Exercise 2A

Note that all questions in this exercise can be solved either by the method of substitution,
or by equating coefficients. Questions 1b, 1e and 6b have been solved by equating
coefficients. All others have been solved using substitution.

6x  2 A B
1 a  
( x  2)( x  3) ( x  2) ( x  3)
A( x  3)  B ( x  2)

( x  2)( x  3)
6 x  2  A( x  3)  B ( x  2)

Let x  2 :
6  2  2  A(2  3)  B(2  2)
10  5 A
A2

Let x  3 :
6  (3)  2  A(3  3)  B(3  2)
20  B  5
B4

6x  2 2 4
Hence  
( x  2)( x  3) ( x  2) ( x  3)

2 x  11 A B
b  
( x  1)( x  4) ( x  1) ( x  4)
A( x  4)  B( x  1)

( x  1)( x  4)
2 x  11  A( x  4)  B( x  1)
 Ax  4 A  Bx  B
 ( A  B) x  (4 A  B)
Equate coefficients of x:
2  A B (1)
Equate constant terms:
11  4 A  B (2)
(2)  (1) :
9  3A
A3
Substitute A  3 in (1): 2  3  B
B  1

2x  11 3 1
Hence  
( x 1)( x  4) ( x  1) ( x  4)

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 7 x  12 A B
1 c  
2 x ( x  4) 2 x ( x  4)
A( x  4)  B  2 x

2 x( x  4)
7 x  12  A( x  4)  2 Bx

Let x  4 :
7  4  12  A(4  4)  2 B  4
40  8B
B  5

Let x  0 :
7  0  12  A(0  4)  2 B  0
12  4 A
A3

7 x 12 3 5
Hence  
2x(x  4) 2x ( x  4)

2 x  13 A B
d  
(2 x  1)( x  3) (2 x  1) ( x  3)
A( x  3)  B(2 x  1)

(2 x  1)( x  3)
2 x  13  A( x  3)  B(2 x  1)

Let x  3 :
2  3  13  A(3  3)  B(2  3  1)
7  B  7
B  1

Let x   12 :
2   12   13  A   12  3  B  2    12   1
14  A  3 12
A4

2x 13 4 1
Hence  
(2x 1)( x  3) (2x 1) ( x  3)

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1 e First factorise the denominator:
6x  6 6x  6
2

x  9 ( x  3)( x  3)

6x  6 A B
Then  
( x  3)( x  3) ( x  3) ( x  3)
A( x  3)  B ( x  3)

( x  3)( x  3)
6 x  6  A( x  3)  B ( x  3)
 Ax  3 A  Bx  3B
 ( A  B ) x  (3B  3 A)

Equate coefficients of x:
6  A B (1)
Equate constant terms:
6  3B  3 A (2)

(2)  3  (1) :
24  6 B
B4
Substitute B  4 in (1): 6  A  4
A2

6x  6 2 4
Hence  
x2  9 ( x  3) ( x  3)

f First factorise the denominator:

7  3x 7  3x

x2  3x  4 ( x  4)( x 1)

7  3x A B
Then  
( x  4)( x  1) ( x  4) ( x  1)
A( x  1)  B( x  4)

( x  4)( x  1)
7  3x  A( x  1)  B( x  4)

Let x  1:
7  3  (1)  A(1  1)  B(1  4)
10  B  5
B  2

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1 f (continued)

Let x  4 :
7  3 4  A(4  1)  B(4  4)
5  A  5
A  1

7  3x 1 2
Hence 2
 
x  3x  4 ( x  4) ( x  1)

g First factorise the denominator:

8 x 8 x
2

x  4 x x( x  4)

8 x A B
Then  
x ( x  4) x ( x  4)
A( x  4)  Bx

x ( x  4)
8  x  A( x  4)  Bx

Let x  0 :
8  0  A(0  4)  B  0
8  4A
A 2

Let x  4 :
8  (4)  A(4  4)  B  (4)
12  4 B
B  3

8 x 2 3
Hence 2
 
x  4x x ( x  4)

