Name: Date:

___________________________________________________ _________________________________
Topic: Class:
___________________________________________________ _________________________________
Main Ideas/Questions Notes/Examples

A rational expression can often be written as the sum of

two or more fractions, called the partial fraction decomposition.

9 x + 12 6 3
Example: = +
x + 3x + 2 x + 2 x + 1
2

The individual fractions are called _______________ _____________________.

A rational expression is proper when the degree of the

numerator is less than the degree of the denominator.
3x 2
Follow the steps below to decompose the expression :
x 6x 8
2

Proper Rational
Factor the denominator.
Expressions 1
Write the expression as the sum
of two fractions, using A and B as
2 the numerators and the linear
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factors as the denominators.

Eliminate the denominators by

3 multiplying by the LCD.

4 Distribute and group like terms.

Write a system of equations to

5 find A and B.

Solve the system using a

6 method of your choice.

Write the partial fraction

7 decomposition of the
expression.
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 Find the partial fraction decomposition of each rational expression.

7 x − 15
x2 − 9

−7 x − 9
2 x2 − 7x + 3
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−5 x 2 + 19x + 12
x3 − 2 x 2 − 3 x

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 −8 x 2 − 31x + 75
x3 + 2 x 2 − 25x − 50
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12 x 2 + 67 x + 7
16 x3 − 32 x 2 − x + 2

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 Name: _______________________________________ Unit 10: Systems and Matrices

Date: ___________________________ Per: _________ Homework 12: Partial Fractions (Day 1 - Proper)

** This is a 2-page document! **

Directions: Write the partial fraction decomposition of each rational expression.

11x + 10 −2 x − 4
1. 2 2. 2
x + 4 x − 12 x − 8x + 7
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−2 x + 17 11x − 1
3. 4.
2 x + 11x + 12
2
x − 4x − 5
2

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 3 x 2 + 47x − 60
5.
x 3 − x 2 − 30 x

26 x 2 + 47 x − 21
6.
3 x 3 + 20 x 2 − 7x
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x 2 − 17 x − 6
7.
x3 + x 2 − 4 x − 4

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 Name: Date:
___________________________________________________ _________________________________
Topic: Class:
___________________________________________________ _________________________________
Main Ideas/Questions Notes/Examples

➢ A rational expression is improper when the degree of the numerator is

greater than or equal to the degree of the denominator.
Improper Rational ➢ If a rational expression is improper, you must use long division first to
Expressions rewrite the expression as the sum of a polynomial and proper expression.

Find the partial fraction decomposition of each rational expression.

− x2 + 8 x + 5
x2 + x
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7 x 2 + 50 x − 108
x 2 + 6 x − 16

3 x2 + 7 x − 20
x2 − 25

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 2 x 3 − 30
x3 + x 2 − 9x − 9
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x3 − 8 x 2 + x + 26
x2 − 4 x − 12

x3 + 3 x 2 − 27x − 36
x 2 + x − 12

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 Name: ______________________________________ Unit 10: Systems and Matrices

Date: _________________________ Per: _________ Homework 13: Partial Fractions (Day 2 - Improper)

** This is a 2-page document! **

Directions: Find the partial fraction decomposition of each rational expression.

2 x 2 + 9 x − 47 −5 x 2 + 3 x + 280
1. 2.
x 2 + 3x − 10 x 2 − 49
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9 x 2 + 14 x − 29 3 x 2 − 43x + 134
3. 4.
x2 + x − 2 x 2 − 10 x + 24

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 4 x 3 + 37x 2 + 29 x + 38
5.
x3 + 8 x2 − x − 8

x 3 − 3 x2 − 19 x + 43
6.
x 2 − 8 x + 15
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x 3 + 10 x 2 + 13 x − 68
7.
x 2 + 11x + 28

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 Name: Date:
___________________________________________________ _________________________________
Topic: Class:
___________________________________________________ _________________________________
Main Ideas/Questions Notes/Examples
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If the denominator of a rational expression has a linear factor that

repeats n times, then the decomposition must include a partial
fraction for each factor from the 1st power through the nth power.
Linear Factors Example:
−6 x + 22
=
−6 x + 22
=
A
+
B
x − 8 x + 16 ( x − 4)
2 2
x − 4 ( x − 4) 2

Find the partial fraction decomposition of each rational expression.

− x − 12
x + 14 x + 49
2
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−2 x + 16
x − 10 x + 25
2

12 x − 15
9x 2 − 12 x + 4

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 5 x2 + 6x − 1
x3 + 2 x2 + x

40 x 2 − 74 x + 27
16 x3 − 24 x 2 + 9 x

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 −2 x 2 − 7 x − 2
x2 + 4x + 4

If the denominator of a rational expression contains a prime quadratic

factor, then the decomposition must include a partial fraction with a
linear factor of the form Ax + B for each power of the factor.
Quadratic
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x2 + x − 12 x 2 + x − 12 Ax + B Cx + D
Example: = = 2 +
Factors x + 3 x + 2 ( x + 1)(x + 2)
4 2 2 2
x + 1 x2 + 2

−3 x2 + x − 12
x3 + 4 x

x2 − 14
x4 − 7x 2 + 10

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 − x2 − 4
x4 − 4x2 + 4

5 x 2 + 8 x + 31
x3 + 2 x 2 + 3 x + 6
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4 x3 − 9 x 2 − 25 x + 57
x3 − 2 x 2 − 7x + 14

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 Name: _______________________________________ Unit 10: Systems and Matrices

Date: ___________________________ Per: _________ Homework 14: Partial Fractions

(Day 3 – Special Case Factors)
** This is a 2-page document! **

Directions: Find the partial fraction decomposition of each rational expression.

−4 x + 15 4x + 4
1. 2 2.
x − 4x + 4 16 x 2 − 8 x + 1
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10 x 2 + 30 x + 18 5 x 2 − 2 x + 35
3. 4.
x 3 + 6 x 2 + 9x x3 + 7x

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 −2 x 2 + 20 7 x 2 + 46
5. 6.
x4 − 4 x 4 + 10 x 2 + 25
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7 x 2 − 87 x + 265 −3 x 3 − 5 x 2 − 30 x − 52
7. 8.
x 2 − 12 x + 36 x 3 + 2 x2 + 8 x + 16

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