Partial Fraction Integration

In summary, the conversation discusses an attempt to solve an integral using partial fractions. The individual encountered issues with their approach and received guidance on correcting their errors. They also noted a discrepancy between their answer and the answer they found online, which was due to different restrictions on the value of x.
  • #1
Yosty22
185
4

Homework Statement



∫(2e^x)/(e^(2x)-1)dx

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



I was told to solve using partial fractions. When I set up the partial fraction I got:

A/e^x+1 + B/e^x-1 = 2e^x

When I broke it up, I solved for A and B and got that A and B should both equal 1/2. When I plugged it back into the integral, I pulled out the 2 in the numerator, substituted A and B in (so the 2 and the 1/2s all cancel) and integrated 1/e^2x+1 dx and 1/e^2x-1 dx

After I integrated, I got ln(e^x+1) + ln(e^x-1) + C

However, when I looked up the answer online to check my answer, they had something a little different. The answer (on Wolfram Alpha) was nearly the same, but instead was: ln(1-e^x)-ln(e^x+1) +C

I was wondering where I could have gone wrong?

Just to be clear, when I set up the partial fractions, I did the following:

A/e^x+1 + B/e^x-1 =2e^x/(e^x+1)(e^x-1).
=A(e^x-1)+B(e^x+1)
=Ae^x-A+Be^x+B
=(A+B)e^x+(B-A)
I set this equal to the numerator in the integral:
(A+B)e^x+(B-A)=e^2x ---- I pulled the two outside of the integral in the first step
This means:
A+B=1
B-A=0
A=B=0.5

Any idea where I went wrong?
 
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  • #2
Yosty22 said:

Homework Statement



∫(2e^x)/(e^(2x)-1)dx

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



I was told to solve using partial fractions. When I set up the partial fraction I got:

A/e^x+1 + B/e^x-1 = 2e^x
1. Use parentheses. What you wrote on the left side is this:
Ae-x + 1 + Be-x + 1

What you meant, I'm sure, was this:
A/(ex + 1) + B/(ex + 1)
2. Your equation really would be this:
A/(ex + 1) + B/(ex + 1) = 2ex/(e2x - 1)
Yosty22 said:
When I broke it up, I solved for A and B and got that A and B should both equal 1/2. When I plugged it back into the integral, I pulled out the 2 in the numerator, substituted A and B in (so the 2 and the 1/2s all cancel) and integrated 1/e^2x+1 dx and 1/e^2x-1 dx

After I integrated, I got ln(e^x+1) + ln(e^x-1) + C
I suspect that where you went wrong was thinking this:

$$\int \frac{dx}{e^x + 1} = ln(e^x + 1) + C$$
That is NOT correct!
Furthermore, I think your approach is a dead end. A simpler approach is to do a substitution first, and then use partial fractions on that.
Yosty22 said:
However, when I looked up the answer online to check my answer, they had something a little different. The answer (on Wolfram Alpha) was nearly the same, but instead was: ln(1-e^x)-ln(e^x+1) +C

I was wondering where I could have gone wrong?

Just to be clear, when I set up the partial fractions, I did the following:

A/e^x+1 + B/e^x-1 =2e^x/(e^x+1)(e^x-1).
=A(e^x-1)+B(e^x+1)
=Ae^x-A+Be^x+B
=(A+B)e^x+(B-A)
I set this equal to the numerator in the integral:
(A+B)e^x+(B-A)=e^2x ---- I pulled the two outside of the integral in the first step
This means:
A+B=1
B-A=0
A=B=0.5

Any idea where I went wrong?
 
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Likes 1 person
  • #3
Yosty22 said:

Homework Statement



∫(2e^x)/(e^(2x)-1)dx

Homework Equations





The Attempt at a Solution



I was told to solve using partial fractions. When I set up the partial fraction I got:

A/e^x+1 + B/e^x-1 = 2e^x

When I broke it up, I solved for A and B and got that A and B should both equal 1/2. When I plugged it back into the integral, I pulled out the 2 in the numerator, substituted A and B in (so the 2 and the 1/2s all cancel) and integrated 1/e^2x+1 dx and 1/e^2x-1 dx

After I integrated, I got ln(e^x+1) + ln(e^x-1) + C

However, when I looked up the answer online to check my answer, they had something a little different. The answer (on Wolfram Alpha) was nearly the same, but instead was: ln(1-e^x)-ln(e^x+1) +C

I was wondering where I could have gone wrong?

Just to be clear, when I set up the partial fractions, I did the following:

A/e^x+1 + B/e^x-1 =2e^x/(e^x+1)(e^x-1).
=A(e^x-1)+B(e^x+1)
=Ae^x-A+Be^x+B
=(A+B)e^x+(B-A)
I set this equal to the numerator in the integral:
(A+B)e^x+(B-A)=e^2x ---- I pulled the two outside of the integral in the first step
This means:
A+B=1
B-A=0
A=B=0.5

Any idea where I went wrong?

You wrote several incorrect formulas. Never, never write A/e^x+1 (which equals 1 + (A/e^x)) if you mean A/(e^x+1). Always use parentheses, or else use TeX, like this:
[tex] \frac{A}{e^x+1}[/tex]

Anyway, your answer makes sense only if x > 0 (so that e^x > 1) and the on-line answer makes sense only if x < 0 (so that e^x < 1); those restrictions are needed to avoid computing logs of negative numbers. You need to write things differently if you want a formula that works for all x, whether positive or negative.
 

Related to Partial Fraction Integration

1. What is partial fraction integration?

Partial fraction integration is a mathematical technique used to simplify and solve integrals of rational functions. It involves breaking down a complex fraction into simpler fractions, each with a single polynomial in the denominator, and then integrating each fraction separately.

2. When is partial fraction integration used?

Partial fraction integration is used when the integrand (the function being integrated) is a rational function, meaning it is a fraction where both the numerator and denominator are polynomials. This technique is particularly useful for solving integrals that involve inverse trigonometric functions.

3. How do you perform partial fraction integration?

The first step in partial fraction integration is to factor the denominator of the fraction into linear or irreducible quadratic factors. Then, using the method of undetermined coefficients, the coefficients of each factor are determined by comparing the original fraction to the expanded form of the partial fractions. Finally, the resulting fractions are integrated separately.

4. Are there any restrictions when using partial fraction integration?

Yes, there are a few restrictions when using partial fraction integration. The denominator of the original fraction must have a degree less than its numerator, and all factors in the denominator must be distinct. Additionally, if any of the factors in the denominator are repeated, special cases must be considered.

5. Why is partial fraction integration important?

Partial fraction integration is important because it allows us to solve integrals that may have been otherwise difficult or impossible to solve. It is also a useful tool in various applications, such as in engineering and physics, where integrals involving rational functions often arise in the context of differential equations.

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