Integrating Rational Functions

by Partial Fractions

Objective: To make a
difficult/impossible integration
problem easier.

Partial Fractions
In algebra, you learn to combine two or
more fractions into a single fraction by
finding a common denominator. For
example
2
3
2( x 1) 3( x 4)
5 x 10

2
x 4 x 1
( x 4)( x 1)
x 3x 4

Partial Fractions
However, for the purposes of integration,
the left side of this equation is preferable
to the right side since each term is easy to
integrate.
2
3
2( x 1) 3( x 4)
5 x 10

2
x 4 x 1
( x 4)( x 1)
x 3x 4

2
3
dx

x 4 x 1 dx 2 ln | x 4 | 3 ln | x 1 | C

Partial Fractions
We need a method to
2
3

.
and make it
x 4 x 1

5 x 10
take
x 2 3x 4

This method is called Partial Fractions.

This method only works for proper rational
fractions, meaning that the degree of the
numerator is less than the degree of the
denominator. This is how it works.

Partial Fractions
Factor the denominator completely.
5 x 10
5 x 10

2
x 3 x 4 ( x 4)( x 1)

Partial Fractions
Factor the denominator completely.
5 x 10
5 x 10

2
x 3 x 4 ( x 4)( x 1)

Assign a variable as the numerator to each

term of the denominator and set it equal to
the original.5 x 10
A
B
( x 4)( x 1)

x4

x 1

Partial Fractions
Multiply by the common denominator.
5 x 10
A
B

( x 4)( x 1) x 4 x 1

5 x 10 A( x 1) B( x 4)

Partial Fractions
Multiply by the common denominator.
5 x 10
A
B

( x 4)( x 1) x 4 x 1

5 x 10 A( x 1) B( x 4)

Solve for A and B.

10 5 A
To solve for A, let x = 4, which gives us
2 A
15 5B
To solve for B, let x = -1, which gives
us
3 B

2
3
dx

x 4 x 1 dx 2 ln | x 4 | 3 ln | x 1 | C

Example 1
Evaluate

dx
x2 x 2

Example 1
Evaluate

dx
x2 x 2

dx
dx

x 2 x 2 ( x 2)( x 1)

Example 1
Evaluate

dx
x2 x 2

dx
dx

x 2 x 2 ( x 2)( x 1)

1
A
B

( x 2)( x 1) x 2 x 1

Example 1
Evaluate

dx
x2 x 2

dx
dx

x 2 x 2 ( x 2)( x 1)

1 A( x 1) B ( x 2)

1
A
B

( x 2)( x 1) x 2 x 1

Example 1
Evaluate

dx
x2 x 2

dx
dx

x 2 x 2 ( x 2)( x 1)

1 A( x 1) B ( x 2)
x 1
1 3B
1/ 3 B

x 2
1 3 A
1/ 3 A

1
A
B

( x 2)( x 1) x 2 x 1

Example 1
Evaluate

dx
x2 x 2

1 1
1
1
1
1

ln | x 1 | ln | x 2 |

3 x 1 3 x 2 3
3
1 x 1
ln
C
3 x2

Linear Factors
Linear Factor Rule.
For each factor of the form
(ax b) m
, the
partial fractions decomposition contains the
following sum of m partial fractions
Am
A1
A2

...
2
ax b (ax b)
(ax b) m

where A1, A2, Am are constants to be

determined. In the case where m = 1, only
the first term appears.

Example 2
Evaluate

2x 4
x 3 2 x 2 dx

Example 2
Evaluate

2x 4
x 3 2 x 2 dx

2x 4
x 2 ( x 2)

Example 2
Evaluate

2x 4
x 3 2 x 2 dx

2x 4
x 2 ( x 2)

2x 4
A B
C
2
x x ( x 2) x x
x2

Example 2
Evaluate

2x 4
x 3 2 x 2 dx

2x 4
x 2 ( x 2)

2x 4
A B
C
2
x x ( x 2) x x
x2

2 x 4 Ax( x 2) B ( x 2) Cx 2

Example 2
Evaluate

2x 4
x 3 2 x 2 dx

2x 4
x 2 ( x 2)

2x 4
A B
C
2
x x ( x 2) x x
x2

2 x 4 Ax( x 2) B ( x 2) Cx 2
x0

x2

4 2 B

8 4c

2 B

2C

Example 2
Evaluate

2x 4
x 3 2 x 2 dx

2 x 4 Ax( x 2) B ( x 2) Cx 2

x0

x2

4 2 B

8 4c
2C

2 B

Since there is no way to isolate A, we need

to solve with a different method. Let x =
1, substitute our values for B and C and
solve for A.

