Decompose the following fraction

(x^2 + px + q) / ((x − a)(x − b)(x − c))

 

in Algebra 2 Answers by

Your answer

Your name to display (optional):
Privacy: Your email address will only be used for sending these notifications.
Anti-spam verification:
To avoid this verification in future, please log in or register.

1 Answer

Split the expression into partial fractions:
A/(x-a)+B/(x-b)+C/(x-c)=(x²+px+q)/((x-a)(x-b)(x-c)),
So A(x²-(b+c)x+bc)+B(x²-(a+c)x+ac)+C(x²-(a+b)x+ab)=x²+px+q.

A, B and C are constants.
Therefore, equating coefficients:
x²: A+B+C=1 so C=1-(A+B)
x: Ab+Ac+Ba+Bc+Ca+Cb=-p=Ab+Ac+Ba+Bc+(1-A-B)(a+b)=
Ab+Ac+Ba+Bc+a+b-Aa-Ab-Ba-Bb=Ac+Bc-Aa-Bb+a+b
A(c-a)+B(c-b)+a+b=-p so B(c-b)=-p-a-b-A(c-a)
So B(b-c)=p+a+b+A(c-a).
constant: Abc+Bac+Cab=q=Abc+Bac+ab(1-A-B)=
Abc+Bac+ab-Aab-Bab.
Ab(c-a)+Ba(c-b)+ab=q=Ab(c-a)-a(p+a+b+A(c-a))+ab=

Ab(c-a)-ap-a²-ab-Aa(c-a)+ab=Ab(c-a)-ap-a²-Aa(c-a).
A(c-a)(b-a)-a(a+p)=q
A=(q+a(p+a))/((c-a)(b-a)) or

A=(q+a(p+a))/((a-c)(a-b))

B(b-c)=p+a+b+(c-a)(q+a(p+a))/((c-a)(b-a))=

p+a+b+(q+a(p+a))/(b-a)=(pb+ab+b²-ap--ab+q+ap+)/(b-a)

B(b-c)=(pb+b²+q)/(b-a) so B=(q+b(p+b))/((b-a)(b-c))

C=1-A-B.

A+B=((q+ap+a²)/(c-a)+(q+bp+b²)/(b-c))/(b-a)=

((b-c)(q+ap+a²)+(c-a)(q+bp+b²))/((c-a)(b-c)(b-a))=

(bq+abp+a²b-cq-acp-a²c+

 cq+bcp+b²c-aq-abp-ab²)/((c-a)(b-c)(b-a))=

(bq+a²b-acp-a²c+bcp+b²c-aq-ab²)/((c-a)(b-c)(b-a)).

So C=1+(bq+a²b-acp-a²c+bcp+b²c-aq-ab²)/((c-a)(c-b)(b-a))=

((c-a)(c-b)(b-a)+(bq+a²b-acp-a²c+bcp+b²c-aq-ab²)/((c-a)(c-b)(b-a))=

(bc²-b²c+ab²-ac²+a²c-a²b+bq+a²b-acp-a²c+bcp+b²c-aq-ab²)/((c-a)(c-b)(b-a))=

(bc²-ac²+bq-acp+bcp-aq)/((c-a)(c-b)(b-a))=

(b-a)(q+c²+cp)/((c-a)(c-b)(b-a)).

C=(q+cp+c²)/((c-a)(c-b)).

Decomposition is therefore:

(q+a(p+a))/((a-c)(a-b)(x-a))+

(q+b(p+b))/((b-a)(b-c)(x-b))+

(q+c(p+c))/((c-a)(c-b)(x-c)).

by Top Rated User (1.2m points)

Related questions

0 answers
1 answer
asked May 16, 2020 in Calculus Answers by Kurt Muster | 1.1k views
1 answer
1 answer
asked Mar 23, 2013 in Trigonometry Answers by anonymous | 702 views
1 answer
asked Mar 23, 2013 in Trigonometry Answers by anonymous | 689 views
1 answer
1 answer
asked Aug 28, 2023 by anonymous | 435 views
1 answer
asked Apr 14, 2022 in Calculus Answers by anonymous | 384 views
1 answer
1 answer
asked May 15, 2020 in Trigonometry Answers by Rohan | 1.2k views
Welcome to MathHomeworkAnswers.org, where students, teachers and math enthusiasts can ask and answer any math question. Get help and answers to any math problem including algebra, trigonometry, geometry, calculus, trigonometry, fractions, solving expression, simplifying expressions and more. Get answers to math questions. Help is always 100% free!
87,516 questions
100,289 answers
2,420 comments
739,750 users