ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS

(MTH154S)
Differential Calculus
Chapter 3.3
Differentiation Applications
Newton-Raphson Method
By
M. Esmail
Email: [email protected]
Office: 01.83
 Find the root of an equation
 A frequently occurring problem is to find the roots of
equations of the form f(x) = 0
 If f(x) is a polynomial of higher degree or an expression
involving transcendental functions (e.g. 1 + cos x – 5x), then
algebraic methods are not available.
 However, Theses equations can be solved graphically or by
the methods of successive approximations to the root.
 Successive approximations is called iterative methods.
 In the graph solution, the root of the function, say y=f (x), is
determined by sketching its graph and determine the
approximate values of roots from the points where the
graph cuts the x-axis.
Iterative Methods
 Bisection Method

Theorem
If f(x) = 0,
 A function f(x) is continuous between two points xa and
xb,
 f(xa) and f(xb) are of opposite sign,

Then, there exists at least one root of f(x) between xa and xb

(i.e., where f(x) intersects the x-axis, since f(x) = 0).
 Bisection Method
f(x) is continuous between xa and xb
f(xb) is positive

The root of this equation

f(xa) negative
 Bisection Method

• Let f(xa) and f(xb) has opposite signs.

• Find xc = (xa+xb)/2.
• If f(xc) = 0, then xc is the root of the equation.
• Otherwise, the root lies between
• xa and xc [if xa and xc has opposite signs], or
• xc and xb [if xc and xb has opposite signs].
• We continue this process until we find the root (i.e. f(xc) = 0),
or the latest interval is smaller than some specified tolerance.
 Bisection Method

f(xb) is positive

xc= (xa+xb)/2

f(xc) negative

f(xa) negative

What will be the next interval?

Example 1
Find the root of the equation x3 + 4x2 – 1 = 0 using
bisection method.
Solution:

Let, xa = 0 and xb = 1.

Now, f(0) = (0)3 + 4(0)2 – 1 = -1 <0 and

f(1) = (1)3 + 4(1)2 – 1 = 4 >0.
i.e., f(xa) and f(xb) has opposite signs.
Therefore, f(x) has a root in the interval [xa, xb] = [0, 1]

xc = (0 + 1) /2 = 0.5,
f(0.5) = 0.125. Now f(xa) and f(xc) has opposite signs
So, the next interval is [0, 0.5]
Class exercise
3.2 History, Newton-Raphson Method
• Discovered by Isaac Newton and
published in his Method of Fluxions, 1736
• Joseph Raphson described the method in
Analysis Aequationum in 1690.
• Today it is used in a wide variety of
subjects, including Computer Vision and
Artificial Intelligence, Power systems
• this method show the use of the
differentiation techniques in the solution of
the numerical equation problem
• the formula of method can be obtained
derived graphically or through Taylor
theorem.
 Derivation
Let BC be the tangent to the curve at B, crossing the the x-axis at
xn+1. then from the diagram the slope of curve given by tan(θ)
f(x)
AB
tan(  
AC
f(xn) B

f ( xn )
f ' ( xi ) 
xn  xn 1

C  A x
xn+1 xn
f ( xn )
xn 1  xn 
f ( xn )

Figure 1: Derivation of the Newton-Raphson method.

11
 Newton-Raphson Method

• The iteration formula for Newton’s Method of finding

roots is :

f  xn 
Newton’s Method: xn 1  xn 
f   xn 

• It is sometimes called the Newton-Raphson method

• This is a recursive algorithm because a set of steps are

repeated with the previous answer put in the next
repetition. Each repetition is called an iteration.
Example 1
1 2
Finding a root for: f  x   x  3
2
5

2 We will use Newton’s

1 Method to find the
root between 2 and 3.
-4 -3 -2 -1 0 1 2 3 4
-1

-2

-3

 1 2
f  x  x  3
2
f  x  x

Guess: 3
1 2
f  3   3  3  1.5
2
mtangent  f   3  3

1.5
3  2.5
3 (new guess)
 1 2
f  x  x  3
2
f  x  x

Guess: 2.5
1
f  2.5    2.5  3  .125
2

2
mtangent  f   2.5   2.5

.125
2.5   2.45
2.5 (new guess)

 1 2
f  x  x  3
2
f  x  x

Guess: 2.45

f  2.45   .00125
z

mtangent  f   2.45   2.45

.00125
2.45   2.44948979592 (new guess)
2.45
 Guess: 2.44948979592
f  2.44948979592   .00000013016

Amazingly close to zero!

This is Newton’s Method of finding roots. It is an example

of an algorithm (a specific set of computational steps.)
Class Exercise

Use Newton-Raphson method to determine the

positive root of the following quadratic equations:

a. x2 =4cosx
b. 5x2 +11x-17
THE END!