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1 h First factorise the denominator:
2 x 14 2 x 14
2

x  2x 15 ( x  5)( x  3)

2 x  14 A B
Then  
( x  5)( x  3) ( x  5) ( x  3)
A( x  3)  B( x  5)

( x  5)( x  3)
2 x  14  A( x  3)  B( x  5)

Let x  3 :
2  3  14  A(3  3)  B(3  5)
8  B  8
B  1

Let x  5 :
2  (5)  14  A(5  3)  B(5  5)
24  A  (8)
A3

2x 14 3 1
Hence 2
 
x  2x 15 ( x  5) ( x  3)

2 x  5 A B
2  
(4  x )(2  x ) 4  x 2  x
A(2  x )  B (4  x )

(4  x )(2  x )
2 x  5  A(2  x )  B (4  x )

Let x  2 :
2  2  5  A(2  2)  B(4  2)
9  B  6
B   32

Let x  4 :
2  ( 4)  5  A(2  (4)  B (4  (4))
3  A 6
1
2  A

2x  5 1 3
Hence  
(4  x)(2  x) 2(4  x) 2(2  x)

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 A 2 B
3  
( x  4)( x  8) x  4 x  8
2( x  8)  B( x  4)

( x  4)( x  8)
A  2( x  8)  B( x  4)

Let x  4 :
A  2(4  8)  B (4  4)
 24

Let x  8 :
24  2(8  8)  B (8  4)
 12 B
 B  2

A = 24, B = −2

2x 2  12 x  26 A B C
4   
( x  1)( x  2)( x  5) x  1 x  2 x  5
A( x  2)( x  5)  B( x  1)( x  5)  C ( x  1)( x  2)

( x  1)( x  2)( x  5)
2x 2  12 x  26  A  x  2 x  5  B  x  1 x  5  C  x  1 x  2

Let x = −1:
2  12  26  A   3   4  0  0
12  12 A
A 1

Let x = 2:
8  24  26  0  B  3  7  0
42  21B
B  2

Let x = −5:
50  60  26  0  0  C    4     7 
84  28C
C3

A = 1, B = −2, C = 3

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 10 x 2  8 x  2 D E F
5   
x(2 x  1)(3x  2) x 2 x  1 3x  2
D(2 x  1)(3x  2)  Ex(3x  2)  Fx(2 x  1)

x(2 x  1)(3x  2)
10 x 2  8x  2  D  2 x  1 3x  2   Ex  3x  2   Fx  2 x  1

Let x = 0:
2  D  1   2   0  0
 2 D
 D  1

Let x =  12 :
 52  4  2  0  E    12     72   0
7
2  74 E
E2

Let x = 2
3
:
 409  163  2  0  0  F   23    73 
 709  14
9 F
F  5

D = −1, E = 2, F = −5

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 2 x 2  12 x  26 A B C
6 a   
( x  1)( x  2)( x  5) ( x  1) ( x  2) ( x  5)
A( x  2)( x  5)  B( x  1)( x  5)  C ( x  1)( x  2)

( x  1)( x  2)( x  5)
2 x 2  12 x  26  A( x  2)( x  5)  B( x  1)( x  5)  C ( x  1)( x  2)

Let x  2 :
8  24  26  A  0  B  3  7  C  0
42  21B
B  2

Let x  1:
2  12  26  A  (3)  4  B  0  C  0
12  12 A
A 1

Let x  5 :
50  60  26  A  0  B  0  C  28
84  28C
C 3

2 x 2  12 x  26 1 2 3
Hence   
( x  1)( x  2)( x  5) ( x  1) ( x  2) ( x  5)

10 x 2  8 x  2 A B C
b Let   
x(2 x  1)(3x  2) x (2 x  1) (3x  2)
A(2 x  1)(3x  2)  Bx(3x  2)  Cx(2 x  1)

x(2 x  1)(3x  2)
10 x2  8x  2  A(2 x  1)(3x  2)  Bx(3x  2)  Cx(2 x  1)

