Department of Mathematics
Birla Institute of Technology Mesra, Ranchi
MA24201 Numerical Methods
Tutorial-1 (Module I)
1. How many significant figures are in each of the following?
(a) 3.405
(b) 0.00289
(c) 1030
(d) 7.0040 × 10−3
(e) 102.00
(f) 0.000980
(g) 9.80
2. Perform the following calculations to the correct number of significant figures.
(a) 12.0550 + 9.05
(b) 257.2 - 19.789
(c) (6.21 × 103 )(0.150)
(d) 0.0577 ÷ 0.753
(e) 27.5 × 1.82 ÷ 100.04
(f) (2.290 × 106 ) ÷ (6.7 × 104 )
28.7 × 105
(g) + 144.99
48.533
3. Round each of the following numbers to three significant figures:
(a) 342.79513
(b) 9845.8749
(c) 0.000045389
(d) 2.45555567
(e) 76.89
(f) 56.9971
4. (a) Find the number of significant figures in 1.0100.
(b) Find the relative error of the number 8.6 if both the digits are correct.
5. Round off the numbers 865250 and 37.46235 to four significant figures and compute the absolute error,
relative error and percentage error.
√ √ √
6. Evaluate the sum S = 3 + 5 + 7 to four significant digits and find its absolute and relative errors.
7. Find a suitable alternative representation of the equation f (x) = x3 + x2 − 1 = 0, in the form x = φ(x) for
finding its root in the interval [0, 3] by the iterative (fixed point) method.
8. Find the absolute difference between the 4th and 5th approximations to the real root of the equation
x3 − 5x − 7 = 0 using the method of false position, correct up to four decimal places.
9. One root of the equation lies in the interval (3, 4). Find the least number of iterations needed for the
bisection method so that |error| ≤ 10−3 .
10. Find a real root of the equation f (x) = x3 − 5x + 1 = 0 in the interval (0, 1) using the Secant method after
four iterations (take x0 = 0, x1 = 1).
11. Suppose the transcendental equation is xex = 1 and the root lies in the interval [0, 1]. Find the approximate
value of the root correct to two decimal places.
√
12. Find the value of 10 using the Newton–Raphson method with initial guess 2, correct up to four decimal
places.
13. Find a root of the equation cos x − xex = 0 by the Regula Falsi method, correct to four decimal places.
14. The smallest positive root of the equation f (x) = x4 − 3x2 + x − 10 = 0 is to be obtained:
(a) find an interval of unit length which contains this root,
(b) perform two iterations of the bisection method.
15. What should be√the value of k so that the iteration formula x = x + k(x2 − 3) may converge at a good rate,
given that x = 3 is a root?
16. Verify that the equation f (x) = x3 − x − 1 = 0 has a root in the interval [1, 2]. Use the bisection method to
find the root correct to three decimal places.
17. Apply the bisection method to find a real root of f (x) = x3 − 4x − 9 = 0 lying in the interval [2, 3]. Perform
four iterations and tabulate the results.
18. Find an approximate root of the equation f (x) = cos x − x = 0 using the bisection method, starting with
the interval [0, 1]. Continue the iterations until the absolute error is less than 10−4 .
19. Use the bisection method to solve f (x) = xex − 1 = 0 in the interval [0, 1] and obtain the solution correct
to four decimal places.
20. Determine the number of iterations required to approximate the root of f (x) = x3 + 4x2 − 10 = 0 in the
interval [1, 2] with an accuracy of 10−5 using the bisection method.
21. Show that the equation f (x) = ln x + x − 2 = 0 has a root in the interval [1, 2]. Apply the bisection method
to compute the root correct to three decimal places.
x
22. Use the bisection method to find a real root of f (x) = sin x − = 0 lying in the interval [1, 2]. Perform at
2
least five iterations.
23. Apply the bisection method to solve f (x) = x2 − 5 = 0 starting with the interval [2, 3]. Compare the
approximate root obtained after five iterations with the exact value.
24. Prove that the equation f (x) = x5 − x − 1 = 0 has at least one real root, and locate it using the bisection
method up to three decimal places.
25. Let f (x) = e−x − x. Use the bisection method to find the root in the interval [0, 1] correct to four decimal
places.
26. Use the Regula–Falsi method to find a root of f (x) = x3 − x − 2 = 0 in the interval [1, 2]. Perform four
iterations and tabulate the results.
27. Solve the equation f (x) = cos x − x = 0 using the Regula–Falsi method starting with the interval [0, 1].
Continue until the error is less than 10−4 .
28. Apply the Regula–Falsi method to find a real root of f (x) = xex − 1 = 0 in the interval [0, 1] correct to
three decimal places.
29. Use the Regula–Falsi method to solve f (x) = x3 + 4x2 − 10 = 0 in the interval [1, 2]. Perform at least five
iterations.
30. Compare the rate of convergence of the Regula–Falsi method with the bisection method for the equation
f (x) = x3 − x − 1 = 0.
31. Apply the secant method to find a root of f (x) = x3 − x − 1 = 0 using initial guesses x0 = 1 and x1 = 2.
Perform four iterations.
32. Use the secant method to solve f (x) = cos x − x = 0 starting with x0 = 0.5 and x1 = 1. Obtain the root
correct to four decimal places.
33. Find an approximate root of f (x) = xex − 1 = 0 using the secant method with initial approximations x0 = 0
and x1 = 1.
34. Apply the secant method to solve f (x) = x2 − 5 = 0 using x0 = 2 and x1 = 3. Compare the result after
three iterations with the exact root.
35. Show that the secant method converges faster than the bisection method for f (x) = x3 − 4x − 9 = 0.
36. Use the Newton–Raphson method to find a root of f (x) = x3 − x − 1 = 0 starting with x0 = 1. Perform
four iterations.
37. Apply the Newton–Raphson method to solve f (x) = cos x − x = 0 using x0 = 0.5. Find the root correct to
four decimal places.
38. Use the Newton–Raphson method to find a real root of f (x) = xex − 1 = 0 starting from x0 = 1.
39. Solve f (x) = x2 − 2 = 0 using the Newton–Raphson method with initial guess x0 = 1. Compare the
approximate solution with the exact value.
40. Apply the Newton–Raphson method to find a root of f (x) = ln x + x − 2 = 0 starting from x0 = 1.5.
41. Apply the Newton–Raphson method to find a multiple root of f (x) = (x − 1)3 and comment on the rate of
convergence.