  A  B  B  2
equate constant term 1 AC  C 1
(check coeff of x RHS =  B + C  (2)  1  3  LHS)

3x  1 2  2x  1 2 2x  1
x  1x2  1    
Solution    
x  1 x2  1 x  1 x2  1

(c) - Type 3
36
Express in partial fractions
x  12 x  5
36 A B C
Let   
x  12 x  5 x  12 x  1 x  5

Multiplying through by x  12 x  5

gives 36  Ax  5  Bx  5x  1  C x  12

putting x  1 36  A1  5  A6
putting x  5 36  C  1  52  C  1
equate coefficient of x 2 0  BC  B  1
(check put x  0 RHS = 5 A  5B  C  30  5(1)  1  36  LHS)

36 6 1 1
Solution   
x  12 x  5 x  12 x  1 x  5

2
(ii) Improper Fractions

x 4  2 x3  x 2  4 x  4
x  3x 2  1
The fraction is an improper fraction as the highest power of the

numerator is 4 and of the denominator is 3.

Before expressing it in partial fractions it is necessary to divide through.

x 4  2 x3  x 2  4 x  4 x2  2x  7
x  3x 2  1 x  3x 2  1
This gives  x 1

x2  2 x  7
x  3x2  1
The fraction can then be put into partial fractions as in example 3 above

x 4  2 x3  x 2  4 x  4 1 2
x  3x   
giving  x 1 
2
1 x  3 x2  1

Exercise 2

Express the following in Partial Fractions

3x 2x  1 2x
1. 2. 3.
x  2x  1 x  1x  2x  3 x 2  25
4 3x 2  2 x x2  1
4.

x x2  4  5.
x  2x 2  4
6.

x x2  1 
7.
2
x 2  3x 5x  3
9.
x  1 x  1
2 8.
x2  4 x  2x  32
x4  1 1 16
10. 11. 12.
3
x  2x x x  1 x  1 x  12 x  13

3
 3. Integration

Note It is important to recognise certain standard integrals and methods here.

f ' ( x)
1. The use of  dx  ln f ( x )  c
f ( x)

2. Using constant multipliers to simplify integration such as

 2
x
2x  3
1
dx  
4x
2
4 2x  3
1
dx  ln 2 x 2  3  c
4
 
2x  1 2x 1
3. Splitting up such expressions as to get 
2 2 2
x 1 x 1 x 1
giving 
2x  1
2
x 1
dx  
x 1
2x
2

2
x 1
1
 
dx  ln x 2  1  tan 1 x  c

Examples
3x  1
(a) Simplify
 x  12x  1 dx
3x  1
From example. (a) on page 1   x  1 2 x  1 dx
4 1
  3  x  1 
3  2 x  1
dx

4 1 1 2

3   x  1 dx 
6   2 x  1 dx

4 1
 ln x  1  ln 2 x  1  c
3 6

3x  1
(b) Simplify  x  1x 2  1 dx
3x  1
  x  1
 
From example. (b) on page 2 dx
x2  1
2 1  2x
  x 1 
x2  1
dx

2 1 2x
  x 1 
2
x 1

2
x 1
dx

 2 ln  x  1  tan1 x  ln x 2  1  c  

4
 4
 2 x  12 x  5dx
36
(c) Find the value of

From example (c) on page 2 we can write

4 36 4 6 1 1
   
2 x 1 2 x  5

dx 
 

2 x 1 2

 x  1

 x  5
dx

4
 6 
  ln x  1  ln x  5 
 x 1 2
 6   6 
   ln 3  ln 9     ln1  ln 7 
3  1 
 2  ln 3  ln 9  6  0  ln 7
 97   3
 4  ln    4  ln  
 3  7

5 24 x3  x  3
(d) Evaluate  dx
4  x  1 2 x  1
Multiplying out top and bottom and dividing gives:
24 x3  x  3 24 x 4  72 x3

 x  1 2 x  1 2 x2  x  1
39 x  9
 12 x 2  30 x  9 
2 x2  x  1
39 x  9 39 x  9
Expressing  in partial fractions
2
2x  x  1  x  1 2 x  1
39 x  9 A B
Let  
 x  1 2 x  1 x  1 2 x  1
then 39 x  9  A  2 x  1  B  x  1

putting x  1 gives 48  3 A  A  16

putting x  0 gives 9  A B  B  7
24 x3  x  3 16 7
This gives  12 x 2  30 x  9  
 x  1 2 x  1  x  1  2 x  1


