partial fractions

**helloworld101** · September 12th 2009, 02:45 PM

hi all

am getting trouble expressing the following as a partial fraction. Can u assit me in solving it please.

5x - x^2
____________
x(x-1)(2x+1)

**pickslides** · September 12th 2009, 02:56 PM

Consider this

$\frac{5x-x^2}{x(x-1)(x-2)} =\frac{A}{x} +\frac{B}{x-1} +\frac{C}{x-2}$

$5x-x^2 =A(x-1)(x-2) +B(x-2)x +C(x-1)x$

now choose values for x to solve for $A,B$ and $C$ .

**helloworld101** · September 12th 2009, 03:08 PM

how did u get (x-2)

**mr fantastic** · September 12th 2009, 03:16 PM

Originally Posted by helloworld101

how did u get (x-2)

It was a typo but the suggestion on what to do is still completely valid (all you have to do is make the required trivial correction and then continue).

**pickslides** · September 12th 2009, 03:16 PM

Oops!

Must have had $x-2$ on the mind. Just use my first post and replace $x-2$ with $2x+1$ and you'll be back on track.

Does that help?

**helloworld101** · September 12th 2009, 03:35 PM

thanks got the answer in the back of the book now...

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