How to use fractional decomposition to integrate rational functions?

  • Thread starter Thread starter QuarkCharmer
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Integral
Join the discussion
Registration is free. Ask a follow-up in this thread, or start your own.
7 replies · 2K views
QuarkCharmer
Messages
1,049
Reaction score
3

Homework Statement


[tex]\int \frac{2x}{3x^{2}+10x+3} dx[/tex]

Homework Equations



The Attempt at a Solution



I can't think of a U-substitution that would work, nor a trigonometric substitution, or integration by part.

[tex]\int \frac{2x}{3x^{2}+10x+3} dx[/tex]
[tex]\int \frac{2x}{(x+3)(3x+1)} dx[/tex]

I factored the denominator out thinking that I could somehow substitute for one product, but that doesn't work clearly. How do you integrate functions like these??

I popped it into wolfram and it had a step about fractional decomposition, but I am having a hard time understanding it and we have not covered it yet in my course.

Here is my go at it:
It has to be in this form right?
[tex]\frac{2x}{(3+x)(3x+1)} = \frac{A}{3+x} + \frac{B}{3x+1}[/tex]

So now I would multiply the LCD through the equation leaving:
[tex]2x = A(3x+1) + B(3+x)[/tex]

I don't understand what to do now though?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
George Jones said:
Multiply out the right side, and then factor out x from all possible terms.

[tex]2x = A(3x+1) + B(3+x)[/tex]
[tex]2x = x(3A+B) + A +3B[/tex]

?
 
George Jones said:
left = right.

How many x's on the left? On the right?

What is the constant on the left? On the right?

So,

The constant is A + 3B

The other equation is 2=(3A+B) ?

I'm guessing I system of equation these guys to find A and B now? What does the constant equal? 0?
 
That makes this I believe:

[tex]\frac{2x}{(3+x)(3x+1)} = \frac{\frac{3}{4}}{3+x} + \frac{\frac{-1}{4}}{3x+1}[/tex]

Does that look correct? I can integrate those.
 
Yeah, it seems like you've got it. You can always check your answer by doing the reverse (combine the two terms on the right hand side into one fraction with a common denominator and check that the numerator simplifies to 2x).