Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

EEE 424: Numerical Methods Laboratory
Experiment 1 #Solutions to Non-linear Equations - Mullers Method
Introduction:
Mullers method is a generalization of the Secant method. The Secant method finds the zero of
the line passing through points on the graph of the function that corresponds to the two
immediately previous approximations, whereas Mullers method uses the zero of the parabola
through the three immediately previous points on the graph as the new approximation.
There are a number of root-finding problems for which the Secant, False Position, and Newtons
methods will not give satisfactory results. They will not give rapid convergence, for example,
when the function and its derivative are simultaneously close to zero. But Mullers method will
be applicable in such cases.

Figure: (a) Secant method and (b) Mullers method.

Prepared by: Md. Shahadat Hasan Sohel, Lecturer, EEE, BUET

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Algorithm for Mullers method to find solution for f(x):

1. Take 3 initial guesses x1, x2, x3
2. Find the functional values at those points f1=f(x1), f2=f(x2), f3=f(x3)
3. Using (x1,f1), (x2,f2) and (x3,f3) points to construct a parabola y=ax2+bx+c (May use
Matlab polyfit function)
4. Find the two roots of the quadratic equation xn1 and xn2, of the parabola, which will be
the x axis intersection points of the parabola
5. Find x4=min(|f(xn1)| ,|f(xn2|)
6. If error< , stop; error=(xnew-xold)/xold*100%.
else Discard x1 and usex2, x3, x4 to repeat the procedure.

Exercise:
1. Find the cubic root of 5 using Secant method and Mullers method (x3-5=0). Plot number
of iteration needed against the estimated root in Mullers method and Secant method
toachieve a solution of a function where the maximum permissible error is e=10-5.
2. For the following R-L-C circuit, the capacitor is charged to voltage V0 with charge q0,
then the switch is turned on.

The differential equation for the charge of the capacitor is given by,

Prepared by: Md. Shahadat Hasan Sohel, Lecturer, EEE, BUET

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Solving this equation for q, we get

Assume the charge must be dissipated to 1 percent of its original value (q/q0 = 0.01) in
t=0.05 s, with L = 5 H and C = 104 F. Find the required value of R using Mullers
method. Plot the value of estimated root after each iteration.

Prepared by: Md. Shahadat Hasan Sohel, Lecturer, EEE, BUET

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