Secant Method (Chord Method)

• Suppose X0 and X1 are initial approximate roots.

• Draw the vertical lines from these two points X0 and
X1, which touch the curve at point (X0, f(X0)) and
(X1, f(X1)).
• Join these two points (X0, f(X0)) and (X1, f(X1)) by a
straight line which intersect X- axis is the next
approximate root X2.
• If f(X2) is zero than X2 is the real root, but here f(X2) is
negative.
• The next approximate root lies between X1 and X2.
• Draw the straight line between (X1, f(X1)) and
(X2,f(X2)).
• Which intersect the X- axis is the next approximate
root X3.
• Repeat this process until the desired degree of
accuracy.
• The major disadvantage of Newton Raphson method
is, we need to calculate f’(X) in each iteration.
• And sometimes the expression of f’(X) is very long.
• So, in secant method we take approximate value of
derivative is
first order derivative of function at X = Xi
= slope of a function f(X) = 0 at point X = Xi
• f’(Xi) = f(Xi) – f(Xi-1)
Xi – Xi-1
• Now, Newton Raphson iterative method formula is,
Xi+1 = Xi – f(Xi)
f’(Xi)
Xi+1 = Xi – f(Xi)
f(Xi) – f(Xi-1)
Xi – Xi-1
Xi+1 = Xi – f(Xi)* (Xi – Xi-1)
f(Xi) – f(Xi-1)
Xi+1 = Xi * (f(Xi) – f(Xi-1)) – f(Xi)* (Xi – Xi-1)
f(Xi) – f(Xi-1)
Xi+1 = Xi * f(Xi) – Xi * f(Xi-1) – Xi * f(Xi) + Xi-1 * f(Xi)
f(Xi) – f(Xi-1)
 Xi+1 = Xi-1 * f(Xi) – Xi * f(Xi-1)
f(Xi) – f(Xi-1)
• For i = 1,

X2 = X0 * f(X1) – X1 * f(X0)
f(X1) – f(X0)
Ex -1 : Find root of an equation X3 – X – 1 = 0 using secant
method correct up to two decimal points.
• f(X) = X3 – X – 1 = 0
• X = 1 , f(1) = (1)3 – 1 – 1 = -1
• X = 2 , f(2) = (2)3 – 2 – 1 = 5
• X = 3, f(3) = (3)3 – 3 – 1 = 23
suppose X0 = 2 and X1 = 3
f(X0) = 5 and f(X1) = 23
X2 = X0 * f(X1) – X1 * f(X0)
f(X1) – f(X0)
X2 = (2) * (23) – (3) * (5)
23 – 5
• X2 = 1.7222
• f(1.7222) = (1.7222)3 – 1.7222 – 1 = 2.3857

• Now , X0 = 1.7222 and X1 = 2

f(X0) = 2.3857 and f(X1) = 5
X3 = X0 * f(X1) – X1 * f(X0)
f(X1) – f(X0)
X3 = (1.7222)*(5) – (2)*(2.3857)
5 – 2.3857
X3 = 1.4686
f(1.4686) = (1.4686)3 – 1.4686 -1 = 0.6988
• So , X0 = 1.4686 and X1 = 1.7222
f(X0) = 0.6988 and f(X1) = 2.3857
X4 = X0 * f(X1) – X1 * f(X0)
f(X1) – f(X0)
X4 = (1.4686)*(2.3857) – (1.7222)*(0.6988)
2.3857 – 0.6988
X4 = 1.3635
f(1.3635) = (1.3635)3 – 1.3635 – 1 = 0.1714

• X0 = 1.3635 and X1 = 1.4686

f(X0) = 0.1714 and f(X1) = 0.6988
 X5 = X0 * f(X1) – X1 * f(X0)
f(X1) – f(X0)
X5 = (1.3635)*(0.6988) – (1.4686)*(0.1714)
0.6988 – 0.1714
X5 = 1.3293
f(1.3293) = (1.3293)3 – 1.3293 -1 = 0.0196

• X0 = 1.3293 and X1 = 1.3635

f(X0) = 0.0196 and f(X1) = 0.1714
X6 = X0 * f(X1) – X1 * f(X0)
f(X1) – f(X0)
 X6 = (1.3293)*(0.1714) – (1.3635)*(0.0196)
0.1714 – 0.0196
X6 = 1.3248

• Therefore real root is 1.32.

