Solution of algebraic and transcendental equation

using bisection method

Bishwajit Paul

January 14, 2019

1 Algorithm:
We can find the approximate root of an algebraic equation by the following steps

i Consider a continuous function f (x) that contains a zero (f (x) = 0 for any value of x) in
the interval [a : b].

ii First calculate the value of f (x) at the right end point b, that is, compute f (b).

iii Then calculate the value of f (x) at the left end point a, that is, compute f (a).

iv Then determine the product f (a)f (b), and find whether it satisfy condition f (a)f (b) < 0.
(Geometrically, this means that if f (a)f (b) < 0, then the curve f (x) has to cross the
x−axis at some point in between the interval [a : b]).

v Calculate the midpoint of the interval [a : b] as x1 = 12 (a + b).

vi Compute the value of f (x) at the midpoint, that is, compute f (x1 ).

vii If f (x1 ) = 0, then stop the iteration process. Then x1 is the exact root.

viii Confirm the accuracy criteria by b−a2 < ǫ, where ǫ is the arbitrary small number. [If half
of the length of the interval [a : b] is less than ǫ, then the point x1 is within ǫ on the
actual root, and so stop the iteration process. x1 is a sufficiently close approximation to
the actual root].

ix If f (b)f (x1 ) < 0, then set a = x1 , and if f (b)f (x1 ) > 0 then set b = x1 . This ensures
that the smaller interval still contains the actual root and continue the iteration.
If the accuracy ǫ is not achieved after the pre-specified maximum number of iterations
allowed, then print out a failure message.

2 Problems:
1. Solve x3 − 9x + 1 = 0 for the root between x = 2 and x = 4, by bisection method.

2. Find a real root of the equation f (x) = x3 − x − 1 = 0 using bisection method.

3. Using bisection method find the positive root of xex = 1, which lies between 0 and 1.

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 Y
f(b)
f(x)

a
O x1 b X
f(a)

Figure 1: Bisection Method

√
4. Using bisection method find the root of 3x = 1 + sin x.
√
5. Using bisection method find the approximate root of cos x = x.

6. Using bisection method find the approximate root of 2x = cos x + 3.

3 Solution:
Problem 1: f (x) = x3 − 9x + 1 = 0

Initial values are a = 2 and b = 4.

Let the accuracy is ǫ = 0.01.

n a b f (a) f (b) f (a)f (b) x1 f (x1 ) Accuracy
( b−a
2 < ǫ?)
1 2.000 4.000 -9.000 29.000 -261.000 3.000 1.000 No
2 2.000 3.000 -9.000 1.000 -9.000 2.500 -5.875 No
3 2.500 3.000 -5.875 1.000 -5.875 2.750 -2.953 No
4 2.750 3.000 -2.953 1.000 -2.953 2.875 -1.111 No
5 2.875 3.000 -1.111 1.000 -1.111 2.9375 -0.090 No
6 2.9375 3.000 -0.090 1.000 -0.090 2.9687 0.4462 No
7 2.9375 2.96875 -0.090 0.4462 -0.0402 2.9531 0.1759 No
8 2.9375 2.95312 -0.090 0.17592 -0.01584 2.94531 0.04237 Yes

Therefore approximate solution of the algebraic equation is x = 2.94531.

Problem 2: f (x) = x3 − x − 1 = 0
We consider the initial values of x for which f (x) become of opposite in sign. We take a = 1
and b = 2.
Let the accuracy is ǫ = 0.01.

2
 n a b f (a) f (b) f (a)f (b) x1 f (x1 ) Accuracy
( b−a
2 < ǫ?)
1 1.000 2.000 -1.000 5.000 -5.000 1.500 0.875 No
2 1.000 1.500 -1.000 0.875 -0.875 1.250 -0.296 No
3 1.25 1.500 -0.296 0.875 -0.259 1.375 0.224 No
4 1.250 1.375 -0.296 0.224 -0.066 1.312 -0.051 No
5 1.3125 1.375 -0.0515 0.224 -0.011 1.343 0.082 No
6 1.3125 1.3437 -0.0515 0.0826 -0.004 1.328 0.014 No
7 1.3125 1.3281 -0.0515 0.0145 -0.0007 1.3203 -0.0187 Yes

Therefore approximate solution of the algebraic equation is x = 1.3203.

Let now the accuracy be ǫ = 0.001.

n a b f (a) f (b) f (a)f (b) x1 f (x1 ) Accuracy
( b−a
2 < ǫ?)
1 1.0000 2.0000 -1.0000 5.0000 -5.0000 1.5000 0.8750 No
2 1.0000 1.5000 -1.0000 0.8750 -0.8750 1.2500 -0.2969 No
3 1.2500 1.5000 -0.2969 0.8750 -0.2598 1.3750 0.2246 No
4 1.2500 1.3750 -0.2969 0.2246 -0.0667 1.3125 -0.0515 No
5 1.3125 1.3750 -0.0515 0.2246 -0.0116 1.3438 0.0826 No
6 1.3125 1.3438 -0.0515 0.0826 -0.0043 1.3281 0.0146 No
7 1.3125 1.3281 -0.0515 0.0146 -0.0008 1.3203 -0.0187 No
8 1.3203 1.3281 -0.0187 0.0146 -0.0003 1.3242 -0.0021 No
9 1.3242 1.3281 -0.0021 0.0146 -0.0000 1.3262 0.0062 No
10 1.3242 1.3262 -0.0021 0.0062 -0.0000 1.3252 0.0020 Yes

Therefore approximate solution of the algebraic equation is x = 1.3252.

