1.

3 Partial fractions
Exercise 1.14: Express the following in partial fractions.
2
i) (x+1)(x+3)

let x = −1: 2 = 2A
A B
= x+1
+ x+3 A=1
A(x+3)+B(x+1)
= (x+1)(x+3) let x = −3: 2 = −2B
2 = A(x + 3) + B(x + 1) B = −1
1 1
x+1
− x+3

2x+7
ii) (2x+1)(x+2)

let x = − 12 : 6= 3
2
A
A B
= 2x+1
+ x+2 A=4
A(x+2)+B(2x+1)
= (2x+1)(x+2) let x = −2 : 3 = −3B
2x + 7 = A(x + 2) + B(2x + 1) B = −1
4 1
2x+1
− x+2

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1.3 Partial fractions
44
iii) (x+1)(2x+3)(3x−1)

A B C
= x+1
+ 2x+3
+ 3x−1
A(2x+3)(3x−1)+B(x+1)(3x−1)+C(x+1)(2x+3)
= (x+1)(2x+3)(3x−1)

44 = A(2x + 3)(3x − 1) + B(x + 1)(3x − 1) + C(x + 1)(2x + 3)

let x = −1: 44 = −4A 11 16 9

− x+1 + 2x+3
+ 3x−1
A = −11

let x = − 32 : 44 = 11
4
B
B = 16
1 44
let x = 3
: 44 = 9
C
C=9

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1.3 Partial fractions
2+11x−10x2
iv) (1+2x)(1−2x)(2+x)

A B C
= 1+2x
+ 1−2x
+ 2+x
A(1−2x)(2+x)+B(1+2x)(2+x)+C(1+2x)(1−2x)
= (1+2x)(1−2x)(2+x)

2 + 11x − 10x2 = A(1 − 2x)(2 + x) + B(1 + 2x)(2 + x) + C(1 + 2x)(1 − 2x)

let x = − 21 : −6 = 3A 2
− 1+2x + 1
1−2x
+ 4
2+x
A = −2
1
let x = 2
: 5 = 5B
B=1

let x = −2 : −60 = −15C

C=4

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1.3 Partial fractions
Exercise 1.15: Express the following in partial fractions.
16−17x
i) (2+x)(3−x)2

A B C
= 2+x
+ 3−x
+ (3−x)2
A(3−x)2 +B(2+x)(3−x)+C(2+x)
= (2+x)(3−x)2

16 − 17x = A(3 − x)2 + B(2 + x)(3 − x) + C(2 + x)

let x = −2: 50 = 25A 2

+ 2
− 7
2+x 3−x (3−x)2
A=2

let x = 3 : −35 = 5C
C = −7

16 − 17x = 2(3 − x)2 + B(2 + x)(3 − x) − 7(2 + x)

let x = 0: 16 = 18 + 6B − 14
B=2

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1.3 Partial fractions
x2 −8x+9
ii) (1−x)(2−x)2

A B C
= 1−x
+ 2−x
+ (2−x)2
A(2−x)2 +B(1−x)(2−x)+C(1−x)
= (1−x)(2−x)2

x2 − 8x + 9 = A(2 − x)2 + B(1 − x)(2 − x) + C(1 − x)

let x = 1: 2=A 2
− 1
+ 3
1−x 2−x (2−x)2
let x = 2 : −3 = −C
C=3

x2 − 8x + 9 = 2(2 − x)2 + B(1 − x)(2 − x) + 3(1 − x)

let x = 0: 9 = 8 + 2B + 3
B = −1

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1.3 Partial fractions
7x2 +8
iii) (1+x)2 (2−3x)

A B C
= 1+x
+ (1+x)2
+ 2−3x
A(1+x)(2−3x)+B(2−3x)+C(1+x)2
= (1+x)2 (2−3x)

7x2 + 8 = A(1 + x)(2 − 3x) + B(2 − 3x) + C(1 + x)2

let x = −1: 15 = 5B 1
− 1+x + 3
+ 4
(1+x)2 2−3x
B=3
2 100 25
let x = 3
: 9
= 9
C
C=4