 Home work
• Ex :1 Find the root of 3X + sinx – ex = 0 using secant
method correct up to two decimal position.
Ans : 0.36
• Ex : 2 Find root of the equation X – e-x = 0 using
secant method correct up to four decimal points.
Ans : 0.5672
Successive Approximation Method
• This method is also known as “Direct substitution
method” or “Fixed point method” or “Spiral
convergence method” or “Method of iteration”.
• Here, the equation f(X) = 0 is expressed as
X = g(X)
• If X1 is the initial approximation, then the next
approximate root is given by
X2 = g(X1)
• And the next approximate root will be
X3 = g(x2)
• In general,
Xi+1 = g(Xi)
• As we know that the solution of the given equation
f(X) = 0 is given by the intersection point of the graph
f(X) and X-axis.
• In the method of Successive Approximation, the
solution is the intersection point of two curves :
1) The equation of one curve is Y = X, which is the
equation of a straight line with slope 1.
2) The other equation is Y = g(X).
• If the intersection point of two graphs Y = X and
Y = g(X) is p then both the equations are satisfied
simultaneously.
• So, at this point, we have X = g(X)
• Hence the X- co ordinate of this point is the
required solution.
 Follow below steps to calculate sums
• Step – 1 : First convert the given function in the form f(X) =
0 ,if it is not.
• Find those two points for which value of the functions are
opposite sign.
• Step – 2 : Convert the function in the form of
X = g(X).
• Find g’(X).
• If |g’(X)| < 1 for both initial points then g(X) is the required
function.
• If the above condition is not satisfied for any of the initial
point then change the arrangement of X = g(x). And again
check the condition.
• Step – 3 : use the formula , Xi+1 = g(Xi) and find the real root.
Ex :1 Find the root of an equation X = 1 + 0.3 cosx using Successive
approximation method correct up to 4 decimal points.

• f(X) = X – 1 – 0.3 cosx = 0

• X = 0 , f(0) = 0 – 1 – cos0 = -1.3
• X = 1 , f(1) = 1 – 1 – cos1 = -0.1620
• X = 2 , f(2) = 2 – 1 – 0.3 cos2 = 1.1248
• Root lies between 1 & 2.

• X = 1 + 0.3 cosx
• X= g(X)
• g(X) = 1 + 0.3 cosx
• g’(x) = -0.3 sinx
• g’(1) = -0.3 * sin1 = -0.2524
• |g’(1)| = |0.2524| = 0.2524 < 1
• g’(2) = -0.3 * sin2 = -0.2727
• |g’(2)| = |-0.2727| = 0.2727 < 1

• g(x) = 1 + 0.3 cosx

• X1 = 1 , X2 = g(X1) = g(1) = 1 + 0.3 cos1 = 1.1620
• X2 = 1.1620, X3 = g(1.1620)
= 1 + 0.3 cos1.1620
= 1.1192
• X3 = 1.1192, X4 = g(1.1192)
= 1 + 0.3 cos 1.1192
= 1.1309
• X4 = 1.1309 , X5 = g(1.1309)
= 1 + 0.3 cos1.1309
= 1.1277
• X5 = 1.1277, X6 = g(1.1277)
= 1 + 0.3 cos1.1277
= 1.1286
• X6 = 1.1286, X7 = g(1.1286)
= 1 + 0.3 cos1.1286
= 1.1283
• X7 = 1.1283, X8 = g(1.1283)
= 1 + 0.3 cos1.1283
= 1.1284
• X8 = 1.1284 , X9 = g(1.1284)
= 1 + 0.3 cos1.1284
= 1.1284

• Therefore, Real root is 1.1284.

