LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

a ) perform partial fractions decomposition when the denominators
are in the form of
i) a linear factor, ax + b.
ii) a repeated linear factor, (ax + b)n .
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 6.3 Partial Fractions

Introduction:

Two or more proper fractions can be combined to give a single

fraction. For example:-

1 2 11
 
3 5 15

Conversely, a fraction can be expressed as a sum or difference of two

or more proper fractions, known as partial fractions.

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For example:

2 3 2 4  x  3 3  x
Equalize the denominator  
3 x 4  x  3  x 4  x

8  2x  9  3x
Simplify 
 3  x 4  x

x 17

 3  x 4  x

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Conversely x  17 2 3
 
 3  x  4  x  3  x 4  x

P x two fractions known as

single fraction
Q x partial fractions

P x
Thus, a fraction can be expressed as a sum of several
Q x
partial fraction.

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 Type of Fraction
1. Proper fraction
[degree of P(x) < degree of D(x)]
example:
2x  3
x2  x  2

2. Improper fraction
[degree of P(x)  degree of D(x)]
example:
x3 1 3x2  7
2
and
x 3 2x2  5
5
NOTE

If proper fraction
Directly expressed as partial fractions

If improper fraction
Transform into proper fraction using the long division, then
express as partial fractions

• Transformation from single fraction to partial fractions depends on

the denominators
• The denominator should be factorized first
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We will consider three categories of denominator:

linear factor

quadratic factors

repeated linear factors

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(i) Linear factor in denominator

P x A B A and B are
 
 x  p x  q x p xq constants

linear
For example:
2x  3 A B
(a)  
 x 1 x  2  x 1  x  2
2x 1 A B C
(b)   
 x 1 x  2 x  4  x 1  x  2  x  4
3 3 A B
(c) 2   
x  x  2  x 1 x  2  x 1  x  2 8
Example 1
2x  3
Write  x  1 x  2 in partial fractions

Solution

2x  3 A B
 
 x  1 x  2  x 1  x  2
A x  2  B x  1
 Equalize the denominators
 x  1 x  2
2 x  3  A x  2  B x  1 Comparing the numerators

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 Method 1

2 x  3  A x  2  B x  1
 Ax  2 A  Bx  B Expand RHS

2x  3   A  B x   2 A  B

A+B=2 ------ (1) Equating coefficients of x

2A – B = 3 ------ (2) Equating constant terms

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 5 1
Solving (1) and (2) simultaneously, we will get A  and B 
3 3

5 1
2x  3
 3  3
 x  1 x  2  x  1  x  2
5 1
 
3 x  1 3 x  2

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 Method 2

2 x  3  A x  2  B x  1

when x = 2 (to eliminate A)

2( 2) + 3 = A( 2 + 2) + B( 2  1)

 4 + 3 = 0 –3B
1
B
3

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when x = 1 (to eliminate B)

2(1) + 3 = A(1 + 2) + B(1 − 1)

5
A
3
5 1
2x  3
 3  3
 x  1 x  2  x  1  x  2
5 1
 
3 x  1 3 x  2

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Example 2

x7
Express 2 in partial fractions.
x  x2

factorise:  x  1 x  2

Solution

So x7 x7

x 2  x  2  x  1 x  2

x7 A B
 
2
x  x2  x 1  x  2

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 x7 A x  2  B x  1
 Equalize the denominators
2
x  x2  x  1 x  2
x  7  A( x  2)  B ( x  1) Comparing the numerators

when x = 2 (to eliminate A)

2 + 7 = B( 2  1)
5 = −3B
5
B
3

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when x = 1 (to eliminate B)

1 + 7 = A(1 + 2)
8 = A(3)
8
A 8 5
3 
x7 3  3

x 2  x  2  x 1  x  2
8 5
 
3 x  1 3 x  2

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Example 3

3x  1
Express in partial fractions.
2x2  x 1

factorise: x  1 2 x  1

Solution

So 3x  1 3x  1

2 x 2  x  1  x  1 2 x  1

3x  1 A B
 
 x  1 2 x  1  x 1  2x 1

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 3x  1 A 2 x  1  B x  1
 Equalize the denominators
 x  1 2 x  1  x  1 2 x  1
3 x  1  A( 2 x  1)  B ( x  1) Comparing the numerators

