How do you integrate int x^3/(x^2 -1)x3x21 using partial fractions?

1 Answer
Jun 24, 2016

= x^2/2 + 1/2 ln (x^2 -1) +C=x22+12ln(x21)+C

Explanation:

I'm not sure you can do that

from some simple long division, turns out that x^3/(x^2 -1) = x + x/(x^2 -1)x3x21=x+xx21

so the integration is

int \ x + x/(x^2 -1) \ dx which is straightaway do-able

int \ x + color{red}{x/(x^2 -1)} \ dx
= x^2/2 + 1/2 ln (x^2 -1) +C

note the pattern in the red term of integrand, it is in form

(\alpha f'(x))/(f(x)) and here alpha = 1/2, so you can "just do it"