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 ∫5x−2 dx\int \frac{5}{x - 2}\,dx.

Worked solution

  1. Write down the integral

    ∫5x−2 dx\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

    ∫5x−2 dx=5ln⁡(x−2)\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⁡(x−2)+c5 \ln{\left(x - 2 \right)} + c

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

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

Worked solution

  1. Write down the integral

    ∫3x+1 dx\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+1 dx=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 ∫7x−4 dx\int \frac{7}{x - 4}\,dx.

Worked solution

  1. Write down the integral

    ∫7x−4 dx\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

    ∫7x−4 dx=7ln⁡(x−4)\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⁡(x−4)+c7 \ln{\left(x - 4 \right)} + c

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

Answer
7ln⁡(x−4)+c7 \ln{\left(x - 4 \right)} + c
Question 4
2 markseasy
Find ∫3x+1(x−1)(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(x−1)(x+2)≡53(x+2)+43(x−1)\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(x−1)(x+2) dx=4ln⁡(x−1)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⁡(x−1)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⁡(x−1)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(x−2)(x−1) dx\int \frac{5}{\left(x - 2\right) \left(x - 1\right)}\,dx.

Worked solution

  1. Write the partial fraction decomposition

    5(x−2)(x−1)≡−5x−1+5x−2\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(x−2)(x−1) dx=5ln⁡(x−2)−5ln⁡(x−1)\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⁡(x−2)−5ln⁡(x−1)+c5 \ln{\left(x - 2 \right)} - 5 \ln{\left(x - 1 \right)} + c

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

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

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