Problem Set #1

1. Use (a) fixed-point iteration and (b) Newton - Raphson method to determine a root of
f ( x) x 2 1.8x 2.5 using x0 5 . Perform the computation until a is less than

s 0.05% .

2. Determine the highest real root of f x 0.95x 3 5.9 x 2 10.9 x 6

a. Graphically
b. Using the secant method xi 1 2.5 and xi 3.5
3. Use the fourth degree Taylor polynomial of cos2 x to find the exact value of lim

x 0

1 cos2 x
3x 2

4. Determine the roots of the following simultaneous nonlinear equations using (a) Fixed-point
iteration and (b) the Newton-Raphson method:

y x 2 x 0.75
y 5 xy x 2
Employ initial guesses of x y 1.2 and discuss the result.
5. An antibiotic decays exponentially in the human body with a half-life of about 2.5 hours.
Suppose a patient takes a 250 mg tablet of the antibiotic every 6 hours.
a. Write an expression for Q2 , Q3 , Q4 , where Q n is the amount (in mg) of the antibiotic in
the body after the n th tablet is taken. Note that Q1 250mg .
b. Write an expression for Q n and put it in closed form.
c. Assume the antibiotic treatment consists of a total of 28 tablets. Give a numerical
estimate for the amount of antibiotic in the body immediately after the patient takes
the last tablet of the treatment.
4
3
2
6. Determine the roots of the polynomial f x x 2.1x 2.27 x 2.1x 1.27 using
Bairstows method with initial guesses r 2.0000 and s 1.2500 .

7. Many fields of engineering require accurate population estimates. For example, transportation
engineers might find it necessary to determine separately the population growth trends of a city
and adjacent suburb. The population of the urban area is declining with time according to

Pu t Pu ,max e k u t Pu ,min

While the suburb population is growing, as in

Ps t

PS , max

1 PS ,max / PO 1e k S t

Where Pu ,max , k u , PS ,max , PO and k S empirically derived parameters. Determine the time and
corresponding values of Pu t and PS t when the suburbs are 20% larger than the city. The
parameters values are Pu ,max 75,000 , k u 0.045 / yr , Pu ,min 100,000 people ,

Ps ,max 300,000 people , PO 10,000 people , k S 0.08 / yr . To obtain your solutions, use
(a) graphical (b) false-position method.