ILOILO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERISTY

College of Engineering and Architecture

EEMath 12- Numerical Methods and Analysis

Lesson 6: False Position Method

Objective:
In this lesson, the students are expected to follow the algorithm and apply the method to find the roots in non-
linear equations using False Position Method.

Discussion:
False Position Method or Regula Falsi is a modification of the Bisection Method. It was developed because the
bisection method converges at a fairly slow speed. It gives a successive approximation converging to a solution for an
equation of form f(x) = 0.
In Bisection Method, we identify proper values of x L (lower bound value) and x U (upper bound value) such that f

¿ ¿) f ¿ ) > 0, and for the next improve roots x rcan be computed as midpoint between x L and x U as also for the next
iteration.
In False Position Method, instead of halving the interval use in Bisection; we use the root of the line joining

x L , f (x L ) and x U , f (x U ) as approximation for the value roots x r.The idea for the False Position method is to connect
x L , f (x L ) and x U , f (x U ) with a straight line.

Based on two similar triangles on Figure 1, one gets an equation

f (x ¿¿ L) f (x ¿¿ U )
0− =0− ¿¿ Eq. 1
x r −x L x r −xU
From equation 1, we obtain,
f (x ¿¿ U)( x ¿ ¿ r −x L )=f (x ¿¿ L)(x r−x U )¿ ¿ ¿
Eq. 2

And we can solve the above equation for the next predicted root,
ILOILO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERISTY
College of Engineering and Architecture
EEMath 12- Numerical Methods and Analysis
x u f ( x L )−x L f ( x u )
x r=
f ( x L ) −f ( x u )
Eq.3

Algorithm for False-Position Method:

Step 1: Choose x L ∧x U as required two points for the root and find for the value of f (x ¿¿ L)∧f (x U )¿ .
Step 2: Estimate the root, x r of the equation f(x) = 0 as
x u f ( x L )−x L f ( x u )
x r=
f ( x L ) −f ( x u )
Step 3: Then for the next iteration, check the following
If f ( x L ) f¿ ¿) < 0, then the roots lies between x L ∧x U ; then x L =x L and x U =x r

If f ( x L ) f(x ¿¿ r )¿ > 0, then the roots lies between x L ∧x U ; then x L =x r and x U =x U

If f ( x L ) f¿ ¿) = 0, stop the algorithm.

Step 4: Find the new estimate of the root at next iteration.
x u f ( x L ) −x L f ( xu )
x r 1=
f ( x L )−f ( x u )
Step 5: Find the absolute relative approximate error as

| |
new old
x r −xr
|∈a|= new
x 100
xr

Sample Problem #1:

Find the root of the equation f ( x )=x 2−3 . Let the limit error is 0.01and start with the interval [1,2].

Solution:
1. Input the parameters needed for the False Position Method.

2. At 1st iteration, input the xl and xu. After that, compute the xr.
x l=1 , xu =2
Then,
ILOILO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERISTY
College of Engineering and Architecture
EEMath 12- Numerical Methods and Analysis
f ( x l ) =f ( 1 )= (1 )2 −3=−2
f ( x u ) =f ( 2 )= ( 2 )2−3=1
For the estimate value of x r ;

x u f ( x L )−x L f ( x u ) (2∗−2 )−(1∗1)

x r= = =1.66667
f ( x L ) −f ( x u ) −2−1

Hence,

f ( x r )=f (1.6667 )=( 1.6667 )2−3=−0.22222

f ( x L ) f ( x r )> 0, then the roots lies between x L ∧x U ; then x L =x r and x U =x U

f ( x L ) f ( x r )> 0 −2∗−0.22222> 0 0.4444 > 0 (for the next
iteration).

Note: For the absolute error is noted as N/A for the new error is not present at 1st iteration .

3. At 2nd iteration, follow Step 1 to Step 4. On this iteration, we can now solve the approximate error.

| |
new old
x r −xr
|∈a|= x 100
x new
r
ILOILO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERISTY
College of Engineering and Architecture
EEMath 12- Numerical Methods and Analysis

| | |1.7273−1.6667 |x 100=3.51
new old
x r −xr
|∈a|= new
x 100=
1.7273
x r

4. Continue the process and drag it down, until you satisfy the error result.

2
Therefore, the root of the equation f ( x )=x −3 is 1.732049 at 5th iteration.

Sample Problem #2:

Using FPM, find the root of the equation f ( x )=xsin(x )−1in the interval [0, 2] with limit error of 1x10^-4.
ILOILO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERISTY
College of Engineering and Architecture
EEMath 12- Numerical Methods and Analysis
Solution:

Therefore, we stop at iteration 19 because it’s satisfy already the error result of 7.207x10^-5. So, the root of the equation

f ( x )=xsin(x )−1 is 1.11415686.

Sample Problem #3:

With a given limit error of 1x10^-6, find the root of the equation f ( x )=ln x+ x ; { a , b }={0.3 , 1 } using False Position
Method.
ILOILO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERISTY
College of Engineering and Architecture
EEMath 12- Numerical Methods and Analysis

Perform Laboratory Activity #5:

Instruction: Open your Microsoft Excel and perform the following equations. Submit your file after the activity. Print
it out- Short bond- follow the format shown at the upper part of the paper. Late to submit will be given a deduction points to
the total score.

Determine the root of the following equations using the False-Position Method. Show your manual computation until 3rd
iteration only and method using spreadsheet application until the estimated error e falls below 1x10^-6.
1. f (x)=x−cos ( x)withinterval [0 ,1]
2
2. f ( x)=tan( x )+ 0.1 x with interval[3 , 4]
ILOILO SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY UNIVERISTY
College of Engineering and Architecture
EEMath 12- Numerical Methods and Analysis
2
3. f ( x )=x +12 x+ 8 withinterval [−1 , 2]