7x2 + 8 = A(1 + x)(2 − 3x) + 3(2 − 3x) + 4(1 + x)2

let x = 1: 15 = −2A − 3 + 16
A = −1

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1.3 Partial fractions
7x2 −15x+8
iv) (1−2x)(2−x)2

A B C
= 1−2x
+ 2−x
+ (2−x)2
A(2−x)2 +B(1−2x)(2−x)+C(1−2x)
= (1−2x)(2−x)2

7x2 − 15x + 8 = A(2 − x)2 + B(1 − 2x)(2 − x) + C(1 − 2x)

1 9 9
let x = 2
: 4
= 4
A 1
+ 3
− 2
1−2x 2−x (2−x)2
A=1

let x = 2: 6 = −3C
C = −2

7x2 − 15x + 8 = (2 − x)2 + B(1 − 2x)(2 − x) − 2(1 − 2x)

let x = 0: 8 = 4 + 2B − 2
B=3

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1.3 Partial fractions
Exercise 1.16: Express the following in partial fractions.
x(6−x)
i) (2+x)(4+x2 )

A Bx+C
= 2+x
+ 4+x2
A(4+x2 )+(Bx+C)(2+x)
= (2+x)(4+x2 )

x(6 − x) = A(4 + x2 ) + (Bx + C)(2 + x)

2 x+4
− 2+x + 4+x2
let x = −2: −16 = 8A
A = −2

x(6 − x) = −2(4 + x2 ) + (Bx + C)(2 + x)

let x = 0: 0 = −8 + 2C
C=4

x(6 − x) = −2(4 + x2 ) + (Bx + 4)(2 + x)

let x = 1: 5 = −10 + (B + 4)(3)

B=1

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1.3 Partial fractions
7x2 −3x+2
ii) x(x2 +1)

A Bx+C
= x
+ x2 +1
A(x2 +1)+(Bx+C)x
= x(x2 +1)

7x2 − 3x + 2 = A(x2 + 1) + (Bx + C)x

2 5x−3
x
+ x2 +1
let x = 0: 2=A

7x2 − 3x + 2 = 2(x2 + 1) + (Bx + C)x

let x = 1: 6=4+B+C
B+C =2 (1)

let x = −1: 12 = 4 + B − C
B−C =8 (2)

(1) + (2): 2B = 10
B=5
C = −3

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1.3 Partial fractions
x−4x2
iii) (3−x)(2+x2 )

A Bx+C
= 3−x
+ 2+x2
A(2+x2 )+(Bx+C)(3−x)
= (3−x)(2+x2 )

x − 4x2 = A(2 + x2 ) + (Bx + C)(3 − x)

3 x+2
− 3−x + 2+x2
let x = 3: −33 = 11A
A = −3

x − 4x2 = −3(2 + x2 ) + (Bx + C)(3 − x)

let x = 0: 0 = −6 + 3C
C=2

x − 4x2 = −3(2 + x2 ) + (Bx + 2)(3 − x)

let x = 1: −3 = −9 + (B + 2)(2)
B=1

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1.3 Partial fractions
5x2 +x+6
iv) (3−2x)(x2 +4)

A Bx+C
= 3−2x
+ x2 +4
A(x2 +4)+(Bx+C)(3−2x)
= (3−2x)(x2 +4)

5x2 + x + 6 = A(x2 + 4) + (Bx + C)(3 − 2x)

