MAT2003 (Applied Numerical Methods)

Problem Set - 2

1. Which of the following iterations will converge to the indicated α, provided x0 is

chosen sufficiently close to α?
15x2n −24xn +13
(a) xn+1 = 4xn
, α = 1.
√
(b) xn+1 = 43 xn + 1/x3n , α = 2.
2. Use a fixed-point iteration method to determine a solution accurate to within
10−2 for
(a) x4 − 3x2 − 3 = 0, use p0 = 1 (b) 2 sin πx + x = 0, use p0 = 1
3. Find a solution of the following equations by Fixed Point Iteration method in the
given interval, correct to 5 decimal places.
(a) xex = 0, [0, 1] (b) 2x − log10 x = 7, [3.5, 4]
√
4. Use a fixed-point iteration method to find an approximation to 3 that is accurate
to within 10−4 .
5. Apply iteration method to find the negative root of the equation x3 − 2x + 5 = 0
correct to four decimal places.
6. Using Newton-Raphson method, find a real root, correct to 5 decimal places, of
the following equations in the given interval
(a) x3 + 2x2 + 10x − 20 = 0, [1, 2] (b) sin x = x/2, [π/2, π]
(c) cos x = x, [0, π/2] (d) x log10 x = 1.2, [2, 3]
7. Use Newton-Raphson method to compute 1/31 correct to four decimal places.
√
8. Find an iterative formula to evaluate k N (where N and k are any positive num-
bers) using Newton-Raphson method and hence evaluate
√
(a) 5, correct to 5 decimal places.
√
(b) 5 30, correct to 5 decimal places.
9. Using Secant method, find a real root, correct to 4 decimal places, of the following
equations in the given interval
(a) x4 − x − 10 = 0, [1, 2] (b) x − 2 sin x = 0, [1, 2]
(c) xex − 1 = 0, [1, 2] (d) xex = cos x, [0, 1]
10. Consider the function f (x) = cos x − x = 0. Approximate a root of f using (a) a
fixed-point method, (b) Newton’s Method, and (c) Secant method. Compare the
performance and verify the order of convergence of the methods from the obtained
results.
11. Determine the order of convergence of the iterative method
xk+1 = (x0 f (xk ) − xk f (x0 )) / (f (xk ) − f (x0 ))
for finding a simple root of the equation f (x) = 0.

1
12. Show that the following
√ two sequences have convergence of the second order with
the same limit a.
   2

(i) xn+1 = 21 xn 1 + xa2 , (ii) xn+1 = 12 xn 3 − xan .
n

13. The sum of two numbers is 20. If each number is added to its square root, the
product of the two sums is 155.55. Determine the two numbers correct to four
decimal places.

14. Find, correct to 5 decimal places, the x-coordinate of the point on the curve
y = ln x which is closest to the origin. Use Newton-Raphson Method.

15. An oscillating current in an electric circuit is described by I = 9e−t sin(2πt),

where t is in seconds. Determine the value of t correct to three decimal places
such that I = 3.5 amp.