Partial Fraction Decomposition

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on finding the partial fraction decomposition of the expression \(\frac{1}{(x^2-1)^2}\). The user encounters difficulty in determining the values of constants A and C after setting up simultaneous equations. The equations presented are \(-A - 2B - C + 2D = 0\) and \(A + B - C + D = 1\). A suggestion is made to solve different simultaneous equations to avoid eliminating A and C, thereby providing a clearer path to their values.

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  • Knowledge of simultaneous equations
  • Basic calculus concepts related to rational functions
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Students in algebra and calculus courses, educators teaching rational functions, and anyone seeking to master partial fraction decomposition techniques.

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Homework Statement


Find the partial fraction decomposition for:

##\frac{1}{\left(x^2-1\right)^2}##

Homework Equations

The Attempt at a Solution


Please see my attached images. I think the image shows my thought process better and it would take me well over an hour to type all that out!

Im stuck at the very end, where it results in a true statement, yet I'm trying to get values for A and C (Step iv-c)
 
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Please see attached. The second image is Page 1.
 

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Try solving the simultaneous equations
## -A - 2B - C + 2D = 0##
## A + B - C + D = 1 ##
instead of the two you choose.

If you add the two equations you choose, you can see that ##A## and ##C## are eliminated from the result, which suggests the two you selected don't provide information about the individual values of ##A## and ##C##.
 
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Great thank you!
 
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