3 x+2
3 75 25 3−2x
− x2 +4
let x = 2
: 4
= 4
A
A=3

5x2 + x + 6 = 3(x2 + 4) + (Bx + C)(3 − 2x)

let x = 0: 6 = 12 + 3C
C = −2

5x2 + x + 6 = 3(x2 + 4) + (Bx − 2)(3 − 2x)

let x = 1: 12 = 15 + B − 2
B = −1

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1.3 Partial fractions
Exercise 1.17: The polynomial p(x) is defined by p(x) = ax3 − x2 + 4x − a,
where a is a constant. It is given that (2x − 1) is a factor of p(x).
i) Find the value of a and hence factorise p(x).
x2 + 2
p( 12 ) = 0
2x − 1 2x3 − x2 + 4x − 2
1 1
8
a − 4
+2−a=0 2x3 − x2

a=2 4x − 2
4x − 2
p(x) = (x2 + 2)(2x − 1)
8x−13
ii) When a has the value found in part i), express p(x)
in partial fractions.
8x−13 Ax+B C
(x2 +2)(2x−1)
= x2 +2
+ 2x−1 2x+5 4
x2 +2
− 2x−1
8x − 13 = (Ax + B)(2x − 1) + C(x2 + 2)
1 9
let x = 2
: −9 = 4
C =⇒ C = −4

8x − 13 = (Ax + B)(2x − 1) − 4(x2 + 2)

let x = 0: −13 = −B − 8 =⇒ B = 5

8x − 13 = (Ax + 5)(2x − 1) − 4(x2 + 2)

let x = 1: −5 = A + 5 − 12 =⇒ A = 2
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1.3 Partial fractions
Exercise 1.18: Express the following in partial fractions.
12+12x−4x2
i) (2+x)(3−2x)

2
−4x2 +12x+12
= −2x2 −x+6 −2x2 − x + 6 −4x2 + 12x + 12
14x −4x2 − 2x + 12
= 2 + (2+x)(3−2x)
14x

let x = −2: −28 = 7A

14x A B
(2+x)(3−2x)
= 2+x
+ 3−2x A = −4
14x = A(3 − 2x) + B(2 + x) 3 7
let x = 2
: 21 = 2
B
B=6

4 6
2− 2+x
+ 3−2x

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1.3 Partial fractions
4x2 +5x+3
ii) 2x2 +5x+2

2
5x+1
=2− 2x2 +5x+2 2x2 + 5x + 2 4x2 + 5x + 3
5x+1 4x2 + 10x + 4
=2− (2x+1)(x+2) − 5x − 1

5x+1
= A
+ B let x = − 12 : − 32 = 3
2
A
(2x+1)(x+2) 2x+1 x+2
A = −1
5x + 1 = A(x + 2) + B(2x + 1)
let x = −2: −9 = −3B
B=3

1 3
2+ 2x+1
− x+2

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1.3 Partial fractions
3x3 +6x−8
iii) x(x2 +2)

3x(x2 +2)−8 let x = 0: 8 = 2A

= x(x2 +2)
8
A=4
=3− x(x2 +2)
8 = 4(x2 + 2) + (Bx + C)x
8 A Bx+C
x(x2 +2)
= x
+ x2 +2 let x = 1: 8 = 12 + B + C
8 = A(x2 + 2) + (Bx + C)x B + C = −4 (1)

let x = −1: 8 = 12 + B − C
B − C = −4 (2)

(1) + (2): 2B = −8 =⇒ B = −4
C=0

4 4x
3− x
+ x2 +2

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1.3 Partial fractions
4x3 +10x2 +8x−1
iv) (2x+1)2 (x+2)

4x3 +10x2 +8x−1

= 4x3 +12x2 +9x+2
(4x3 +12x2 +9x+2)−(2x2 +x+3)
= 4x3 +12x2 +9x+2
2x2 +x+3
=1− (2x+1)2 (x+2)

2x2 +x+3 A B C
(2x+1)2 (x+2)
= 2x+1
+ (2x+1)2
+ x+2

2x2 + x + 3 = A(2x + 1)(x + 2) + B(x + 2) + C(2x + 1)2

let x = − 21 : 3= 3
2
B let x = −2: 9 = 9C
B=2 C=1

2x2 + x + 3 = A(2x + 1)(x + 2) + 2(x + 2) + (2x + 1)2

let x = 0: 3 = 2A + 4 + 1
A = −1
1 2 1
1+ 2x+1
− (2x+1)2
− x+2

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