Question
Integrate the rational function $\frac{1}{{{x^4} - 1}}$

Answer

$\frac{1}{{{x^4} - 1}}$

$= \frac{1}{{\left( {{x^2} - 1} \right)\left( {{x^2} + 1} \right)}}$

Putting ${x^2} = y$,we get,

$\frac{1}{{{x^4} - 1}}$$=\frac{1}{{\left( {y - 1} \right)\left( {y + 1} \right)}} $

$Let\ \frac{1}{{\left( {y - 1} \right)\left( {y + 1} \right)}} = \frac{A}{{y - 1}} + \frac{B}{{y + 1}}$ .....(i)

$\Rightarrow 1 = A\left( {y + 1} \right) + B\left( {y - 1} \right)$

$ \Rightarrow 1 = Ay + A + By - B$

Comparing the coefficients of y, A + B = 0 ......(ii)

Comparing constants A – B = 1 .......(iii)

On solving the eq. (ii) and (iii), we get $A = \frac{1}{2},B = \frac{{ - 1}}{2}$

Putting the values of A, B and y in eq. (i),

$\frac{1}{{{x^4} - 1}} = \frac{{\frac{1}{2}}}{{{x^2} - 1}} + \frac{{\frac{{ - 1}}{2}}}{{{x^2} + 1}}$

$\Rightarrow \int {\frac{1}{{{x^4} - 1}}dx = \frac{1}{2}\int {\frac{1}{{{x^2} - 1}}dx - \frac{1}{2}\int {\frac{1}{{{x^2} + 1}}dx} } } $

$= \frac{1}{2}.\frac{1}{{2.1}}\log \left| {\frac{{x - 1}}{{x + 1}}} \right| - \frac{1}{2}{\tan ^{ - 1}}x + c$

$= \frac{1}{4}\log \left| {\frac{{x - 1}}{{x + 1}}} \right| - \frac{1}{2}{\tan ^{ - 1}}x + c$

Need a full question paper?

Generate a complete, print-ready paper with questions like this in minutes — across 16+ boards, with answer keys.

Start Generating Free

Similar questions

Find the points on the curve y = x3 - 3x, where the tangent to the curve is parallel to the chord joining (1, -2) and (2, 2).
Find the vector equation (in scalar product form) of the plane containing the line of intersection of the planes x - 3y + 2z - 5 = 0 and 2x - y + 3z - 1 = 0 and passing through (1, -2, 3).
Evaluate the following intregals:
$\int\frac{5\text{x}^2+20\text{x}+6}{\text{x}^2+2\text{x}^2+\text{x}}\ \text{dx}$
Sketch the region bounded by the curves y = x2 + 2, y = x, x = 0 and x = 1. Also find the area of this region.
A random variable X takes the values 0, 1, 2 and 3 such that:
P(X = 0) = P(X > 0) = P(X < 0); P(X = -3) = P(X = -2) = P(X = -1); P(X = 1) = P(X = 2) = P(X = 3).
Obtain the probability distribution of X.
Evaluate the following intregals:

$\int\frac{1}{3+2\cos^2\text{x}}\text{ dx}$

Evaluate the following integrals as limit of sum:
$\int\limits^\text{b}_{\text{a}}\cos\text{x dx}$
There are two types of fertilizers Fand F2. Fconsists of 10% nitrogen and 6% phosphoric acid and ​Fconsists of 5% nitrogen and 10% phosphoric acid. After testing the soil conditions, a farmer finds the she needs atleast 14kg of nitrogen and 14kg of phosphoric acid for her crop. If Fcosts Rs 6/kg and Fcosts Rs 5/kg, determine how much of each type of fertilizer should be used so that the nutrient requirements are met at minimum cost. What is the minimum cost?
Two cards are drawn simultaneously from a pack of 52 cards. Compute the mean and standard deviation of the number of kings.
Evaluate the following definite integrals:
$\int\limits_{1}^{2}\Big(\frac{\text{x}-1}{\text{x}^2}\Big)\text{e}^{\text{x}}\text{ dx}$