Trial and Improvement

Objectives:

C Grade Form and solve equations such as x
2
+ x = 12
using trial and improvement
Prior knowledge:

Rounding to decimal places
Substitution into algebraic expressions
The shape of quadratic / cubic graphs
Use of the bracket button on a calculator
Trial and Improvement
Estimate the square root of the following numbers:
a. 17
b. 30
c. 47
d. 68
e. 110
f. 83
4.1
5.5
6.9
8.2
10.5
9.1
Now check your answers on a calculator
4.123105626
5.477225575
6.8556546
8.246211251
10.48808848
9.110433579
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
y = x
2
- x
Trial and Improvement
Find the positive solution to the equation
x
2
- x = 60
give your answer to 1 decimal place
If we consider this drawing a graph
we know the solution can be found by
drawing the line y = 60
and y = x
2
x, finding the value of x at
the point of intersection.
y = 60
because of the scale of the graph we
have to use we cannot find the value
of x to 1 d.p. but we can see it is
between 8 and 9.
-5
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
60
65
70
75
80
85
-5 -4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Trial and Improvement
Trial and improvement is where we try
values of x in the equation and try to
get as close to the given value for y
as possible
Try x = 8
x
2
x = 60
64 8 = 56 x = 8 is too low
Try x = 9
81 9 = 72 x = 9 is too low
Try x = 8.5
72.25 8.5 = 63.75 x = 8.5 is too high
Try x = 8.3
68.89 8.3 = 60.59 x = 8.3 is too high
Try x = 8.2
67.42 8.2 = 59.04
x = 8.2 is too low
Now even the expanding
graph is not big enough
for the level
of accuracy required
Now we know that the solution is
between 8.2 and 8.3 we try 8.25
Trial and Improvement
Trial and improvement is where we try
values of x in the equation and try to
get as close to the given value for y
as possible
Try x = 8.25
68.0625 8.25 = 59.8125 x = 8.25 is too low
Try x = 8.3
68.89 8.3 = 60.59 x = 8.3 is too high
Try x = 8.2
67.42 8.2 = 63.75
x = 8.2 is too low
Now even the expanding
graph is not big enough
for the level
of accuracy required
Now we know that the solution is
between 8.2 and 8.3 we try 8.25
We need the value of x to 1 d.p.
We know the solution is now between 8.25 and 8.3.
Any value between 8.25 and 8.3 would be rounded to 8.3
to 1 d.p
Therefore to 1 d.p x = 8.3
Trial and Improvement
Find the value of x to 1.d.p to solve this equation:
x
3
+ x = 12
We can now do this as a table:
Trial Value of x x
3
x x
3
-x Comment












3 27 3 30
Too High
2 8 2 10
Too Low
2.1 9.261 2.1 11.36
Too Low
2.2 10.65 2.2 12.85
Too High
2.15
9.938 2.15 12.09
Too High
2.14 9.8 2.14 11.94
Too Low
Because 2.15 is too high and any number less than 2.15 would be
rounded to 2.1 to 1 d.p.
Finding the answer when x = 2.14 proves that this is correct.
Trial and Improvement
Now do these:
Find the positive solutions to 1 decimal place
1. x
2
+ 2x = 63

2. x
2
- 2x = 675

3. x
3
+ 2x = 520

4. x
5
+ x = 33 768

5. x
2
- 7x = 368

6. x - x
3
= -336
Trial and Improvement
x
2
+ 2x =63 x
5
+ x =33 768
Trial Value of x
x
2
2x x
2
+ 2x
Comment Trial Value of x
x
5
x x
5
+ x
Comment






x
2
- 2x =675 x
2
- 7x =368
Trial Value of x
x
2
2x x
2
- 2x
Comment Trial Value of x
x
2
7x x
2
- 7x
Comment






x
3
+ 2x =520 x - x
3
=
-
336
Trial Value of x
x
3
2x x
3
+ 2x
Comment Trial Value of x
x x
3
x - x
3

Comment











Worksheet
Trial and Improvement
x
2
+ 2x =63 63 x
5
+ x =33 768 33768
Trial Value of x
x
2
2x x
2
+ 2x
Comment Trial Value of x
x
5
x x
5
+ x
Comment
5 25 10 35 Too Low 8 32768 16 32784 Too Low
6 36 12 48 Too Low 9 59049 18 59067 Too High
7 49 14 63 8.1 34868 16.2 34884 Too High
8.05 33805 16.1 33821 Too High
8.02 33180 16.04 33196 Too Low
8.04 33595 16.08 33612 Too Low
x
2
- 2x =675 675 x
2
- 7x =368 368
Trial Value of x
x
2
2x x
2
- 2x
Comment Trial Value of x
x
2
7x x
2
- 7x
Comment
20 400 40 360 Too Low 25 625 175 450 Too High
30 900 60 840 Too High 22 484 154 330 Too Low
28 784 56 728 Too High 23 529 161 368
26 676 52 624 Too Low
27 729 54 675

x
3
+ 2x =520 520 x - x
3
=
-
336 -336
Trial Value of x
x
3
2x x
3
+ 2x
Comment Trial Value of x
x x
3
x - x
3

Comment
8 512 16 528 Too High 7 49 343 -294 Too High
7 343 14 357 Too Low 8 64 512 -448 Too Low
7.5 421.9 15 436.9 Too Low 7.5 56.25 421.9 -366 Too Low
7.9 493 15.8 508.8 Too Low 7.4 54.76 405.2 -350 Too Low
7.95 502.5 15.9 518.4 Too Low 7.3 53.29 389 -336
7.96 504.4 15.92 520.3 Too High
x = 7
x = 27
x = 8.0
x = 8.0
x = 23
x = 7.3