How do you integrate int (x-3x^2)/((x-6)(x-2)(x-5)) using partial fractions?

1 Answer
Jul 4, 2016

int(x-3x^2)/((x-6)(x-2)(x-5))dx

= -121/8ln(x-6)+5/8ln(x-2)+35/4ln(x-5)+c

Explanation:

Let us first convert (x-3x^2)/((x-6)(x-2)(x-5)) into partial fractions.

(x-3x^2)/((x-6)(x-2)(x-5))hArrA/(x-6)+B/(x-2)+C/(x-5)

(x-3x^2)/((x-6)(x-2)(x-5))hArr(A(x-2)(x-5)+B(x-6)(x-5)+C(x-6)(x-2))/((x-6)(x-2)(x-5))

= (A(x^2-7x+10)+B(x^2-11x+30)+C(x^2-8x+12))/((x-6)(x-2)(x-5))

= (x^2(A+B+C)-x(7A+11B+8C)+(10A+30B+12C))/((x-6)(x-2)(x-5))

Hence A+B+C=-3, 7A+11B+8C=-1 and 10A+30B+12C=0

Subtracting 7 times of first equation from second and 10 times first from third equation, we get

4B+C=20 and 20B+C=30 which gives us B=5/8 and C=140/8=35/4 and putting these in A+B+C=-3, we get A=-121/8

Hence, (x-3x^2)/((x-6)(x-2)(x-5))=-121/(8(x-6))+5/(8(x-2))+35/(4(x-5))

and int(x-3x^2)/((x-6)(x-2)(x-5))dx=int[-121/(8(x-6))+5/(8(x-2))+35/(4(x-5))]dx

= -121/8ln(x-6)+5/8ln(x-2)+35/4ln(x-5)+c