Let x  0 :
0  0  2  A 1 (2)  B  0  C  0
2  2 A
A  1

Let x   12 :
 104  4  2  A  0  B    12     27   C  0
7
2  B  74
 B2

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6 b (continued)

Equate coefficients in x 2 :
10  6 A  3B  2C
 6  6  2C
 2C
 C  5

5x2 19x  32 A B C
c Let   
( x  1)( x  2)( x  5) ( x  1) ( x  2) ( x  5)
A( x  2)( x  5)  B( x  1)( x  5)  C( x  1)( x  2)

( x  1)( x  2)( x  5)
5x2 19x  32  A( x  2)( x  5)  B( x  1)( x  5)  C ( x  1)( x  2)

Let x  1:
5  19  32  A 1  (6)  B  0  C  0
18  6 A
A3

Let x  5 :
125  95  32  A  0  B  0  C  6  7
252  42C
C  6

Let x  2 :
20  38  32  A  0  B  (1)  (7)  C  0
14  7 B
B  2

5x 2  19 x  32 3 2 6
Hence   
( x  1)( x  2)( x  5) ( x  1) ( x  2) ( x  5)

7 a First factorise the denominator:

6x2  7 x  3 6x2  7 x  3

x3  x x( x  1)( x  1)
6x2  7 x  3 A B C
Then   
x( x  1)( x  1) x x  1 x  1
A( x  1)( x  1)  Bx( x  1)  Cx( x  1)

x( x  1)( x  1)
6 x2  7 x  3  A  x  1 ( x  1)  Bx( x  1)  Cx  x  1

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7 a (continued)
Let x = 0:
−3 = A × 1 × (−1) + 0 + 0
= −A
A = 3
Let x = −1:
6 − 7 − 3 = 0 + B × (−1) × (−2) + 0
−4 = 2B
 B = −2

Let x = 1:
6+7−3=0+0+C×1×2
10 = 2C
C = 5

6x2  7 x  3 3 2 5
So   
x( x  1)( x  1) x x  1 x  1

b First factorise the denominator:

8x  9 8x  9
2

10x  3x  4 (5x  4)(2x 1)
Then 8x  9 A B
 
(5 x  4)(2 x  1) 5 x  4 2 x  1
A(2 x  1) B (5 x  4)
 
(5 x  4)(2 x  1) (5 x  4)(2 x  1)
8 x  9  A(2 x  1)  B  5 x  4 

Let x =  54 :
 325  9  A    135   0
13
5   135 A
 A  1
Let x = : 1
2

4  9  0  B   132 
13  132 B
B2

8x  9 1 2
So  
(5x  4)(2x 1) 5x  4 2x 1

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Challenge

Evaluating the denominator at x  2 :

23 − 4(22) + 2 + 6 = 0

By the factor theorem,  x  2 is a factor of x 3  4 x 2  x  6

3 2
So we can write x  4 x  x  6   x  2  p( x) for some quadratic polynomial p.
We can find p using long division:

x2  2 x  3
x  2 x3  4 x2  x  6
x3  2 x 2
 2x2  x
 2x2  4x
 3x  6
3 x  6
0

5 x 2  15 x  8 5 x 2  15 x  8

x3  4 x 2  x  6 ( x  2)( x 2  2 x  3)
5 x 2  15 x  8

( x  2)( x  1)( x  3)
A B C
  
x  2 x 1 x  3
A( x  1)( x  3)  B ( x  2)( x  3)  C ( x  2)( x  1)

( x  2)( x  1)( x  3)
5 x 2  15 x  8  A  x  1 ( x  3)  B ( x  2)  x  3  C  x  2  x  1

Let x = 2:
20 − 30 − 8 = A × 3 × (−1) + 0 + 0
−18 = −3A
A = 6
Let x = −1:
5 + 15 − 8 = 0 + B × (−3) × (−4) + 0
12 = 12B
B = 1
Let x = 3:
45 − 45 − 8 = 0 + 0 + C × 1 × 4
−8 = 4C
C = −2

5x2 15x  8 6 1 2
So 3 2
  
x  4x  x  6 x  2 x  1 x  3

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