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Worked solution

Decompose rational expressions

Express each of the following in partial fractions.

(a) 4x2−4\dfrac4{x^2-4}

(b) x2−11(x+2)2(3x−1)\dfrac{x^2-11}{(x+2)^2(3x-1)}

(c) x4+1x3+2x\dfrac{x^4+1}{x^3+2x}

CJC · Discussion · Question 12

Answer

(a) 1x−2−1x+2\dfrac1{x-2}-\dfrac1{x+2}. (b) 1x+2+1(x+2)2−23x−1\dfrac1{x+2}+\dfrac1{(x+2)^2}-\dfrac2{3x-1}. (c) x+12x−5x2(x2+2)x+\dfrac1{2x}-\dfrac{5x}{2(x^2+2)}.

(a) Two distinct linear factors

Write 4(x−2)(x+2)=Ax−2+Bx+2\dfrac4{(x-2)(x+2)}=\dfrac A{x-2}+\dfrac B{x+2}. Clearing denominators gives 4=A(x+2)+B(x−2)4=A(x+2)+B(x-2). Substituting x=2x=2 gives A=1A=1 and x=−2x=-2 gives B=−1B=-1. Thus 4x2−4=1x−2−1x+2\dfrac4{x^2-4}=\dfrac1{x-2}-\dfrac1{x+2}, for x≠±2x\ne\pm2.

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(b) Include both powers of a repeated factor

Write x2−11(x+2)2(3x−1)=Ax+2+B(x+2)2+C3x−1\dfrac{x^2-11}{(x+2)^2(3x-1)}=\dfrac A{x+2}+\dfrac B{(x+2)^2}+\dfrac C{3x-1}. Then x2−11=A(x+2)(3x−1)+B(3x−1)+C(x+2)2x^2-11=A(x+2)(3x-1)+B(3x-1)+C(x+2)^2. At x=1/3x=1/3, −98/9=(49/9)C-98/9=(49/9)C, so C=−2C=-2. At x=−2x=-2, −7=−7B-7=-7B, so B=1B=1. At x=0x=0, −11=−2A−1−8-11=-2A-1-8, so A=1A=1. Therefore the answer is 1x+2+1(x+2)2−23x−1\dfrac1{x+2}+\dfrac1{(x+2)^2}-\dfrac2{3x-1}, for x≠−2,1/3x\ne-2,1/3.

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(c) Divide before decomposing

The fraction is improper. Polynomial division subtracts x(x3+2x)=x4+2x2x(x^3+2x)=x^4+2x^2, leaving 1−2x21-2x^2. Thus x4+1x3+2x=x+1−2x2x(x2+2)\dfrac{x^4+1}{x^3+2x}=x+\dfrac{1-2x^2}{x(x^2+2)}.

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(c) Compare coefficients

Write 1−2x2x(x2+2)=Ax+Bx+Cx2+2\dfrac{1-2x^2}{x(x^2+2)}=\dfrac A x+\dfrac{Bx+C}{x^2+2}. Then 1−2x2=A(x2+2)+(Bx+C)x1-2x^2=A(x^2+2)+(Bx+C)x. Comparing coefficients gives C=0C=0, 2A=12A=1, and A+B=−2A+B=-2, hence A=1/2A=1/2 and B=−5/2B=-5/2. The original fraction is x+12x−5x2(x2+2)x+\dfrac1{2x}-\dfrac{5x}{2(x^2+2)}, for real x≠0x\ne0.

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Common mistakes

Use a linear numerator over an irreducible quadratic factor.

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