5 24 x3 x  3  5 16 7
 4  x  1 2 x  1 dx   4 12 x
2
Hence  30 x  9   dx
 x  1  2 x  1
5
  4 x3  15 x 2  9 x  16 ln x  1  7 ln 2 x  1 
 2 4

5
   
 500  375  45  16 ln 4  7 ln11  256  240  36  16 ln 3  7 ln 9
2 2

 80  32 ln 2  7 ln11   20  16 ln 3  7 ln 3
2
 80  32 ln 2  ln11  20  16 ln 3  7 ln 3
7
2
 100  32 ln 2  23 ln 3  7 ln11
2

2 1 x
1
 
(e) Evaluate dx
x2 x2  1
1 x
 
First express in Partial Fractions
x2 x2  1
1 x A B Cx  D
  
 
Writing
x2 x2  1 x2 x x2  1
and equating terms gives A  1, B  1, C  1 , D  1

2 1 x 2 1 1 x 1
1 dx  1  
 
Hence dx
x2 x2  1 x2 x x2  1

2 1 1  2x  1
 1 x 2     2 dx
2
x 2  x 1 x 1

 
2
   x 1  ln x  1 ln x 2  1  tan1 x 
 2  1

  
  1  ln 2  1 ln 5  tan1 2  1  ln1  1 ln 2  tan1 1
2 2 2 
This can be simplified depending on what is required.

Exercise 3
Find the following integrals (You will find your solutions to the previous exercise will
help in some cases)
10(2 x  1)

5

3x
1. dx 2. dx
2  x  2  x  1 x  1x  2x  3
2
 1 xx2  4 dx
2x 4
3. dx 4.
2
x  25
2 3x 2  2 x x2  1
5. 0 x  2x 2  4
dx 6.  xx2  1 dx
 x  12 x  1 dx
4 
8 2 x 2  3x 

7. 8. dx
2
6 x 4
5x  3
 x  2x  32 dx 2 x 1 4

9.
10. dx
1 3 x  2x

6
 Answers
Exercise 1
3 7 x2  2 x  3
 x2  1  2x  1
1. 2.
 x  1 2 x  1

x2  x  1 2  x2  4
3. 4.
 x  13  x  1 x  3

Exercise 2
2 1 1 1 7
1.  2.  
x  2 x 1 2 x  1 5 x  2  10 x  3
1 1 1 x
3.  4. 
x5 x5 x x 4 2
1 2x  2
5.  6.
1

1

1
x  2 x2  4 x 1 x 1 x
1 1 1 5 1
7.   1 
2 2 x  1 2 x  1 8.
x  1 2 x  2  2 x  2 
12 7 7 1 5x
  x 
 
9. 10.
x  32 x3 x2 2 x 2 x2  2
1 1 1 2 3 4 4 3
11.   12.    
2x  1 2x  1 x x  12 x  1 x  13 x  12 x  1

Exercise 3
Note: most of the partial fractions were worked out in the previous exercise.
The „best‟ form of the answer depends on what comes next!
( x  1) 5 ( x  2) 2
1. 2 ln 7 2. 5 ln x  1  2 ln x  2  7 ln x  3  c  ln c
2
( x  3) 7

3. ln x  5  ln x  5  c  ln x 2  25  c 4. 1 ln 5 5. 2 ln 2 
2 2 4
x2 1
6. ln x  1  ln x  1  ln x  c  ln c
x
2 x 1 2
7. ln x  1  ln x  1   c  ln  c
x 1 x 1 x 1
 5  35 
8. ln 5  5 ln 3  7 ln 2  4  ln   4  ln 1215   4
 27   128 
 
12 x2 12 3( 2  ln 2)
9. 7 ln x  2  7 ln x  3   c  7 ln  c 10.
x3 x3 x3 4

These exercises were taken from Mathematics Worksheets originally created by Study Advice Service
at Hull University. Web: www.hull.ac.uk/studyadvice Email: studyadvice@hull.ac.uk
Many thanks for use of these materials. Any comments can be sent to the email above or to
mathsskills@strath.ac.uk