Factored form vs partial fraction form?

1. What is partial fraction form?
2. How do you know when to use partial fractions?
3. What are the advantages of partial fractions expansion?

What is partial fraction form?

When an algebraic expression is split into a sum of two or more rational expressions, then each part is called a partial fraction. Hence, basically, it is the reverse of the addition of rational expressions.

How do you know when to use partial fractions?

Partial fraction expansion can only be performed when the order of the denominator polynomial (the bottom term of the fraction) is greater than the order of the numerator (the top term).

What are the advantages of partial fractions expansion?

Partial fraction expansion is not an integration technique. It's an algebraic technique. That being said, it's useful for making certain algebraic expressions (i.e. rational expressions) easier to integrate by breaking them into smaller, simpler chunks.