BISECTION METHOD
Bisection method is the simplest among all the numerical schemes to solve the
transcendental equations. This scheme is based on the intermediate value
theorem for continuous functions .
Consider a transcendental equation f (x) = 0 which has a zero in the interval
[a,b] and f (a) * f (b) < 0. Bisection scheme computes the zero, say c, by
repeatedly halving the interval [a,b]. That is, starting with
c = (a+b) / 2
the interval [a,b] is replaced either with [c,b] or with [a,c] depending on the sign
of f (a) * f (c) . This process is continued until the zero is obtained. Since the zero
is obtained numerically the value of c may not exactly match with all the
decimal places of the analytical solution of f (x) = 0 in the interval [a,b]. Hence
any one of the following mechanisms can be used to stop the bisection iterations
:
C1. Fixing a priori the total number of bisection iterations N i.e., the length of the
interval or the maximum error after N iterations in this case is less than | b-a | /
2N.
C2. By testing the condition | ci - c i-1| (where i are the iteration number) less
than some tolerance limit, say epsilon, fixed a priori.
C3. By testing the condition | f (ci ) | less than some tolerance limit alpha again
fixed a priori.
Algorithm - Bisection Scheme
Given a function f (x) continuous on an interval [a,b] and f (a) * f (b) <
0
Do
c = (a+b)/2
if f (a) * f (c) < 0 then b = c
else a = c
while (none of the convergence criteria C1, C2 or C3 is satisfied)
Numerical Example :
Find a root of f (x) = 3x + sin(x) - exp(x) = 0.
The graph of this equation is given in the figure.
Its clear from the graph that there are two roots,
one lies between 0 and 0.5 and the other lies
between 1.5 and 2.0.
Consider the function f (x) in the interval [0,
0.5] since f (0) * f (0.5) is less than zero.
Then the bisection iterations are given by
Iteration
a b c f(a) * f(c)
No.
1 0 0.5 0.25 0.287 (+ve)
2 0.25 0.5 0.393 -0.015 (-ve)
3 0.65 0.393 0.34 9.69 E-3 (+ve)
4 0.34 0.393 0.367 -7.81 E-4 (-ve)
5 0.34 0.367 0.354 8.9 E-4 (+ve)
6 0.354 0.367 0.3605 -3.1 E-6 (-ve)
So one of the roots of 3x + sin(x) - exp(x) = 0 is approximately 0.3605.
Worked out problems
Exapmple 1 Find a root of cos(x) - x * exp(x) = 0 Solution
Exapmple 2 Find a root of x4-x-10 = 0 Solution
Exapmple 3 Find a root of x-exp(-x) = 0 Solution
Exapmple 4 Find a root of exp(-x) * (x2-5x+2) + 1= 0 Solution
Exapmple 5 Find a root of x-sin(x)-(1/2)= 0 Solution
Exapmple 6 Find a root of exp(-x) = 3log(x) Solution
Problems to workout
Highlights of the scheme
Work out with the Bisection method here
Note : Please enter equation like 3x+sin[x]-exp[x]. Use "[ ]" brackets for transcendentals and "( )" for others eg.,
3x+sin[(x+2)]+(3/4). 'a' and 'b' are the limits within which you are going to find the root. Few examples of how to
enter equations are given below ...
(i) exp[-x]*(x^2+5x+2)+1 (ii) x^4-x-10 (iii) x-sin[x]-(1/2) (iv) exp[(-x+2-1-2+1)]*(x^2+5x+2)+1
Solution of Transcendental Equations | Solution of Linear System of Algebraic Equations | Interpolation & Curve
Fitting
Numerical Differentiation & Integration | Numerical Solution of Ordinary Differential Equations
Numerical Solution of Partial Differential Equations
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