How do you express 2 / (x^3 + 1) in partial fractions?
1 Answer
2/(x^3+1) = 2/(3(x+1))+(2omega)/(3(x+omega))+(2omega^2)/(3(x+omega^2))
=2/(3(x+1))+(-2x+4)/(3(x^2-x+1))
where
Explanation:
Let
That is:
omega = -1/2+sqrt(3)/2i
Then:
omega^2 = bar(omega) = -1/2-sqrt(3)/2i
omega^3 = 1
1 + omega + omega^2 = 0
x^3+1 = (x+1)(x+omega)(x+omega^2)
We find:
1/(x+1)+omega/(x+omega)+omega^2/(x+omega^2)
=((x+omega)(x+omega^2)+omega(x+1)(x+omega^2)+omega^2(x+1)(x+omega))/(x^3+1)
=((1+omega+omega^2)x^2+2(1+omega+omega^2)x+3)/(x^3+1)
=3/(x^2+1)
Therefore:
2/(x^3+1) = 2/(3(x+1))+(2omega)/(3(x+omega))+(2omega^2)/(3(x+omega^2))
If we want a partial fraction decomposition with only Real coefficients, then combine the last two terms so:
=2/(3(x+1))+(2omega(x+omega^2)+2omega^2(x+omega))/(3(x+omega)(x+omega^2))
=2/(3(x+1))+(-2x+4)/(3(x^2-x+1))