Problem 3: xex = 1 i.e., f (x) = xex − 1 = 0

Let the initial values of x for which f (x) become of opposite in sign be a = 0 and b = 1.
Let the accuracy is ǫ = 0.001.
n a b f (a) f (b) f (a)f (b) x1 f (x1 ) Accuracy
( b−a
2 < ǫ?)
1 0.0000 1.0000 -1.0000 1.7183 -1.7183 0.5000 -0.1756 No
2 0.5000 1.0000 -0.1756 1.7183 -0.3018 0.7500 0.5878 No
3 0.5000 0.7500 -0.1756 0.5878 -0.1032 0.6250 0.1677 No
4 0.5000 0.6250 -0.1756 0.1677 -0.0294 0.5625 -0.0128 No
5 0.5625 0.6250 -0.0128 0.1677 -0.0021 0.5938 0.0751 No
6 0.5625 0.5938 -0.0128 0.0751 -0.0010 0.5781 0.0306 No
7 0.5625 0.5781 -0.0128 0.0306 -0.0004 0.5703 0.0088 No
8 0.5625 0.5703 -0.0128 0.0088 -0.0001 0.5664 -0.0020 No
9 0.5664 0.5703 -0.0020 0.0088 -0.0000 0.5684 0.0034 No
10 0.5664 0.5684 -0.0020 0.0034 -0.0000 0.5674 0.0007 Yes

Therefore approximate solution of the algebraic equation is x = 0.5674.

√ √
Problem 4: 3x = 1 + sin x i.e., f (x) = 3x − 1 + sin x = 0
Let us choose two initial values of x for which f (x) become of opposite in sign e.g., a = 0

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and b = 1.
Let the accuracy is ǫ = 0.001.
n a b f (a) f (b) f (a)f (b) x1 f (x1 ) Accuracy
( b−a
2 < ǫ?)
1 0.0000 1.0000 -1.0000 1.6430 -1.6430 0.5000 0.2837 No
2 0.0000 0.5000 -1.0000 0.2837 -0.2837 0.2500 -0.3669 No
3 0.2500 0.5000 -0.3669 0.2837 -0.1041 0.3750 -0.0439 No
4 0.3750 0.5000 -0.0439 0.2837 -0.0124 0.4375 0.1193 No
5 0.3750 0.4375 -0.0439 0.1193 -0.0052 0.4062 0.0376 No
6 0.3750 0.4062 -0.0439 0.0376 -0.0016 0.3906 -0.0032 No
7 0.3906 0.4062 -0.0032 0.0376 -0.0001 0.3984 0.0172 No
8 0.3906 0.3984 -0.0032 0.0172 -0.0001 0.3945 0.0070 No
9 0.3906 0.3945 -0.0032 0.0070 -0.0000 0.3926 0.0019 No
10 0.3906 0.3926 -0.0032 0.0019 -0.0000 0.3916 -0.0006 No

Therefore approximate solution of the algebraic equation is x = 0.3916.

Let us choose the accuracy be a little bit more e.g., ǫ = 0.0001.

n a b f (a) f (b) f (a)f (b) x1 f (x1 ) Accuracy
( b−a
2 < ǫ?)
1 0.00000 1.00000 -1.00000 1.64299 -1.64299 0.50000 0.28368 No
2 0.00000 0.50000 -1.00000 0.28368 -0.28368 0.25000 -0.36687 No
3 0.25000 0.50000 -0.36687 0.28368 -0.10408 0.37500 -0.04388 No
4 0.37500 0.50000 -0.04388 0.28368 -0.01245 0.43750 0.11932 No
5 0.37500 0.43750 -0.04388 0.11932 -0.00524 0.40625 0.03758 No
6 0.37500 0.40625 -0.04388 0.03758 -0.00165 0.39062 -0.00319 No
7 0.39062 0.40625 -0.00319 0.03758 -0.00012 0.39844 0.01719 No
8 0.39062 0.39844 -0.00319 0.01719 -0.00005 0.39453 0.00700 No
9 0.39062 0.39453 -0.00319 0.00700 -0.00002 0.39258 0.00191 No
10 0.39062 0.39258 -0.00319 0.00191 -0.00001 0.39160 -0.00064 No
11 0.39160 0.39258 -0.00064 0.00191 -0.00000 0.39209 0.00063 No
12 0.39160 0.39209 -0.00064 0.00063 -0.00000 0.39185 -0.00000 No
13 0.39185 0.39209 -0.00000 0.00063 -0.00000 0.39197 0.00032 No
14 0.39185 0.39197 -0.00000 0.00032 -0.00000 0.39191 0.00016 No

Therefore approximate solution of the algebraic equation is x = 0.39191.

