Bisection Method.

: This method is based on the repeated application

of the intermediate value property.
Let the function f(x) be continuous between a and b. For definiteness,
let f(a) be negative and f(b) be positive. Then the first approximation to
the root is
If then is a root of
F(x) = 0. Otherwise, the root lies
between a and or and b
according as is positive or
negative. Then we bisect the interval
as before and continue the process
until the root is found to desired accuracy. In the Fig. is +ve, so that the
root lies between a and Then the second approximation to the root is . If
is ve, the root lies between and Then the third approximation to the
root is and so on.
Obs. Since the new interval containing the root, is exactly half the length
of the previous one, the interval width is reduced by a factor of at each
step. At the end of the step, the new interval will therefore , be of length
If on repeating this process n times, the latest interval is as small as
given then
or
This gives the number of iteration required for achieving an accuracy In
particular, the minimum number of iteration required for converging to a
root in the interval (0,1) for a given are as under :

7 10 14
Rate of Convergence.: As the error decreases with each step by a factor
of the convergence in the bisection method is linear.
Example 1.: (a) Find a root of the equation using the bisection
method correct to three decimal places.
(b) Using bisection method, find the negative root of the equation .
Sol. (a) Let
Since f(2) is ve and f(3) is +ve, a root lies between 2 and 3.
First approximation to the root is

Thus
The root lies between and 3. Thus the second approximation to the
root is

Then
The root lies between and . Thus the third approximation to the
root is
Then
The root lies between Thus the fourth approximation to the root is
Repeating this process, the successive approximations are

Hence the root is 2.7064.

(b) If are the roots of the given equation, then are the roots of
The negative root of the given equation is the positive root 4x 9 = 0 which we have
found above to be 2.7064.
Hence the negative root the given equation 2.7064.
Example 2.: Using the bisection method, find an approximate root of the equation that
lies between x = 1 and x = 1.5 (measured in radians). Carry out computations upto the
7th stage.
Sol. Let f(x) = We know that .
Since
and
a root lies between 1 and 1.5.
First approximation to the root is
Then A root lies between a and
Thus the second approximation to the root is
Then = 1.125
A root lies between 1 and
Thus the third approximation to the root is
Then and
Fourth approximation to the root is
Then
i.e. The root lies between
Fifth approximation to the root is
Then
The root lies between
Thus the sixth approximation to the root is
Then
The root lies between
Thus the seventh approximation to the root is

Hence the desired approximation to the root is 1.11328.

Example 3.: Find the root of the equation using the bisection method
correct to four decimal places.
Sol. Let
Since f(0) = 1 and f(1) = 2.18, so a root lies between 0 and 1.
First approximation to the root is
Now and f(1) = 2.18, therefore the root lies between 1 and
Second approximation to the root is
Now and f(0.5) = 0.05, therefore the root lies between 0.5 and
Third approximation to the root is
Now and f(0.5) = , therefore the root lies between 0.5 and
Fourth approximation to the root is
Now and 0.5 =0.05, therefore the root lies between 0.5 and
Fifth approximation is
Now and f(0.5) =0.05, therefore the root lies between 0.5 and 312.
Sixth approximation is
Hence the desired approximation to the root is 0.5156.
Example 4.: Find a positive real root of using the bisection method.
Sol. Let
Since f(2) = 0.598 and f(3) = 0.231, so a root lies between 2 and 3.
First approximation to the root is
Now f(2.5) = 0.205 and f(3) = 0.231, therefore a root lies between 2.5 and 3.
Second approximation to the root is
Now f(2.75) = 0.008 and f(2.5) = 0.205, therefore a root lies between 2.5 and 2.75.
Third approximation to the root is
Now f(2.625) = 0.1 and f(2.75) =0.008, therefore a root lies between 2.625 and 2.75.
Fourth approximation to the root is
Hence the desired root is 2.687.