OR
• X1 = 2, X2 = g(X1) = g(2) = 1 +0.3 cos2 = 0.8751
• X2 = 0.8751, X3 = g(0.8751)
= 1 + 0.3 cos0.8751
= 1.1922
• X3 = 1.1922, X4 = g(1.1922)
= 1 + 0.3 cos1.1922
= 1.1108
• X4 = 1.1108, X5 = g(1.1108)
= 1 + 0.3 cos1.1108
=1.1331
• X5 = 1.1331, X6 = g(1.1331)
= 1 + 0.3 cos1.1331
=1.1271
• X6 = 1.1271 , X7 = g(1.1271)
= 1 + 0.3 cos1.1271
= 1.1287
• X7 = 1.1283 , X8 = g(1.1283)
= 1 + 0.3 cos1.1283
= 1.1284
• X8 = 1.1284 , X9 = g(1.1284)
= 1 + 0.3 cos1.1284
= 1.1284

• Therefore, Real root is 1.1284.

• Ex : 2 Find the root of an equation X2 +2X – 6 = 0 using
Successive approximation method correct up to 3 decimal
position.
• f(X) = X2 +2X – 6 = 0
• X= 1 , f(1) = (1)2 +2(1) – 6 = -3
• X = 2, f(2) = (2)2 +2(2) – 6 = 2
• Root lies between 1 & 2.

• X = g(X)
• X2 + 2X – 6 = 0
• 2X = 6 – X2
• X = 3 – X2
2
• g(X) = 3 – X2
2
• g’(X) = -1 * (2X) = -X
2
• X = 1 , g’(1) = -1
• |g’(1)| = |-1| = 1 not less than 1

• X = g(X)
• X2 + 2X – 6 = 0
• X2 = 6 – 2X
• X = (6 – 2X)1/2
• g(X) = (6 – 2X)1/2
• g’(X) = 1 * (6 – 2X)-1/2 * (-2) = - (6 – 2X)-0.5
• g’(X) = - (6 – 2X)-0.5
• X = 1 , g’(1) = - (6 – 2*1)-0.5 = -0.5
• |g’(1)| = |-0.5| = 0.5 < 1
• X = 2 , g’(2) = - (6 – 2*2) = -0.7071
• |g’(2)| = |-0.7172| = 0.7172 < 1

• Therefore, g(X) = (6 – 2X)1/2 = (6 – 2X)0.5

• X1 = 1 , X2 = g(X1) = g(1) = (6 -2*1)0.5 = 2

• X2 = 2 , X3 = g(X2) = g(2) = (6-2*2)0.5 = 1.4142
• X3 = 1.4142 , X4 = g(X3) = g(1.4142)
= (6 – 2*1.4142)0.5
= 1.7808
• X4 = 1.7808 , X5 = g(X4) = g(1.7808)
= (6 – 2*1.7808)0.5
= 1.5615
• X5 = 1.5615 , X6 = g(X5) = g(1.5615)
= (6 – 2*1.5615)0.5
= 1.6961
• X6 = 1.6961 , X7 = g(X6) = g(1.6961)
= (6 – 2*1.6961)0.5
= 1.6148
• X7 = 1.6148 , X8 = g(X7) = g(1.6148)
= (6 – 2*1.6148)0.5
= 1.6644
• X8 = 1.6644 , X9 = g(X8) = g(1.6644)
= (6 – 2*1.6644)0.5
= 1.6343
• X9 = 1.6343 , X10 = g(X9) = g(1.6343)
= (6 – 2*1.6343)0.5
= 1.6526
• X10 = 1.6526 , X11 = g(X10) = g(1.6526)
= (6 – 2*1.6526)0.5
= 1.6415
• X11 = 1.6415 , X12 = g(X11) = g(1.6415)
= (6 – 2*1.6415)0.5
= 1.6483
• X12 = 1.6483 , X13 = g(X12) = g(1.6483)
= (6 – 2*1.6483)0.5
= 1.6442
• X13 = 1.6442 , X14 = g(X13) = g(1.6442)
= (6 – 2*1.6442)0.5
= 1.6466
• X14 = 1.6466 , X15 = g(X14) = g(1.6466)
= (6 – 2*1.6466)0.5
= 1.6452
• X15 = 1.6452 , X16 = g(X15) = g(1.6452)
= (6 – 2*1.6452)0.5
= 1.6460
• X16 = 1.6460 , X17 = g(X16) = g(1.6460)
= (6 – 2*1.6460)0.5
= 1.6456
• X17 = 1.6456 , X18 = g(X17) = g(1.6456)
= (6 – 2*1.6456)0.5
= 1.6458