Troubleshooting Integral: Partial Fractions with Unsolvable Component"

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the integral of (x^2 + 1) / (x^3 + 8) dx, specifically focusing on the partial fraction decomposition that leads to a challenging integral involving (7x-4) / [(x-1)^2 + 3]. Participants are exploring methods to solve this integral and the substitutions required.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Mathematical reasoning, Problem interpretation

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss the use of partial fractions and substitutions, with one suggesting a change of variables to simplify the integral. There are questions about the process of substitution and how to handle the resulting expressions.

Discussion Status

The discussion includes attempts to clarify the steps involved in solving the integral, with some participants expressing confusion about multiple substitutions. Others provide insights into the integral of tan and related logarithmic expressions, indicating a mix of understanding and uncertainty.

Contextual Notes

Some participants express frustration with the lack of detailed steps in the textbook, leading to confusion about the integral's solution. There is also mention of specific expressions and identities that need to be rearranged, highlighting the complexity of the problem.

sony
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Ok, so I have the integral of (x^2 + 1) / (x^3 + 8) dx

I use partial fractions and end up with two integrals, the one I cannot solve is:

1/12 * "integral of" (7x-4) / [(x-1)^2 +3 ] dx
With u=x-1 I get
(7u-3) / (u^2+3) du

But I have no Idea of how to solve it, the answer in the books shows the step up to this, but jumps over what to do with the last part and writes the answer (something involving tan^-1 and ln)

Please help!
Thanks
 
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sony said:
Ok, so I have the integral of (x^2 + 1) / (x^3 + 8) dx

I use partial fractions and end up with two integrals, the one I cannot solve is:

1/12 * "integral of" (7x-4) / [(x-1)^2 +3 ] dx
With u=x-1 I get
(7u-3) / (u^2+3) du

But I have no Idea of how to solve it, the answer in the books shows the step up to this, but jumps over what to do with the last part and writes the answer (something involving tan^-1 and ln)

Please help!
Thanks
Factor out the 3 in the denominator:

[tex]\int\frac{7u-3}{u^2+3}\,du=\frac{1}{3}\int\frac{7u-3}{\left(\frac{u}{\sqrt{3}}\right)^2+1}\,du[/tex]

Then make the subsititution [itex]u=\sqrt{3}\tan{\theta}[/itex].

Alex
 
Oh, thanks!
 
Ok I'm very confused about the doing substitution _two_ times, can someone please go threw every step of this?
 
Fra børjan av?
 
Sorry, nevermind! I think I can figure this out, can someone please just tell me what the integral of Tan[x] equals?
 
It is C-ln(|cos(x)|), where C is an integration constant.
 
Ok, I see it now. Took some time :P

Thanks!
 
Ok, bah. I don't get it. Can someone please take it from what apmcavoy wrote (start with subsitution of u)
 
  • #10
You have then:
[tex]du=\frac{\sqrt{3}d\theta}{\cos^{2}\theta}[/tex]
Since [tex]tan^{2}\theta+1=\frac{1}{\cos^{2}\theta}[/tex]
we get:
[tex]\frac{1}{3}\int\frac{7u-3}{(\frac{u}{\sqrt{3}})^{2}+1}du=\frac{1}{3}\int\sqrt{3}(7tan\theta-3)d\theta[/tex]
All right?
 
  • #11
Yeah, thanks. I made it to the last step, but I don't see what happens with the Cos bit... :P

(EDIT: The cos bit in the solution of the integral of Tan phi)
 
  • #12
Okay, you'll basically need to rearrange an expression like cos(Atan(y)), which will appear within the logarithm.

In order to do this, not that by definition of the Atan and tan functions, we have:
[tex]y=\tan{Atan(y)}=\frac{\sin(Atan(y))}{\cos(Atan(y))}=\frac{\sqrt{1-\cos^{2}(Atan(y))}}{\cos(Atan(y))}(1)[/tex]
where I've used the identity [itex]\sin^{2}x=1-\cos^{2}x[/itex] for all x.

Thus, from (1), we get [tex]y^{2}\cos^{2}(Atan(y))=1-\cos^{2}(Atan(y))[/tex]
by which we have:
[tex]|\cos(Atan(y))|=\frac{1}{\sqrt{1+y^{2}}}[/tex]

Thus, we have rewritten the troublesome expression, in that we now have:
[tex]ln|\cos(Atan(y))|=-\frac{1}{2}ln(y^{2}+1)[/tex]
 
  • #13
Ok, this made it clear. Thank you!
 
  • #14
You're welcome.
 

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