9/28/2021

Numerical Analysis
PREPARED BY:
ENGR. NORMAN C. FRANCISCO

Secant Method
Newton – Raphson Method uses the slope of the polynomial at the
approximated roots of the polynomial. Secant Method, on the other hand uses the
secant line to predict the next approximated root to be used in the iteration until the
root is attained. Secant Method is a modification of the Newton – Raphson Method by
evaluating numerically the derivative used in the latter method and using two initial
guesses. This way, the use of the derivative will be minimized accordingly.

1
 9/28/2021

Secant Method
This is the algorithm used in the Secant Method.
1. In the polynomial f(x) = 0, provide two approximated initial guess.
2. Iterate the values of the root using the formula
𝑓 𝑥 (𝑥 − 𝑥 )
𝑥 =𝑥 − ; 𝑛 = 0, 1, 2, 3 …
𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑓(𝑥 )
𝑓 𝑥 − 𝑓(𝑥 ) ≠ 0
3. Repeat Step 2 until the desired absolute relative error is achieved.

Advantages
1. The convergence to the root is fast as long as it converges to an actual root.
2. The method requires 2 initial guesses and the actual root need not to be between
the initial guesses.

2
 9/28/2021

Disadvantages
1. The method is prone to division by zero.
2. May jump between roots unexpectedly.

Examples
Determine the one of the roots (if they exist) of the equations as shown:
𝑥 − 2𝑥 − 5 = 0
𝑥 − 23𝑥 + 132𝑥 − 80 = 0
𝑥 − 28𝑥 + 288𝑥 − 1116𝑥 + 1296 = 0
1
3 + cos(𝑥) = 0
4
𝑒 = 10𝑥
Determine also the absolute relative errors of each iteration until the 5th iteration.

RESEARCH: CREATE AN EXCEL FILE FOR THE EXAMPLES OF SECANT METHOD AND CAN
DO 10 ITERATIONS AND COMPUTE EACH RELATIVE ERROR.

3
 9/28/2021

Sample Table
Iteration
𝒙𝟎 𝒙𝟏 𝒙𝟐 𝒇 𝒙𝟎 𝒇(𝒙𝟏 ) 𝒇(𝒙𝟐 ) 𝝐𝟎 %
(n)

Thank You Very Much!!!