Method of False Position or Regula-Falsi Method or Interpolation Method

This is the oldest method of finding the real root of an equation f(x)=0 and closely resembles the
bisection method.

The convergence process in the bisection method is very slow. It depends only on the choice of
end points of the interval [a,b]. The function f(x) does not have any role in finding the point c
(which is just the mid-point of a and b). It is used only to decide the next smaller interval [a,c] or
[c,b]. A better approximation to c can be obtained by taking the straight line L joining the points A
and B intersecting the x-axis
The method consists in replacing the curve AB by means of the chord AB and taking the point of
intersection of the chord with the x-axis as an approximation to the root. So the abscissa of the
point where the chord cuts the x-axis (y = 0) is given by

which is an approximation to the root

If now f (x0 ) and f (x2 ) are of opposite signs, then the root lies between x0 and x2 . So replacing x1
by x2 in (1), we obtain the next approximation x3 . (The root could as well lie between x1 and x2
and we would obtain x3 accordingly). This procedure is repeated until the root is found to the
desired accuracy. The iteration process based on (1) is known as the method of false position.

Rate of Convergence. This method has linear rate of

convergence which is faster than that of the bisection
method.
Q. Find a real root of the equation by the method of false position correct to three decimal places.

Q. Locate the intervals which contain the positive real roots of the equation x 3 − 3x + 1 = 0. Obtain these roots
correct to three decimal places, using the method of false position.

Q. Find the positive root of the equation 3x-cosx-1 using Regula Falsi method and correct upto 4
decimal places.