Numerical Methods

Compiled by: Nyasha P. Tarakino (Trockers)

+263772978155/+263717267175

[email protected]

03 MAY 2020

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 SYLLABUS (6042) REQUIREMENTS

 Approximate the root of an equation by graphical means

or sign change
 derive a converging iterative formula for solving a given
equation
 Solve the equation using iterative procedure
 derive the Newton – Raphson formula
 Solve equations using the Newton – Raphson method
 Recognise cases where the iterative method may fail to
converge to the required root
 Solve problems involving the use of iterative procedures
in root finding
 Derive the trapezium rule
 Estimate the area under a curve using the trapezium rule
 Explain how to set bounds for the area under the curve
 using rectangle or trapezia
  Solve problems involving the trapezium rule
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 Approximating the Root of an Equation

o Most of the equations we have looked at so far since grade one have had exact solutions
(or roots) that could be found using a series of algebraic manipulations.
o However, this is not true of all equations. For example: – , –
and cannot be solved exactly by any obvious algebraic method.
o Thus these roots can be estimated either by graphical considerations, sign change or
iterations

GRAPHICAL MEANS AND SIGN CHANGE

SIGN CHANGE

The change-of-sign rule states that: If two values of can be found such

that and are of different sign then

must have at least one root in the

interval

Notes

o A change of sign method searches systematically for a change of sign in the value of a
in order to find a root such that .
o Having established that a change of sign occurs between and , then a
root lies in the interval , provided that the function is continuous (it
has no breaks in it) over the same interval.

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Graphical Illustration

Suppose the function is and it is continuous over the same interval .

Then substituting and into

o If change of sign occurs between and then the root lies in the interval

because the function crosses the (Remember the function is

continuous over the same interval)

NB: FOR TRIGONOMETRIC FUNCTIONS USE THE RADIAN MODE

Positive Value

Root

Negative Value

Worked Examples

Question 1

Show that the root of the equation . lies between

Suggested Solution

Start by rearranging the equation into the form

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Now let

Substituting into . (USE RADIANS)

(Positive)

(Negative)

Since there is a change of sign therefore there is a root between .

Question 2

Show that the equation has a root between and .

Suggested Solution

Start by rearranging the equation into the form

Now let .

Substituting into . (NO NEED TO USE RADIANS)

– (Negative)

– (Positive)

Since and , there must be a root to the equation between

and .

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GRAPHICAL CONSIDERATION
o Suppose a function is continuous. In other words it has no breaks in it. The first step
in solving most equations of this type is to sketch a graph.
o The graph will tell us how many roots there are and their approximate locations.
o The solution (or solutions) to are given by the values of the points where
crosses the –axis, or if there are two functions, where the two graphs
intersect.

Graphical Illustration

Case 1: Single graph

The number of times the graph cuts the axis indicates the number of roots of the equation.

No real root One real root

The number of times the graph cuts the axis indicates the number of roots of the equation.

Two real root Three real roots

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Case 2: Two graphs

The number of times the graphs intersect indicates the number of roots of the equation.

No real roots One real root

No point of intersection One point of intersection

Two real roots Three real roots

Two points of intersection Three points of intersection

Worked Examples

Question 1

Sketch on a single diagram, the graphs of and for . Hence

show that there is only real root for the equation .

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Suggested Solution

Since the graphs intersect once, thus there is only one real root.

Question 2

ZIMSEC November 2017 Paper

Show that equation has only on real root, by sketching the graphs of
and on the same axes.

Suggested Solution

is the reflection of the graph of on the axis.

Since the graphs intersect once, thus there is only one real root.

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Question 3

Sketch on a same axes, the graphs of and for , where is in

radians. Hence show that equation has three roots in the interval

Suggested Solution

Since the graphs intersect thrice, thus there is three real roots.

Question 4

ZIMSEC June 2017 Paper

By sketching the graphs of and , on the same axes, show that equation

has exactly two real roots.

Suggested Solution

By performing a long division the function becomes . Therefore the

graph of undergoes the following transformation to yield a graph of .

(a) Translation, axis, moving unit rightwards.

