AQA Core 4 Algebra

Section 2: Partial fractions

Solutions to Exercise
1. (i)

(ii)

1
A
B

x( x 1) x x 1
1 A( x 1) Bx
Putting x 0 1 A
Putting x 1 1 B
1
1
1

x( x 1) x x 1

B 1

14 x
A
B

(2 x 1)( x 3) 2 x 1 x 3
14 x A( x 3) B(2 x 1)
Putting x 3 42 7B B 6
Putting x 21 7 72 A A 2
14 x
2
6

(2 x 1)( x 3) 2 x 1 x 3

2.

3x 2
A
B
C

( x 1)( x 2)(2 x 3) x 1 x 2 2 x 3
3 x 2 A( x 2)(2 x 3) B( x 1)(2 x 3) C( x 1)( x 2)
Putting x 1 5 15 A A 31
Putting x 2 4 3B B 43
Putting x 23 52 54 C C 2
3x 2
1
4
2

( x 1)( x 2)(2 x 3) 3( x 1) 3( x 2) 2 x 3

3. (i)

(ii)

x7
A
B

( x 1)( x 2) x 1 x 2
x 7 A( x 2) B( x 1)
Putting x 1 6 3A A 2
Putting x 2 9 3B B 3
x7
3
2

( x 1)( x 2) x 2 x 1

x 1
x 1
A
B

2
x 4 ( x 2)( x 2) x 2 x 2
x 1 A( x 2) B( x 2)
Putting x 2 3 4A A 43
Putting x 2 1 4B B 41
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AQA C4 Algebra 2 Exercise solutions

x 1
3
1

2
x 4 4 x 2 4 x 2
(iii)

9x 2 x
A
B
C

( x 1)( x 3)(2 x 1) x 1 x 3 2 x 1
9 x 2 x A( x 3)(2 x 1) B( x 1)(2 x 1) C( x 1)( x 3)
Putting x 1 8 4A A 2
Putting x 3 84 28B B 3
Putting x

1
2

7
4

74 C

C 1

9x x
2
3
1

( x 1)( x 3)(2 x 1) x 1 x 3 2 x 1
2

4. (i)

(ii)

5. (i)

2x
A
B

2
( x 1)
x 1 ( x 1)2
2 x A( x 1) B
Putting x 1 2 B
Equating coefficients of x 2 A
2x
2
2

2
( x 1)
x 1 ( x 1)2
3x 2
A
B

2
(2 3 x )
2 3 x (2 3 x )2
3 x 2 A(2 3 x ) B
Putting x 23 4 B
Equating coefficients of x 3 3A
3x 2
4
1

2
2
(2 3 x ) (2 3 x )
2 3x

A 1

4
A
B
C

2
(1 3 x )(1 x )
1 3 x 1 x (1 x )2
4 A(1 x )2 B(1 3 x )(1 x ) C(1 3 x )
Putting x 31 4 49 A A 9
Putting x 1 4 2C C 2
Equating coefficients of x 0 A 3B
3B 9
B 3
9
4
3
2

2
(1 3 x )(1 x )
1 3 x 1 x (1 x )2

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AQA C4 Algebra 2 Exercise solutions

(ii)

13 7 x
A
B
C

2
2
( x 2) ( x 3) x 2 ( x 2)
x 3
13 7 x A( x 2)( x 3) B( x 3) C( x 2)2
Putting x 2 1 B B 1
Putting x 3 8 C
Equating coefficients of x 0 A C A 8
13 7 x
8
1
8

2
2
( x 2) ( x 3) x 2 ( x 2)
x 3

6. (i) The degree of the numerator and denominator are both 2, so there
will be a constant term.
2 x 2 6x 7
B
C
A

( x 2)(2 x 1)
x 2 2x 1
2
2 x 6 x 7 A( x 2)(2 x 1) B(2 x 1) C( x 2)
Putting x 2 3 3B B 1
Putting x 21 2 23 C C 3
Equating coefficients of x 2 2 A A 1
9

2 x 2 6x 7
1
3
1

( x 2)(2 x 1)
x 2 2x 1
(ii) The degree of the numerator is 3 and the degree of the denominator is 2, so
there will be a linear expression.
2 x 3 x 2 4x 1
C
D
Ax B
x( x 1)
x x 1
3
2
2
2 x x 4 x 1 Ax ( x 1) Bx( x 1) C( x 1) Dx
Putting x 0 1 C
Putting x 1 2 D D 2
Equating coefficients of x 2 A
Equating coefficients of x 1 A B B 3

2 x 3 x 2 4x 1
1
2
2x 3
x( x 1)
x x 1
(iii) The degree of the numerator and denominator are both 3, so there will be a
constant term.
x 3 3 x 2 9x 2
B
C
D
A

2
2
( x 1) ( x 4)
x 1 ( x 1)
x 4
3
2
2
x 3 x 9 x 2 A( x 1) ( x 4) B( x 1)( x 4)

C( x 4) D( x 1)2
Putting x 1 15 5 C C 3
Putting x 4 50 25 D D 2
Equating coefficients of x 1 A

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AQA C4 Algebra 2 Exercise solutions

Equating constant terms 2 4 A 4B 4C D
2 4 4B 12 2
B 3
3
2
x 3 x 9x 2
3
3
2
1

2
2
( x 1) ( x 4)
x 1 ( x 1)
x 4

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