Integration

Section 8: Using partial fractions in integration

Notes and Examples

These notes contain subsections on
 Using partial fractions in integration
 Putting all the integration techniques together

Using partial fractions in integration

The technique of splitting a fraction into partial fractions can be used to integrate
some functions involving fractions, as the following two examples illustrate.

Example 1
1
Find x 2
 2x  3
dx

Solution
The integrand splits into two partial fractions, like this:
1 1 A B
  
x  2 x  3 ( x  3)( x  1) x  3 x  1
2

Multiplying through by (x + 3)(x – 1): 1 = A(x − 1) + B(x + 3)

Substituting x = 1: 1  4B  B  14
Substituting x = −3: 1  4A  A   14
1 1 1
So  
x  2 x  3 4  x  3 4  x  1
2

1  1 1 
x 2
 2x  3
dx    
4  x  3 

4  x  1
 dx
 
1  1 1 
     dx
4  x 1 x  3 
 14 ln x  1  14 x  3  c

Example 2
2 x 1
Evaluate 
1 x  2 x2
3
dx , giving your answer exactly.

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Solution
x 1 x 1 A B C
 2  2 
x  2x
3 2
x ( x  2) x x x2

Multiplying through by x²(x + 2): x + 1 = A(x + 2) + Bx(x + 2) + Cx2

Substituting x = −2: 1  4C  C   14
Substituting x = 0: 1  2A  A  12
Equating coefficients of x2: 0  B  C  B  14
x 1 1 1 1
So  2 
x  2x
3 2
2x 4x 4  x  2

2 x 1 1 2 2 1 1 
1 x  2x
3 2
d x  
4 x
1  2   dx
x x2
2
1 2 
    ln x  ln( x  2) 
4 x 1
 1
4 1  ln 2  ln 4  2  ln1  ln 3
 14 1  ln 2  ln 4  ln 3
 14 1  ln 23 

You may also like to look at the Integrating algebraic fractions video.

Putting all the integration techniques together

The weight of integration facts and techniques can be a little daunting! Choosing the
right technique to solve each problem is not always obvious. However, there are two
basic ways to become confident at integration:
 Know your standard derivative and integral results
 Wherever possible, do integrals by inspection.

Here is a summary of the integration techniques so far, and when to use them:

 Standard integrals

Learn these!

Function Integral Function Integral

xn 1 sin x  cos x  c
xn  c for n  -1
n 1
1 cos x sin x  c
ln x  c
x
ex ex  c sec2 x tan x  c

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Simple variations of these should also be learned:

Function Integral
1 kx
ekx e c
k These results can be found
1 using a substitution u = kx,
sin kx  cos kx  c but this is usually done “in
k
your head”. This technique is
1
cos kx sin kx  c sometimes called the reverse
k chain rule.

Example 3
Find the following integrals:
(i)  sin 3 x dx (ii)  3e2 x dx

Solution
(i)  sin 3x dx   13 cos 3x  c
 3e dx  32 e2 x  c
2x
(ii)

 Integration by inspection

Other variations of the standard functions can be integrated by guessing what the
answer is and differentiating this. If the result is within a constant multiple of the
integral, adjust accordingly.

Functions which can be integrated by inspection can be recognised. An integral of

df
the form  g[f ( x)] dx (i.e. the product of a function of f(x) and the derivative of f(x))
dx
can be integrated by inspection. The integral with be of the form of  g( x) dx

f ( x)
A particular type of integral which you should recognise is  f( x) dx  ln f( x)  c (see
part (iii) of Example 4).

Example 4
Find using integration by inspection:
x
(i) x 1  x 2 dx (ii)  sin x cos 2 x dx (iii)  1 2x 2
dx

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 The integrand is a product of

Solution 1  x 2 (a function of 1 + x²),

and x (a multiple of the
(i) x 1  x 2 dx derivative of 1 + x²).

