Integration with partial fractions Worked Solutions — A-Level Maths

Fully worked, step-by-step solutions to A-Level Integration with partial fractions questions. See exactly how to solve problems on partial fractions, integration.

partial fractionsintegration
A-Level70 questionsStep-by-step solutions
Question 1
2 markseasy
Find 5x2dx\int \frac{5}{x - 2}\,dx.

Worked solution

  1. Write down the integral

    5x2dx\int \frac{5}{x - 2}\,dx

    We integrate this rational function by first splitting it into partial fractions.

  2. Integrate using the standard logarithm result

    5x2dx=5ln(x2)\int \frac{5}{x - 2}\,dx=5 \ln{\left(x - 2 \right)}

    Recall \int \frac{k}{x-a}\,dx=k\ln|x-a|+c.

  3. Add the constant of integration

    5ln(x2)+c5 \ln{\left(x - 2 \right)} + c

    This is an indefinite integral, so we include +c.

Answer
5ln(x2)+c5 \ln{\left(x - 2 \right)} + c
Question 2
2 markseasy
Find 3x+1dx\int \frac{3}{x + 1}\,dx.

Worked solution

  1. Write down the integral

    3x+1dx\int \frac{3}{x + 1}\,dx

    We integrate this rational function by first splitting it into partial fractions.

  2. Integrate using the standard logarithm result

    3x+1dx=3ln(x+1)\int \frac{3}{x + 1}\,dx=3 \ln{\left(x + 1 \right)}

    Recall \int \frac{k}{x-a}\,dx=k\ln|x-a|+c.

  3. Add the constant of integration

    3ln(x+1)+c3 \ln{\left(x + 1 \right)} + c

    This is an indefinite integral, so we include +c.

Answer
3ln(x+1)+c3 \ln{\left(x + 1 \right)} + c
Question 3
2 markseasy
Find 7x4dx\int \frac{7}{x - 4}\,dx.

Worked solution

  1. Write down the integral

    7x4dx\int \frac{7}{x - 4}\,dx

    We integrate this rational function by first splitting it into partial fractions.

  2. Integrate using the standard logarithm result

    7x4dx=7ln(x4)\int \frac{7}{x - 4}\,dx=7 \ln{\left(x - 4 \right)}

    Recall \int \frac{k}{x-a}\,dx=k\ln|x-a|+c.

  3. Add the constant of integration

    7ln(x4)+c7 \ln{\left(x - 4 \right)} + c

    This is an indefinite integral, so we include +c.

Answer
7ln(x4)+c7 \ln{\left(x - 4 \right)} + c
Question 4
2 markseasy
Find 3x+1(x1)(x+2)dx\int \frac{3 x + 1}{\left(x - 1\right) \left(x + 2\right)}\,dx.

Worked solution

  1. Write the partial fraction decomposition

    3x+1(x1)(x+2)53(x+2)+43(x1)\frac{3 x + 1}{\left(x - 1\right) \left(x + 2\right)}\equiv \frac{5}{3 \left(x + 2\right)} + \frac{4}{3 \left(x - 1\right)}

    Each simple fraction is now easy to integrate.

  2. Integrate each term

    3x+1(x1)(x+2)dx=4ln(x1)3+5ln(x+2)3\int \frac{3 x + 1}{\left(x - 1\right) \left(x + 2\right)}\,dx=\frac{4 \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)}}{3} + \frac{5 \ln{\left(x + 2 \right)}}{3}

    Each simple fraction integrates to a logarithm.

  3. Add the constant of integration

    4ln(x1)3+5ln(x+2)3+c\frac{4 \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)}}{3} + \frac{5 \ln{\left(x + 2 \right)}}{3} + c

    This is an indefinite integral, so we include +c.

Answer
4ln(x1)3+5ln(x+2)3+c\frac{4 \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)}}{3} + \frac{5 \ln{\left(x + 2 \right)}}{3} + c
Question 5
2 markseasy
Find 5(x2)(x1)dx\int \frac{5}{\left(x - 2\right) \left(x - 1\right)}\,dx.

Worked solution

  1. Write the partial fraction decomposition

    5(x2)(x1)5x1+5x2\frac{5}{\left(x - 2\right) \left(x - 1\right)}\equiv - \frac{5}{x - 1} + \frac{5}{x - 2}

    Each simple fraction is now easy to integrate.

  2. Integrate each term

    5(x2)(x1)dx=5ln(x2)5ln(x1)\int \frac{5}{\left(x - 2\right) \left(x - 1\right)}\,dx=5 \ln{\left(x - 2 \right)} - 5 \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)}

    Each simple fraction integrates to a logarithm.

  3. Add the constant of integration

    5ln(x2)5ln(x1)+c5 \ln{\left(x - 2 \right)} - 5 \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)} + c

    This is an indefinite integral, so we include +c.

Answer
5ln(x2)5ln(x1)+c5 \ln{\left(x - 2 \right)} - 5 \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)} + c

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