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 (b) Translation, axis, moving unit upwards.

Since the graphs intersect twice, thus there are two real roots.

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 ITERATION

Notes

o This method works by using a recurrence relation to generate a sequence of

approximations that get closer to the root each time. The first step is to write the
equation we are trying to solve in the form We then write this as an iterative
formula of the form:

o If the resulting sequence converges then this limiting value will be a root of x = f(x).
Note that several different formulae are usually possible. Some may produce convergent
sequences and some may not. For example, suppose we want to solve the equation

o One way to write this equation in the form x = f(x) is:

o This gives us the iterative formula:

o Now we can substitute an initial value for into this formula in the hope of generating
a sequence that converges towards the root of the original equation.
o Repeating this process, we obtain a sequence of numbers, iterates, , ,
hopefully approaching the root .

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 Using the Calculator

Input the initial value in your Calculator and press an equal sign .

[NB: THAT VALUE IS NOW STORED IN THE CALCULATOR].

Now use the answer stored in your calculator as follows:

[NB: DO NOT INPUT ANY VALUE IN THE CALCULATOR

UNTIL YOU ARE DONE]

To obtain the next root simply press an equal sign only and write down

the displayed value as it is and then round off to the required degree of

accuracy. Continue to do that up to the required root.

Worked Examples

Question 1

Write down the value of for which the iteration formula does not
produce a valid value for . Justify your answer.

Suggested Solution

because the iteration becomes undefined.

However, consider all values which makes eg .

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Question 2

a) Show that the equation has a root between and and .

b) Show that this equation can be arranged to give the iterative formula

c) Use the iterative formula found in part b) with to find the value of , , ,
and to decimal places.

Suggested Solution

a) Start by rearranging the equation into the form

Now let
Substituting into .
(Negative)

(Positive)
Since there is a change of sign therefore there is a root between .

b)

– [as required]

c) –

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Question 3

The iterative formula

is used to approximate the root .

(a) Taking , find to decimal places, the values of , and .

(b) Given that the iteration converges, find and simplify an equation in whose real root
is being approximated by this iteration.
(c) Hence
(i) write down the exact value of this root,
(ii) Find the absolute errors , and , in the first three approximations , and
, giving your answers to decimal places.

Suggested Solution

(a)

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 (b)

replacing both and by :

(c)
(i)
(ii)

Question 4

ZIMSEC NOVEMBER 2003 Paper 1

The relation gives a set of values converging to the root of an

equation.

Find the equation in its simplest form. [2]

Using , calculate , and correct to decimal places and give the absolute errors
in each case. [6]

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Suggested solution

Steps: Replace both and in by

is the required equation.

Now

Calculating the errors

Let the errors for , and be , and respectively.

Since is the required equation the exact value is .

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 Past Examination Questions

Question 1

CAMBRIDGE June 2015

i) Given that

show that the positive constant satisfies the equation

ii) Use an iterative formula with to find the value of correct

to decimal places. Give the result of each iteration to decimal places.

Answer:

Question 2

ZIMSEC June 2001 Paper 1

Use the iterative formula

where , to calculate , and . Give your answers to decimal places.

Given that the iteration converges, find and simplify an equation in whose real root is being
approximated by this iteration.

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Hence write down the exact value of this root. Find the absolute errors , and , in the
first three approximations , and , giving your answers to decimal places.

Question 3

UCLES November 1998 Paper 1

The diagram shows a semicircle on as diameter. The midpoint of is , and angle

radians, where . The area of the segment bounded by the chord is

twice the area of the segment bounded by the chord . Show that .

Using the iterative formula

together with a suitable starting value, to find correct to significant figures. You should
show the value of each approximation that you calculate.

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 NEWTON RAPHSON METHOD
o It is also called the Newton Method, and actually it is a powerful technique for solving
equations numerically. The Newton-Raphson method is another iterative method that
can potentially converge on a root very rapidly.
o Newton’s method may converge slowly at first. However, as the iteration come closer to
the root, the speed of convergence increases.

