5 - Integration of Rational Functions by

Partial Fractions
Per-Olof Persson
persson@berkeley.edu
Department of Mathematics
University of California, Berkeley

Math 1B Calculus

Partial Fractions
Case 3: Distinct Irreducible Quadratic Factors
Q(x) = (ax2 + bx + c) =

Ax + B
R(x)
= 2
+
Q(x)
ax + bx + c

Example
x2 2x 1
A
B
Cx + D
=
+
+ 2
2
2
2
(x 1) (x + 1)
x 1 (x 1)
x +1
2
2
x 2x 1 = A(x 1)(x + 1) + B(x2 + 1)+
(Cx + D)(x 1)2
= (A + C)x3 + (A + B 2C + D)x2 +
(A + C 2D)x + (A + B + D)

Partial Fractions

Example

A+C

A + B 2C + D
A + C 2D

A + B + D

=
0
=
1
= 2
= 1

Solve by elimination = A = 1, B = 1, C = 1, D = 1 =
Z
Z
1
x2 2x 1
1
x1
dx
=

2
dx
2
2
2
(x 1) (x + 1)
x 1 (x 1)
x +1
1
1
= ln |x 1| +
ln(x2 + 1) + tan1 x + C
x1 2

Integrating Irreducible Quadratic Partial Fractions

Ax + B
ax2 + bx + c
1) Complete the square and substitute = ax2 + bx + c = u2 + d

How to integrate

2) Split numerator into a term with u and a constant term

3) Integration of first term gives ln, second term gives tan1
Example


Z
x+4
x+4
u = x2
dx =
dx =
du = dx
x2 4x + 6
(x 2)2 + 2
Z
Z
Z
u+6
u
6
=
du =
du +
du
u2 + 2
u2 + 2
u2 + 2
1
1
u
= ln(u2 + 2) + 6 tan1 + C
2
2
2

1
x2
= ln(x2 4x + 6) + 3 2 tan1 + C
2
2

Partial Fractions

Case 4: Repeated Irreducible Quadratic Factors

A1 x + B1
R(x)
= 2
Q(x)
ax + bx + c
A2 x + B 2
Ar x + B r
+
+ +
+
(ax2 + bx + c)2
(ax2 + bx + c)r

Q(x) = (ax2 + bx + c)r =

Example
2x + 1
A
B
C
=
+
+
3
2
2
2
(x + 1) (x + 4)
x + 1 (x + 1)
(x + 1)3
Fx + G
Dx + E
+ 2
+ 2
x +4
(x + 4)2

Integrating Squared Quadratic Fractions

"
x = a tan ,
sin =
1
dx =
2
2
2
2
dx = a sec d, cos =
(x + a )
Z
Z
1
1
2
=

a
sec

d
=
cos2 d
a4 sec4
a3
Z
1

sin 2
= 3 (1 + cos 2) d = 3 +
+C
2a
2a
4a3
x
2a 2
2
2
1
x
= 3 tan1 + x +a 3 x +a + C
2a
a
2a
1
x
x
= 3 tan1 + 2 2
+C
2a
a 2a (x + a2 )

x
x2 +a2
a
x2 +a2