6 Numerical methods

Ext6

Extension 1 a Show that x 3 x 2 ‡ 2x 1 ˆ 0 has only one real root.

Exercise 6 b Show that the root lies between 0 and 1.
c Use a suitable iterative formula to calculate the root, correct to 7 decimal
places.
d Hence find a root, correct to 4 decimal places, of
i 23x 22x ‡ 2x ‡ 1 1 ˆ 0 ii sin3 x sin2 x ‡ 2 sin x 1ˆ0

2 a Show that ex x 2 ˆ 4 has a root between 2 and 3.

b Show that ex x 2 ˆ 4 can be rearranged to give two iterative formulae:
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xn ‡ 1 ˆ exn 4 and xn ‡ 1 ˆ ln x 2n ‡ 4
c Show that, with x1 ˆ 2, the sequence defined by only one of the formulae
converges. Hence, find the root correct to 6 decimal places.
d Draw sketches to illustrate the iteration process in both cases.
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e For both f(x) ˆ ex 4 and f(x) ˆ ln (x 2 ‡ 4)
find f 0 (x) and show that, close to the root,
i jf 0 (x)j < 1 for the convergent sequence
ii jf 0 (x)j > 1 for the divergent sequence.
p
3 a Show that x ‡ x 2 x ˆ 0 has a root between 0.4 and 0.8.
p 
b Show that x ‡ x 2 x ˆ 0 can be rearranged as x ˆ F(x) where
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F(x) ˆ x x 2 or F(x) ˆ (x ‡ x 2 )2
c Rewrite the results in part b as iterative formulae and show that, with
x1 ˆ 0:6, one of the formulae defines a convergent sequence and one a
p
divergent sequence. Hence find the root of x ‡ x 2 x ˆ 0, correct to 6
decimal places.
d Draw sketches to illustrate the iteration process in both the convergent and
divergent cases.
e Find F 0 (x) for both rearrangements and show that, close to the root,
i jF 0 (x)j < 1 for the convergent sequence
ii jF0 (x)j > 1 for the divergent sequence

4 A cuboid has volume 100 cm3 , surface area 150 cm2 , and its length is twice its
breadth. Find its dimensions, in centimetres, giving the answer correct to
2 decimal places. (There are two possible solutions.)

5 When the depth of the water in a hemispherical bowl is h, the volume of the
water in the bowl is p(rh2 13 h3 ), where r is the radius of the bowl. Find, in
terms of r, correct to 3 significant figures, the depth of the water when half the
volume of the bowl is filled.
h
Hint: Use the substitution x ˆ .
r

A2 Core for Edexcel # Pearson Education Ltd. 2005 1

 6 Numerical methods

6 A goat is tethered by a rope so that it can graze half a field.

Find the length of the rope if
a the field is a square of side 2 with the rope tied
i at a corner ii at the midpoint of a side
b the field is an equilateral triangle of side 2 with the rope tied to a vertex
c the field is a circle of diameter 2 with the rope tied to a point on the
circumference

7 Find, correct to 3 significant figures, the smallest positive root of 5x 5 ˆ 5x ‡ 1.

8 Given that the function f(x) is continuous in the interval (a, b) and that the
equation f(x) ˆ 0 has a root in that interval, prove that, using linear
interpolation, a first approximation to the root is
af(b) bf(a)
f(b) f(a)

9 The method of locating a root by looking for a change in sign must be used with
care. This question illustrates situations where the method can cause a problem.

a Given that f(x) ˆ x 3 4x 2 ‡ 4x, show that f(x) ˆ 0 has a root between 1
and 3 although f(1) and f(3) have the same sign.
b Given that f(x) ˆ x 3 1:2x 2 ‡ 0:47x 0:06, show that
i f(0) < 0 and f(1) > 0
ii f(x) ˆ 0 has three roots in the interval (0, 1)
1
c Given f(x) ˆ e x ‡ , show that, although f( 1) < 0 and f(1) > 0, f(x) ˆ 0
has no roots. x

d Form an equation, f(x) ˆ 0, with f(0) < 0, f(1) > 0 and exactly two distinct
roots in the interval (0, 1).

10 Before calculators were widely available trigonometrical ratios were obtained from
tables.

Given that tan 638 ˆ 1:9626 and tan 648 ˆ 2:0503, use a method of linear
interpolation to estimate
a tan 63:58 b tan 63:78 c arctan 2

2 A2 Core for Edexcel # Pearson Education Ltd. 2005