√ √
Problem 5: cos x = x i.e., f (x) = cos x − x = 0
We choose the two initial values of x for which f (x) become of opposite in sign; therefore
we take a = 0 and b = 1.
Let the accuracy is ǫ = 0.001.

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 n a b f (a) f (b) f (a)f (b) x1 f (x1 ) Accuracy
( b−a
2 < ǫ?)
1 0.0000 1.0000 1.0000 -0.4597 -0.4597 0.5000 0.1705 No
2 0.5000 1.0000 0.1705 -0.4597 -0.0784 0.7500 -0.1343 No
3 0.5000 0.7500 0.1705 -0.1343 -0.0229 0.6250 0.0204 No
4 0.6250 0.7500 0.0204 -0.1343 -0.0027 0.6875 -0.0563 No
5 0.6250 0.6875 0.0204 -0.0563 -0.0011 0.6562 -0.0178 No
6 0.6250 0.6562 0.0204 -0.0178 -0.0004 0.6406 0.0013 No
7 0.6406 0.6562 0.0013 -0.0178 -0.0000 0.6484 -0.0082 No
8 0.6406 0.6484 0.0013 -0.0082 -0.0000 0.6445 -0.0034 No
9 0.6406 0.6445 0.0013 -0.0034 -0.0000 0.6426 -0.0011 No
10 0.6406 0.6426 0.0013 -0.0011 -0.0000 0.6416 0.0001 Yes

Therefore approximate solution of the algebraic equation is x = 0.6416.

Problem 6: 2x = cos x + 3 i.e., f (x) = 2x − cos x − 3 = 0

We choose the two initial values of x for which f (x) become of opposite in sign; therefore
we get a = 1 and b = 3.
Let the accuracy is ǫ = 0.001.
n a b f (a) f (b) f (a)f (b) x1 f (x1 ) Accuracy
( b−a
2 < ǫ?)
1 1.0000 3.0000 -1.5403 3.9900 -6.145795 2.0000 1.4161 No
2 1.0000 2.0000 -1.5403 1.4161 -2.181294 1.5000 -0.0707 No
3 1.5000 2.0000 -0.0707 1.4161 -0.100174 1.7500 0.6782 No
4 1.5000 1.7500 -0.0707 0.6782 -0.047977 1.6250 0.3042 No
5 1.5000 1.6250 -0.0707 0.3042 -0.021517 1.5625 0.1167 No
6 1.5000 1.5625 -0.0707 0.1167 -0.008255 1.5312 0.0230 No
7 1.5000 1.5312 -0.0707 0.0230 -0.001624 1.5156 -0.0239 No
8 1.5156 1.5312 -0.0239 0.0230 -0.000549 1.5234 -0.0005 No
9 1.5234 1.5312 -0.0005 0.0230 -0.000011 1.5273 0.0112 No
10 1.5234 1.5273 -0.0005 0.0112 -0.000005 1.5254 0.0054 No
11 1.5234 1.5254 -0.0005 0.0054 -0.000003 1.5244 0.0025 No

Therefore approximate solution of the algebraic equation is x = 1.5244.

4 Numerical code:
#include<stdio.h>
#include<math.h>
//function defination

double func(double x)
{
return 3*x-sqrt(1+sin(x));
}
double e=0.001; //Defines the permissible error
double c;
void bisection(double a, double b)

5
 {
if(func(a) * func(b) >= 0)
{
printf(“Incorrect a and b.”);
return;
}
while ((b − a) >= e)
{
c = (a+b)/2;
if (func(c) == 0.0)
{
printf(“Root = %lf\ n”,c);
break;
}
else if (func(c)*func(a) < 0)
{
printf(“a=%lf\tb=%lf\tRoot = %lf\tf(x)=%lf\n”,a,b,c,func(c));
b = c;
}
else{
printf(“a=%lf\tb=%lf\tRoot = %lf\tf(x)=%lf\n”,a,b,c,func(c));
a = c;
}
}
}
int main()
{
double a,b;
a=0;
b=1;
printf(”a = %lf\n”,a);
printf(”b = %lf\n”,b);
bisection(a,b);
printf(”\n”);
printf(”Accurate Root calculated is = %lf\n”,c);
return 0;
}

5 Merits of bisection method:

i Bisection method is very simple to realize and to program in a computer.

ii One can guarantee the convergence of the iteration in case of solution of the equation; so
it always produces a root.

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6 Demerits of bisection method:
i The convergence of this method is slow as it is simply based on halving the interval.

ii This can’t be applied over an interval where there is a discontinuity.

iii It also cannot be applied in an interval where the function always takes values of the
same sign.

iv The method fails to determine complex roots.

v If one of the initial guesses a or b is closer to the exact solution, it will take larger number
of iterations to reach the root.