Newton Raphson Method: Derivation

o Several methods are used to derive the Newton Raphson Formula. In this case we are
going to use the Taylor series method.

o The Taylor polynomial for is

o As the function approaches a root, higher-order terms of the Taylor polynomial will
approach zero. Therefore, we can consider the higher-order terms trivial. We truncate
these terms to get a linear approximate to , given as:

o Since we are solving for a root, we set and solve for :

o From this we can derive the Newton Raphson method, given as:

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o This creates an iterative process to more accurately approximate a root.

Using the Calculator

Input the initial value in your Calculator and press an equal sign .

[N.B.: THAT VALUE IS NOW STORED IN THE CALCULATOR].

Now use the answer stored in your calculator as follows:

[N.B.: DO NOT INPUT ANY VALUE IN THE CALCULATOR

UNTIL YOU ARE DONE].

To obtain the next root simply press an equal sign only and write down
the displayed value as it is and then round off to the required degree of
accuracy. Continue to do that up to the required root.

Worked Examples

Question 1

a) Sketch on a single diagram, the graphs of and for . Hence

show that there is only real root for the equation .

b) Show that the root lies between

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c) Starting with , use the Newton Rhaphson method to find the root correct to
decimal places.

Suggested Solution

a)

Since the graphs intersect once, thus there is only one real root.

.b) Let

Substituting into . (USE RADIANS)

(Positive)

(Negative)

Since there is a change of sign therefore there is a root between .

c)

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 The root is

Question 2

The function

a) Show that the Newton Raphson formula for finding the solution of can be reduced to

b) Hence use the structure in (a) to estimate the root correct to decimal places. Start with

Suggested Solution

a)

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b)

The root is

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Past Examination Questions

Question 1

ZIMSEC June 2000 Paper 1

On a single diagram sketch the graphs of and , explaining how you can

deduce that the equation has exactly one real root.

Given that the root is close to , use the iteration to evaluate the root

correct to decimal places.

The same equation may be written in the form . Taking to be

, find , and show that the Newton-Raphson iteration for the root of
may be simplified to the form

Question 2

ZIMSEC June 2005 Paper 1

By using a graphical argument, or otherwise, show that the equation has

exactly two real roots

Show that one of the roots lies between and .

Apply the Newton-Raphson method once starting to obtain a second approximation,

giving your answer to decimal places.

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Question 3

ZIMSEC November 2013 Paper 1

(i) Sketch on the same axes, the graphs of and .

(ii) State the number of real roots of the equation .

(iii) Taking as a first approximations to the root, use the Newton Raphson method
twice to find the root of the equation correct to decimal places.

Answer: (ii) real root (iii)

Question 4

ZIMSEC November 2016 Paper 1

(i) By sketching the graphs of and on a single diagram for ,

show that the equation has exactly one positive root.

(ii) Show, by calculation, that the root of the equation lies between and .

(iii) Show that the Newton-Raphson structure can be written in the form

(iv) Use the structure in (iii) once starting with , to estimate the root correct to
decimal places.

Answer: (iv)

Question 5

ZIMSEC November 2018 Paper 1

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The function .

(i) Show that the equation has a root between and .

(iii) Show that the Newton-Raphson formula for finding the root of the equation in (i) above
can be reduced to

(iv) Starting with , use the formula to find , correct to three decimal places.

Answer: (iv)

Question 6

ZIMSEC November 2018 Paper 2

(a) Show by calculation that the equation has a root between and .

(b) Use the Newton Raphson method twice to find the root correct to two decimal places
starting with .

Answer: (b)

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 TRAPEZIUM RULE
o The trapezium rule is a method of finding the approximate integration of a function. This
technique is a much more accurate way to approximate area beneath a curve.
o In general, when the graph of is approximately linear for , the
value of the integral

can be approximated by the area of a trapezium. This can be seen easily from the diagram
below.

o By increasing the number of trapezia between and we obtain a more accurate

approximation. The increased number of trapezia gives rise to the following formula

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Derivation

o The trapezia (trapeziums) should have the same width ( ).

o From the above diagram, there are ordinates which are , ,
and and trapezia(trapeziums) or strips or intervals named , , up to .
o Hence

Finding the height ( ):

If the question specifies the number of ordinates only then:

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Finding the Area ( ):

We add the areas for all the trapezia , , up to .

and in our case:

We can generalise the above formula as follows:

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 WHEN DOES THE TRAPEZIUM RULE OVERESTIMATE AND
UNDERESTIMATE?

