Partial Fractions and Inverse Functions

Abstract

We have seen that when we differentiate a fraction we have to perform a rather complicated operation; and, if the fraction is not itself a simple one, the result is bound to be a complicated expression. If we could split the fraction into two or more simpler fractions such that their sum is equivalent to the original fraction, we could then proceed by differentiating each of these simpler expressions. And the result of differentiating would be the sum of two (or more) derivatives, each one of which is relatively simple; while the final expression, though of course it will be the same as that which could be obtained without resorting to this dodge, is thus obtained with much less effort and appears in a simplified form.