Can someone me factorise a fraction (u-2)(-u^2 +3u +2)

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Homework Help Overview

The discussion revolves around the factorization of the expression (u-2)(-u^2 + 3u + 2) within the context of differential equations. The original poster expresses difficulty in simplifying the fraction for integration purposes, noting that their professor suggested a specific form for the factorization.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Problem interpretation, Assumption checking

Approaches and Questions Raised

  • Participants discuss various methods for factorizing the expression, including completing the square and using the quadratic formula to find roots. Some participants suggest decomposing the expression into partial fractions, while others explore the implications of their current progress on the overall problem.

Discussion Status

The conversation is ongoing, with participants sharing different approaches and insights. Some have made progress in their factorization attempts, while others are questioning the validity of their methods and the complexity of the resulting expressions. There is no explicit consensus on the best approach yet.

Contextual Notes

Participants note the challenge of working with a fraction that does not easily factor using integer coefficients, and there is mention of the need to integrate the expression, which adds to the complexity of the discussion.

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Homework Statement


I am working on a topic called differential equations, and I am stuck on some working out.

2. Homework Equations [/b]

Can someone please help me to factorise the following fraction (u-2)(-u^2+ 3u+ 2)
I have to integrate it, and I know I can without factorising, but it is so messy, my professor said to factorise the fraction so it looks a bit like a1/(bu+ c)+ a2/(du+ e)

Well that's what the professor said, I have no idea what it means... I can factorise as far as
= u/(-u^2 +3u +2) - 2/(-u^2 +3u +2)

And I know that -u^2 +3u +2 = (-u + 1)(u-2) +4

But not sure how to put it all together

Here is the working out for the whole question just in case you're interested
[tex] \begin{align*}<br /> y' &= \frac{y+2x}{y-2x} \\<br /> Let y &= ux \\<br /> \text{Then we have} y' &= \frac{ux + 2x}{ux - 2x} \\<br /> &= \frac{u+2}{u-2} \\<br /> \text{Now } y' &= \frac{dy}{dx} = \frac{d(ux)}{dx} = x \frac{dy}{dx} + u \\<br /> \text{So we can say that} x \frac{du}{dx} + u& = \frac{u+2}{u-2} \\<br /> x \frac{du}{dx} &= \frac{u+2}{u-2} - u \\<br /> x \frac{du}{dx} &= \frac{u+2}{u-2} - \frac{u^2-2u}{u-2} \\<br /> x \frac{du}{dx} &= \frac{u+2- u^2+2u}{u-2} \\<br /> x \frac{du}{dx} &= \frac{-u^2+3u+2}{u-2} \\<br /> \end{align*}<br /> \bigskip[/tex]


Then I have to integrate both sides of this equation...which is what I think I need to factorise in order to make it nice and neat

[tex] \frac{u-2}{-u^2 + 3u + 2}du &= \frac{1}{x} dx [/tex]
 
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laura_a said:

Homework Statement


I am working on a topic called differential equations, and I am stuck on some working out.

2. Homework Equations [/b]

Can someone please help me to factorise the following fraction (u-2)(-u^2+ 3u+ 2)
I have to integrate it, and I know I can without factorising, but it is so messy, my professor said to factorise the fraction so it looks a bit like a1/(bu+ c)+ a2/(du+ e)

Well that's what the professor said, I have no idea what it means... I can factorise as far as
= u/(-u^2 +3u +2) - 2/(-u^2 +3u +2)

And I know that -u^2 +3u +2 = (-u + 1)(u-2) +4

But not sure how to put it all together

Here is the working out for the whole question just in case you're interested
[tex] \begin{align*}<br /> y' &= \frac{y+2x}{y-2x} \\<br /> Let y &= ux \\<br /> \text{Then we have} y' &= \frac{ux + 2x}{ux - 2x} \\<br /> &= \frac{u+2}{u-2} \\<br /> \text{Now } y' &= \frac{dy}{dx} = \frac{d(ux)}{dx} = x \frac{dy}{dx} + u \\<br /> \text{So we can say that} x \frac{du}{dx} + u& = \frac{u+2}{u-2} \\<br /> x \frac{du}{dx} &= \frac{u+2}{u-2} - u \\<br /> x \frac{du}{dx} &= \frac{u+2}{u-2} - \frac{u^2-2u}{u-2} \\<br /> x \frac{du}{dx} &= \frac{u+2- u^2+2u}{u-2} \\<br /> x \frac{du}{dx} &= \frac{-u^2+3u+2}{u-2} \\<br /> \end{align*}<br /> \bigskip[/tex]


Then I have to integrate both sides of this equation...which is what I think I need to factorise in order to make it nice and neat

[tex] \frac{u-2}{-u^2 + 3u + 2}du &= \frac{1}{x} dx [/tex]

That can't be factored using integer coefficients but you know that if an expression factors as (x-a)(x-b) then a and b must be roots of (x-a)(x-b)= 0. Use the quadratic formula to find the roots of x2- 3x- 2= 0.
 
Try completing the square of [tex]-u^2+3u+2[/tex]. Then use a simple algebraic identity to decompose it into partial fractions.
 
I think I've gotten a little closer, The question I'm trying to do is to solve a d.e. using change of variables, so once I get this part worked out I should be able to get it

So this is how far I've gone
Since [tex]u^2- 3 u -2= 0[/tex]
has two roots
[tex]u_1 = (3+ 17^{0.5})/2, u_2= (3- 17^{0.5})/2[/tex]

so

[tex]u^2- 3 u -2= (u - (3+ 17^{0.5})/2 ) (u- (3- 17^{0.5})/2 )[/tex]

Originally I had
[tex]\frac{u-2}{-u+3u+2}du = \frac{1}{2}dx[/tex] - I'll call this equation (2)
So now I've got the LHS as

[tex]S = -u /((u - (3+ 17^{0.5})/2 ) +2 /(u- (3- 17^{0.5})/2 )[/tex]
I changed the u-2 to -u+2 since I made a similar change on the denominator in order to solve it...

Anyhow, I integrated that and ended up with something really messy invloving logs

[tex]-2(u + 17^{0.5} ln(u-17^{0.5}-3)+3ln(u-17^{0.5}-3)-17^{0.5}-3+4ln(u+17^{0.5}-3) = ln(x) + C[/tex]

(I integrated both sides of equation (2) above)

Well the prob is now, I'm probably wrong anyway, but the next step is to solve for u, and then I have to sub back in the original change of varaible which was y=xu and end up with an expression for y in terms of x and C... before I go on, can anyone tell me if I should bother working through those logs, or is it wrong? Thanks :)
 
Let us take this as a GENERAL case, shal we?
We are to decompose:
[tex]\frac{u-u_{0}}{(u-u_{1})(u-u_{2})}=\frac{A}{u-u_{1}}+\frac{B}{u-u_{2}}[/tex]
where the unindexed u is our variable, the indexed u's known numbers, and A and B constants to be determined.
We therefore must have:
[tex]u-u_{0}=A(u-u_{2})+B(u-u_{1})[/tex], or by comparing coefficients, we get the system of equations:
[tex]A+B=1[/tex]
and
[tex]u_{2}A+u_{1}B=u_{0}[/tex]
whereby we arrive at the solutions:
[tex]A=\frac{u_{0}-u_{1}}{u_{2}-u_{1}},B=\frac{u_{2}-u_{0}}{u_{2}-u_{1}}[/tex]

This is much simpler than using specific numbers!
 

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