NOTE: The Trapezium Rule overestimates a curve that is concave up and underestimates
functions that are concave down.

UNDERESTIMATE

o When the curve is concave down (concave), trapezium rule underestimate the area,
because when you connect the left and right sides of the trapezium to the curve, and then
connect those two points to form the top of the trapezium, you will be left with a small
space above the trapezium.
o The small space is outside the trapezium, but it’s still under the curve, which means that
it will get missed in the trapezium rule estimate, even though it’s part of the area under
the curve.

OVERESTIMATE

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 o When the curve is concave up (convex), trapezium rule overestimate the area, because
each trapezium will include a small amount of area that is above the curve.
o Since that area is above the curve, but inside the trapezium, it will get included in the
trapezium rule estimate, even though it should not be because it’s not part of the area
under the curve.

Worked Examples

Question 1

a) Evaluate

b) Use the Trapezium Rule with ordinates to find the approximate value of

giving your answer to decimal places.

c) Hence find the resulting percentage error correct to decimal places.

Suggested solution

Use the identity

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Tarakino N.P. (Trockers) ~ 0772978155/ 0717267175
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Question 2

Use the trapezium rule, with four equal intervals, to estimate the value of

Suggested Solution

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 (to s.f.)

Question 3

Part of the track of a rollercoaster results in the car travelling at a velocity, in m/s, modelled
using the function

Using the trapezium rule with strips, calculate an approximate value for displacement over
the first seconds and explain whether this will be an underestimate or overestimate

Suggested Solution

i) Displacement:

ii) This will be an overestimate as the tops of the trapezia will be above the curve.

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 PAST EXAMINATION QUESTIONS

Question 1

Using the trapezium rule with strips, calculate an approximate value for the area under the
curve between and . Give your answer to decimal places.

Question 2

Use the trapezium rule, with five ordinates, to evaluate

, giving your answer to four decimal places. [ ]

Question 3

By considering four strips of equal width and considering the approximate area to be that of
four trapezia, estimate the value of

, giving your answer to [ ]

Question 4

ZIMSEC November 2003 Paper 1

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The area of the region is bounded by and the axis.

Use the trapezium rule with ordinates and to show that is

approximately

Question 5

ZIMSEC November 2003 Specimen Paper 1

Use the trapezium rule with three intervals to estimate

correct to decimal places.

Evaluate

Hence find the percentage error.

Question 6

ZIMSEC November 2014 Paper 1

(i) Use the trapezium rule with for trapezia of equal width to estimate the value of

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giving your answer correct to decimal places. [ ]
(ii) Explain whether the trapezium rule has underestimated or overestimated the value of this
integral.

[Ans: It overestimates the value of the integral because it includes the area above the graph]

Question 7

ZIMSEC November 2018 Paper 2

a) Use the substitution to show that

b) Hence evaluate

correct to decimal places.

Additional questions

c) Use the trapezium rule with ordinates to estimate

correct to decimal places [ ]

c) Hence find the percentage error.

Question 8

ZIMSEC November 2017 Paper 1

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(i) Find the exact value of

[ ]

(ii) Use the trapezium rule with ordinates to evaluate

correct to decimal places. [ ]

(iii) Hence, find correct to decimal places, the percentage error in using the trapezium rule
as an approximation to the integral. [ ]

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ASANTE SANA

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*******THERE IS A LIGHT AT THE END OF EVERY TUNNEL *******

CONSTRUCTIVE COMMENTS ON THE FORM

OF THE PRESENTATION, INCLUDING ANY
OMISSIONS OR ERRORS, ARE WELCOME.

***ENJOY***

Nyasha P. Tarakino (Trockers)

+263772978155/+263717267175

[email protected]

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