LAB 4

Solving roots of equations

and polynomials using
packages and MATLAB
EXCELL (ref to page 190)
Use EXCELL to locate roots of function by trial and error.

Examples 1;
1.) determine roots of f(x) = x cos x

Step 1. enter the x value in a cell of the spreadsheet.

Step 2. Introduce f(x) formulation in the cell

and used the listed x value from the first cell to determine the f(x)
value.

Step 3. Varies the x value until f(x) cell approaches zero.

Step 4. use Goal Seek function to locate the roots.

Examples 2;
Determine single root of using Goal Seek Function

f(x) = x cos x

Key in the required data in the worksheet.

Go to Data Tools.
What-If-Analysis
Goal Seek
Goal seek table will appear
Answer the required questions
Examples 3;
Determine roots of U(x,y) and V(x,y) simultaneously
using solver function.

U(x,y) = x2 + xy -10 = 0
V(x,y) = y + 3xy2 -57 = 0
initial values of x = 1 and y = 3.5
True value x = 2 and y = 3
Solution;

Step 1 Enter the initial values of x and y in the worksheet.

Step 2 Enter functions U and V in the worksheet.

Step 3 Enter sum of square of the functions U and V values.

(The result should be zero). If the value is not zero, the
function Solver can be used from the Tools menu.

Step 4 Use the function Solver and give the required

information.
MATLAB(refer to page 193)
The fzero function to locate one root of a single
function.

The syntax is;

fzero(f,xo,options)

where f is the function

xo is the initial guess
options are the optimization parameters
Example 1

Use MATLAB function fzero to find the roots of;

f(x) = x10 1

With the interval of xl = 0 and xu = 4.

The true roots are at x = -1 and 1.
Use the initial guesses of 0 and 1.3 to determine
the positive root.
With 2 initial guesses

>>xo = [0 1.3];
>>x=fzero(inline(x^10-1),xo)
x=
-1

with one initial guess:

>>xo = 0;
>>x=fzero(inline(x^10-1),xo)
x=
-1
Use MATLAB to determine the roots of
polynomials

Example 2

Determine the roots of polynomial of the

following equation;

f(x) = x5 3.5x4 + 2.75x3 + 2.125x2 - 3.875x + 1.25

>>a=[1 -3.5 2.75 2.125 -3.875 1.25];

to evaluate the polynomial function;

>>polyval(a,1)
ans =
-0.2500

to diffferentiate the polynomial;

>>polyder(a)
ans =
5.0000 -14.0000 8.2500 4.2500 -3.8750

to determine roots of the polynomial;

>>r = roots(a)
r=