How do you integrate x^4/(x-1)^3 using partial fractions?

1 Answer
Dec 30, 2017

The answer is =-1/(2(x-1)^2)-4/(x-1)+6ln(|x-1|)+x^2/2+3x+C

Explanation:

The degree of the numerator is greater than the degree of the denominator

Perform a polynomial long division

x^4/(x-1)^3=(6x^2-8x+3)/(x-1)^3+x+3

Now, we can perform the decomposition into partial fractions

(6x^2-8x+3)/(x-1)^3=A/(x-1)^3+B/(x-1)^2+C/(x-1)

=(A+B(x-1)+C(x-1)^2)/(x-1)^3

The denominators are the same, compare the numerators

(6x^2-8x+3)=A+B(x-1)+C(x-1)^2

Let x=1, =>, A=1

Let x=0, =>, 3=A-B+C

=>, C-B=2

Coefficients of x^2

6=C

B=6-2=4

Therefore,

(6x^2-8x+3)/(x-1)^3=1/(x-1)^3+4/(x-1)^2+6/(x-1)

So,

x^4/(x-1)^3=1/(x-1)^3+4/(x-1)^2+6/(x-1)+x+3

Finally,

int(x^4dx)/(x-1)^3=int(dx)/(x-1)^3+4int(dx)/(x-1)^2+6int(dx)/(x-1)+intxdx+int3dx

=-1/(2(x-1)^2)-4/(x-1)+6ln(|x-1|)+x^2/2+3x+C