1
when x   (to eliminate A)
2
 1  1
3    1  B (    1)
 2  2
1 3
  B
2 2
1
B
3
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 when x  1 (to eliminate B)

31  1  A(21  1)
4  3A
4
A
3
4 1
3x  1 3  3

2 x 2  x  1  x 1  2x 1
4 1
 
3 x 1 3 2x 1

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(ii) Repeated linear factors in denominator

Some algebraic fractions have denominator that contain repeated

factors, for example:

4x A B
(a)  
( x  1)2 x 1 ( x  1)2

9 A B C
(b)   
( x 1)(x  2) 2 x 1 x  2 ( x  2)2

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Example 4

4x
Express ( x  1)2 in partial fractions.

repeated linear factor

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Solution
4x A B
 
( x 1) 2 x  1 ( x 1)2

A( x 1)  B
 equalize the denominators
2
( x 1)

4x  A( x 1)  B comparing numerators

when x = 1 (to eliminate A )

4(1)  B
B  4
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(choose any number) (to find A)

when x = 0
4(0)  A(0  1)  B
0  A B

Substitute B = 4

0  A  (4)
A4

4x 4 4
 
( x 1) 2 x  1 ( x  1)2
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Example 5

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Express ( x 1)(x  2)2 in partial fractions.

repeated linear factor

Solution
9 A B C
  
( x 1)(x  2) 2 x 1 x  2 ( x  2)2

2  B( x 1)(x  2)  C( x 1)
 A( x  2)
equalize the denominators
2
( x 1)(x  2)

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9  A( x  2)2  B( x 1)(x  2)  C( x 1) comparing numerators

when x = 2 (to eliminate A and B)

9  C ( 2  1)
9  3C
C  3

when x = 1 (to eliminate B and C)

9  A(1  2) 2
9  9A
A 1
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(choose any number) (to find B)

when x = 0
9  A(0  2) 2  B(0  1)(0  2)  C(0  1)
9  4A  2B  C

substitute A = 1 and C = 3

9  4(1)  2( B)  ( 3)
2B  4  3  9
B  1

9 1 1 3
 
2 ( x  1) ( x  2)

( x  1)( x  2) ( x  2) 2
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Example 6

3x  1
Express 2 in partial fractions.
x (2x 1)

repeated linear factor

Solution
3x  1 A B C
  2 
2
x (2x 1) x x 2x 1

Ax (2x 1)  B(2x 1)  Cx2

 equalize the denominators
2
x (2x 1)
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 3x 1  Ax (2x 1)  B(2x 1)  C x2 comparing numerators

1
when x  (to eliminate A and B)
2
2
 1  1
3   1  C  
 2  2
5 1
 C
2 4
C  10

when x = 0 (to eliminate A and C)

3 0  1  B 0  1
1  B
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B  1
(choose any number) (to find A)

when x =1
3(1)  1  A(2  1)  B (2  1)  C (1)
4  A B C

substitute B = 1 and C = 10

4  A  (1)  (10)
4  A  1  10
A  5

3x  1 5 1 10
  2 
2
x (2x 1) x x 2 x 1 29
 Exercise

Express the following expression in a partial fractions form.

3x 2 1
(a) Ans : 
( x  2)( x  1) x  2 x 1

2x 1 1 1 7
(b) Ans :  
( x  1)( x  2)( x  3) 2( x  1) 5( x  2) 10( x  3)
2x 1 1
(c) Ans : 
x 2  25 x 5 x 5
2x 1 2 1
(d) Ans : 
( x  1) 2 x  1 ( x  1) 2
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 2x2  3 11 9 5
(e) Ans :  
( x  2)( x  1) 2 x  2 x  1 ( x  1) 2

x2 1 2 1
(f) Ans :  
( x  1) 3 x  1 ( x  1) 2 ( x  1)3

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