Upper six Mathematics 2021

Term 1

Lesson 5

Pure Mathematics Paper 3

Syllabus section: 3.1

Topic: Algebra

Subtopic: Partial Fractions/Decomposing Rational Functions

Objectives: By the end of the lesson students should be able to;

 recall an appropriate form for expressing rational functions in partial fractions, and carry out
the decomposition, in cases where the denominator is no more complicated than

Introduction

The concept partial fractions involve the process of decomposing an algebraic fraction into separate
fractions such that when they are combined they give back the same fraction.

In other words this is just the reverse process of adding or subtracting algebraic fractions so that we
get the fractions that make up a given composite fraction.

Addition and subtraction of algebraic fractions

Example 1:

Find the LCM=3(x-2)(x+1)

( ) ( ) ( )
( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( ) ( )( )

( ) ( ) ( )( )

Now!!!!!! What are we up to this time, you will be given an algebraic fraction [ ] which is a
( )( )
rational function (rational means any number or algebraic term/expression that can be expressed as
a fraction) and we want to break it down into its components, ( ) ( )
. In other words
Partialising /Decomposing a rational function is a process of getting the original algebraic fractions
that were added or subtracted to give that algebraic fraction.
Partialising Fractions with Linear Denominators

A linear function is a function of the form ax+b, or in which the highest power is 1.
Exercise 5 Partial Fractions with Linear Denominators

END OF LESSON 5