Example 2
Evaluate

2x 4
x 3 2 x 2 dx

2 x 4 Ax( x 2) B ( x 2) Cx 2

x0

x2

4 2 B

8 4c
2C

2 B

Since there is no way to isolate A, we need

to solve with a different method. Let x =
1, substitute our values for B and C and
solve for A.
6 A(1) (2)(1) 2(1) 2
6 A 4
2 A

Example 2
Evaluate

2x 4
x 3 2 x 2 dx

dx
dx
dx
2 2 2 2
x
x
x2
2
2 ln | x | 2 ln | x 2 | C
x
2
x2
2 ln |
| C
x
x

x0

x2

4 2 B

8 4c
2C

2 B

6 A 4
2 A

Example 2-WRONG
Evaluate

2x 4
x 3 2 x 2 dx

2x 4
x 2 ( x 2)

2x 4
A B
C

x x( x 2) x x x 2

2 x 4 Ax( x 2) Bx( x 2) Cx 2

Example 2-WRONG
Evaluate

2x 4
x 3 2 x 2 dx

2x 4
x 2 ( x 2)

2x 4
A B
C

x x( x 2) x x x 2

2 x 4 Ax( x 2) Bx( x 2) Cx 2

What next? This doesnt work!

x2
8 4c
2C

Example 2-WRONG
Evaluate

2x 4
x 3 2 x 2 dx

2x 4
x 2 ( x 2)

2x 4
A B
C

x x( x 2) x x x 2

x( xis 2)
The denominator on the right
2
x
The denominator on the left is( x 2)
They are not the same!!

Quadratic Factors
Quadratic Factor Rule
For each factor of the form
,
(ax 2 bx c) m
the partial fraction decomposition contains
the following sum of m partial fractions:
Am x Bm
A1 x B1
A2 x B2

...
2
2
2
ax bx c (ax bx c)
(ax 2 bx c) m

where A1, A2,Am, B1, B2,Bm are

constants to be determined. In the case
where m = 1, only the first term appears.

Example 3

x2 x 2
Evaluate 3x 3 x 2 3x 1dx

Example 3

x2 x 2
Evaluate 3x 3 x 2 3x 1dx

x 2 (3x 1) 1(3 x 1) (3x 1)( x 2 1)

Factor by grouping

x2 x 2
A
Bx C

2
2
(3 x 1)( x 1) 3 x 1 x 1

Example 3

x2 x 2
Evaluate 3x 3 x 2 3x 1dx

x 2 (3x 1) 1(3 x 1) (3x 1)( x 2 1)

Factor by grouping

x2 x 2
A
Bx C

2
2
(3 x 1)( x 1) 3 x 1 x 1
x 2 x 2 A( x 2 1) ( Bx C )(3 x 1)

Example 3

x2 x 2
Evaluate 3x 3 x 2 3x 1dx

Multiply the right side of the equation and

group the terms based on powers of x.
x 2 x 2 A( x 2 1) ( Bx C )(3 x 1)
x 2 x 2 Ax 2 A 3Bx 2 Bx 3Cx C
x 2 x 2 ( A 3B ) x 2 (3C B ) x ( A C )

Example 3

x2 x 2
Evaluate 3x 3 x 2 3x 1dx

Set the coefficients from the right side of

the equation equal to the ones on the left
side. 2
2
x x 2 ( A 3B) x (3C B ) x ( A C )

1 A 3B
1 3C B
2 AC

Example 3

x2 x 2
Evaluate 3x 3 x 2 3x 1dx

1 A 3B
Take Eq 1 Eq 3
(2 A C )

1 A 3B
1 3C B
2 AC

3 C 3B

Example 3

x2 x 2
Evaluate 3x 3 x 2 3x 1dx

1 A 3B
Take Eq 1 Eq 3
(2 A C )

3 C 3B

3 C 3B
Take new Eq + 3Eq 2

6 10C
3/ 5 C

1 A 3B
1 3C B
2 AC

3 9C 3B

Example 3

x2 x 2
Evaluate 3x 3 x 2 3x 1dx

1 A 3B
Take Eq 1 Eq 3
(2 A C )

3 C 3B

3 C 3B
Take new Eq + 3Eq 2
1 A 3B
1 3C B
2 AC

3 9C 3B

6 10C
3/ 5 C
7/5 A
4/5 B

Example 3

x2 x 2
Evaluate 3x 3 x 2 3x 1dx

x2 x 2
7/5
(4 / 5) x 3 / 5
dx

dx

dx
2
2

(3x 1)( x 1)
3x 1
x 1

x2 x 2
7/5
(4 / 5) x
3/ 5
dx
dx
dx 2
dx
2
2
(3 x 1)( x 1)
3x 1
x 1
x 1

Example 3

x2 x 2
Evaluate 3x 3 x 2 3x 1dx

x2 x 2
7/5
(4 / 5) x 3 / 5
dx

dx

dx
2
2

(3x 1)( x 1)
3x 1
x 1

x2 x 2
7/5
(4 / 5) x
3/ 5
dx
dx
dx 2
dx
2
2
(3 x 1)( x 1)
3x 1
x 1
x 1

7
2
3
2
ln | 3 x 1 | ln( x 1) tan 1 x C
15
5
5

Example 4

3 x 4 4 x 3 16 x 2 20 x 9
dx
Evaluate
2
2
( x 2)( x 3)

Example 4

3 x 4 4 x 3 16 x 2 20 x 9
dx
Evaluate
2
2
( x 2)( x 3)

3 x 4 4 x 3 16 x 2 20 x 9
A
Bx C Dx E

2
2
2
2
( x 2)( x 3)
x 2 x 3 ( x 3) 2

Homework
Section 7.5
Page 521
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