The integral is of the form 1  x 2  2

3

d 
(1  x 2 ) 2   32 (1  x 2 ) 2  2 x
3 1

dx  
 3 x(1  x 2 ) 2
1
which is 3 times the integral.

x
3
So 1  x 2 dx  13 (1  x 2 )  c2
The integrand is a product of
cos 2 x (a function of cos x)
 sin x cos
2
(ii) x dx and sin x, (a multiple of the
3 derivative of cos x).
The integral is of the form cos x.
d
(cos 3 x)  3cos 2 x   sin x
dx
 3sin x cos 2 x which is −3 times the integral.
So  sin x cos 2 xdx   13 cos3 x  c
The integrand is of the form
x f ( x)
, where f ( x)  1  2 x
 1  2 x 2 dx
2
(iii)
f ( x)
The integral is of the form ln 1  2x 2  .
d 1
ln(1  2 x 2 )    4x
dx 1  2 x2
4x
 which is 4 times the integral.
1  2 x2
x
So  dx  14 ln(1  2 x 2 )  c
1 2x 2

With practice you may find that you can do the differentiation in your head and make
the necessary adjustment.

 Integration by substitution

Many of the simpler examples can be done by inspection, as can be seen by the
following example, in which examples (i), (ii) and (iii) are as in Example 4.

Example 5
Find using integration by substitution:
 x 1  x dx (ii)  sin x cos 2 x dx
2
(i)
x 3
(iii) 
1 2x
dx
2
(iv)  0
x 1  x dx

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Solution
(i) x 1  x 2 dx
du
u  1  x2   2x
dx
1
 dx  du
2x
1
 x 1  x d x   x u  2 x du
2

  u 2 du
1
1
2
3
 12  23 u 2  c

 13 1  x 2   c
3
2

 sin x cos
2
(ii) x dx
du
u  cos x    sin x
dx
1
 dx   du
sin x
1
 sin x cos x dx   sin x  u 2  
2
du
sin x
   u 2 du
  13 u 3  c
  13 cos3 x  c

x
(iii)  1 2x 2
dx
du
u  1  2 x2   4x
dx
1
 dx  du
4x
x x 1
 1  2 x 2 dx   u  4 x du
1 1
  du .
4 u
 14 ln u  c
 14 ln(1  2 x 2 )  c

3
(iv) 0
x 1  x dx
du
u  1 x  1
dx
 dx  du

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 When x = 0, u = 1
When x = 3, u = 4 For definite integration, the limits of
x=u–1 integration must be changed from
3 4 values of x to values of u.
0
x 1  xdx   (u  1) u du
1

  (u 2  u 2 )du
4 1 3

1
4
  25 u 2  23 u 2 
5 3

 1
 25  32  1  23  8  1
 62
5  143
 116
15

 Integration by parts

This technique comes directly from the product rule for differentiation, and so is often
appropriate for dealing with integrals which are products, often x with another
function of x, e.g. xcos x, xex, x ln x.

The formula for integration by parts is  u dv dx  uv   v du dx

dx dx

Usually the simpler function (often x) is taken to be u. However, integrals which are
products including ln x are dealt with slightly differently by taking u = ln x.

Example 6
Find using integration by parts: (i)  x cos 3x dx
(ii)  x ln x dx
2

Solution
(i)  x cos 3x dx
du
Let u  x  1
dx
dv
 cos x  v  13 sin x
dx
 x cos 3x dx  x  13 sin 3x   13 sin 3x 1 dx
 13 x sin 3x  13  sin 3x dx
 13 x sin 3x  19 cos 3x  c

x
2
(ii) ln x dx
du 1
Let u  ln x  
dx x

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 dv
 x 2  v  13 x 3
dx
1
x ln x dx  13 x3 ln x   13 x3  dx
2

x
 13 x3 ln x  13  x 2 dx
 13 x3 ln x  19 x3  c

For some practice in choosing the appropriate technique, try the Mathsnet resource
Match them up.

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