Content

Introduction :

Finding Roots using

Numerical Methods

Bracketing Method
• Bisection method
• False-Position method
 BRACKETING METHODS
• Bracketing methods always converge to the true solution.
• There are two types bracketing methods; bisection method
and false position method.
• Bisection Method

Figure 5: Solution of f(x) = 0

 
Algorithm
For the continuous equation of one variable, f x = 0,

Step 1: Choose the lower guess, xl and the upper guess, xu that bracket the root such that the
function has opposite sign over the interval,
xl≤ x ≤ xu.
Step 2: The estimation root, xr is computed by using

Step 3: Use the following evaluations to identify the subinterval that the root lies

✓ If f xl. f xr < 0, then the root lies in the lower subinterval. Therefore, set xu = xr and repeat
Step 2.

✓ If f xl. f xr > 0, then the root lies in the upper subinterval. Therefore set xl = xr and repeat Step
2.

✓ If f xl. f xr = 0, then the root is equal to xr. Terminate the computation.

Step 4: Calculate the approximate percent relative error,

Step 5: Compare with. If ɛa < ɛs, then stop the computation. Otherwise go to Step 2 and repeat
the process by using the new interval.
 Example:
Use three iterations of the bisection method to determine the root of f x = −0.6 + 2.4x + 5.5.
Employ initialguesses, xl = 5 and xu = 10. Compute the approximate percent relative error, ɛa
and true percent relative error, ɛt
after each iteration.

Calculate the true value for the given quadratic function f x = −0.6 + 2.4x + 5.5 using quadratic
formula (or you cancalculate directly by using the calculator)

x=-1.6286, x=5.6286

Choose the true value, x = 5.6286 for the highest root of f x .Estimate the root of f x using
bisection method with initial guess
xl = 5 and xu = 10
FALSE POSITION METHOD

Graphical Illustration of False Position

Method
FALSE POSITION METHOD (Cont.)
False Position Method Formula

Straight line joining the two

points 𝑥 𝑙 , 𝑓(𝑥 𝑙 ) and
𝑓(𝑥 𝑢 )  𝑓(𝑥 𝑙 )  𝑦  𝑓(𝑥 𝑢 )
𝑥𝑢 𝑥𝑢
 𝑥𝑙 𝑥
𝑥 𝑢 , 𝑓(𝑥 𝑢 ) is given by

Since the line intersect the

𝑥-axis at 𝑥 𝑟 , so for 𝑥𝑢  𝑓(𝑥𝑢 )( 𝑥 𝑢  𝑥 𝑙 )
𝑥𝑟 
𝑥 = 𝑥 𝑟 , 𝑦 = 0, the following 𝑓(𝑥 𝑢 )  𝑓(𝑥 𝑙 )
is obtained

Rearranging the second

equation yields the False  𝑓(𝑥𝑢)( 𝑥𝑙  𝑥𝑢 ) 
𝑥𝑟  𝑥 𝑢  
Position Method Formula  𝑓(𝑥𝑙)  𝑓(𝑥 𝑢 ) 
 FALSE POSITION METHOD (Cont.)
Algorithm
For the continuous equation of one variable, 𝑓 𝑥 = 0,
Step 1: Choose the lower guess, 𝑥𝑙 and the upper guess, 𝑥 𝑢 that bracket the root such that the function has
opposite sign over the interval, 𝑥𝑙 ≤ 𝑥 ≤ 𝑥 𝑢 .
Step 2: The estimation root, 𝑥𝑟 is computed by using

 𝑓(𝑥𝑢)( 𝑥𝑙  𝑥𝑢 ) 
𝑥𝑟  𝑥 𝑢  
 𝑓(𝑥𝑙)  𝑓(𝑥 𝑢 ) 
Step 3: Use the following evaluations to identify the subinterval that the root
lies If 𝑓 𝑥𝑙 ∙ 𝑓 𝑥𝑟
< 0, then the root lies in the lower subinterval. Therefore, set 𝑥 𝑢 = 𝑥 𝑟 and repeat Step 2.
 If 𝑓 𝑥𝑙 ∙ 𝑓 𝑥𝑟
> 0, then the root lies in the upper subinterval. Therefore set 𝑥𝑙 = 𝑥 𝑟 and repeat Step 2.
 If 𝑓 𝑥𝑙 ∙ 𝑓 𝑥 𝑟 = 0, then the root is equal to 𝑥 𝑟 . Terminate the
computation.
Step 4: Calculate the approximate percent relative error,

a  𝑥 rpresent  𝑥 previous
r
100%
present
𝑥r
Step 5: Compare with. If 𝜀 𝑎 < 𝜀 𝑠 , then stop the computation. Otherwise go to Step 2 and repeat the process
by using the new interval.
FALSE POSITION METHOD (Cont.)
Example
Determine the first root 𝑓 𝑥 =exp(-x)(3.2sin(x)-0.5cos(x)) by using False position
method. Use the initial guesses of 𝑥𝑙 = 3 and 𝑥 𝑢 = 4 with stopping criterion,
𝜀𝑠=0.002%.
solution
•First iteration, 𝑥 ∈ [3,4]
• 𝑓(3)  0.0471
•  -0.0384
𝑓 (4)
• First estimate using False position method is

𝑥r (-0.0384)(3 4)
 4  0.0471  (0.0384)

3.5512
𝑓 (3.5512)  -0.0234

Since 𝑓 𝑥𝑙 ∙ 𝑓 𝑥 𝑟 < 0, the root lies in the lower subinterval.

Then set
𝑥 𝑢 = 3.5512.
a 1 0 0 %
FALSE POSITION METHOD (Cont.)
solution

Second iteration, 𝑥 ∈ [3, 3.5512].

Second estimate is

𝑥r  3.5512(0.0234)(3- 3.5512)  3.3683

0.0471  (0.0234)
𝑓 (3.3683)  0.0080
Since 𝑓 𝑥𝑙 ∙ 𝑓 𝑥 𝑟 < 0, the root lies in the lower subinterval. Then set
𝑥 𝑢 = 3.3683.
a 5.4304%
 FALSE POSITION METHOD (Cont.)
Solution cont.

Continue the third iteration for 𝑥 ∈ [3,3.3683]. The results are summarized in the
following table.

1 3 4 3.5512 0.0471 -0.0384 -0.0234 100

2 3 3.5512 3.3683 0.0471 -0.0234 -0.0080 5.4304
3 3 3.3683 3.3149 0.0471 -0.0080 -0.0022 1.6113
4 3 3.3149 3.3011 0.0471 -0.0022 -0.0005 0.4168
5 3 3.3011 3.2977 0.0471 -0.0005 -0.0001 0.1037
6 3 3.2977 3.2969 0.0471 -0.0001 -0.0000 0.0256
7 3 3.2969 3.2967 0.0471 -0.0000 -0.0000 0.0063
8 3 3.2967 3.2966 0.0471 -0.0000 -0.0000 0.0015
Summary of false-position Method
• Advantages:
1.Simple.
2.Brackets the Root.
• Disadvantages:
1.Can be Very slow.
2.Like Bisection, need an initial around the root.
REFERENCES:
• Chapra, C. S. & Canale, R. P. Numerical Methods for Engineers, Sixth Edition,
McGraw-Hill,2010.
Thank you