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PartialFractionDecomposition:Examples(page3of3)
Sections:Generaltechniques,Howtohandlerepeatedandirreduciblefactors,Examples

Ifthedenominatorofyourrationalexpression
hasrepeatedunfactorablequadratics,thenyou
uselinearfactornumeratorsandfollowthe
patternthatweusedforrepeatedlinearfactorsin
thedenominatorthatis,you'llusefractionswith
increasingpowersoftherepeatedfactorsinthe Purplemath:
denominator. Linkingtothissite
Printingpages
Schoollicensing
Setup,butdonotsolve,the
decompositionequalityforthe
following: Reviewsof
InternetSites:
FreeHelp
Practice
EtCetera

The"Homework
Guidelines"

Sincex2+1isnotfactorable,I'llhavetousenumeratorswithlinearfactors.Thenthe
StudySkillsSurvey

decompositionsetuplookslikethis: TutoringfromPurplemath
Findalocalmathtutor

Thislessonmaybeprintedoutfor
yourpersonaluse.

Thankfully,Idon'thavetotrytosolvethisone.

Oneadditionalnote:Partialfractiondecompositiononlyworksfor"proper"fractions.Thatis,ifthe
denominator'sdegreeisnotlargerthanthenumerator'sdegree(soyouhave,ineffect,an"improper"
polynomialfraction),thenyoufirsthavetouselongdivisiontogetthe"mixednumber"formofthe
rationalexpression.Thendecomposetheremainingfractionalpart.

Decomposethefollowing:CopyrightElizabethStapel20062011AllRightsReserved Whatsyourquestion?

ASK

Thenumeratorisofdegree5thedenominatorisofdegree3.SofirstIhavetodothelong
division:

Thelongdivisionrearrangestherationalexpressiontogiveme:
 NowIcandecomposethefractionalpart.Thedenominatorfactorsas(x2+1)(x2).

Thex2+1isirreducible,sothedecompositionwillbeoftheform:

Multiplyingoutandsolving,Iget:

2x2+x+5=A(x2+1)+(Bx+C)(x2)
x=2:8+2+5=A(5)+(2B+C)(0),15=5A,andA=3
x=0:0+0+5=3(1)+(0+C)(02),

5=32C,2=2C, andC=1
x=1:2+1+5=3(1+1)+(1B1)(12),
8=6+(B1)(1)=6B+1,
8=7B,1=B,andB=1

Thenthecompleteexpansionis:

Thepreferredplacementofthe"minus"signs,either"inside"thefractionor"infront",mayvaryfrom
texttotext.Justdon'tleavea"minus"signhanginglooseunderneath.

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Citethisarticleas:Stapel,Elizabeth."PartialFractionDecomposition:Examples."Purplemath.Availablefrom
http://www.purplemath.com/modules/partfrac3.htm.Accessed23March2017

Copyright20062012ElizabethStapel|About|TermsofUse Feedback|Error?

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