The method of regula falsi or false position is also sometimes referred to as the method of linear interpolation. This method is used for solving an equation of one unknown. This method is quite similar to the bisection method. It is one of the oldest approaches to solving an equation.
PROCEDURE
First, we have to locate the interval –
and the graph of f(x) must cross the x-axis at least once between and .
Then the equation of the straight line passing through and is:
This is the chord of the curve
Let this chord intersects x-axis at the point .
This is the second assumption of the root which is y = 0 at .
This can be given by:
Now we have to calculate
or
Again in a similar way we get:
If we proceed in this way we get the recurrence formula as
GRAPHICAL REPRESENTATION
INPUT:
A function 3x − cos x − 1
OUTPUT:
An isolated root of the equation.
PROCESS:
Step 1: Create a function “float f (float x)”
Step 1.1: Return (3x – cos x − 1)
[End of the function “float f (float x)”]
Step 2: Create the function “void main()”
[‘a’ and ‘b’ are two float type variables and initially a = 0.0 and b = 1.0]
Step 2.1: While(f(a) * f(b) > 0) then repeat Step 2.2 to Step 2.3
Step 2.2: Set a ← b
Step 2.3: Set b ← b + 1
[End of Step 2.1 ‘While’ loop]
Step 2.4: Display the two integer values ‘a’ and ‘b’ in which the root lies i.e.
print “a, b”.
Step 2.5: Take the value of Error in a float type variable ‘err’.
Step 2.6: If (f(a) > 0) then
Step 2.7: Set a ← a + b
Step 2.8: Set b ← a − b
Step 2.9: Set a ← a − b
[End of ‘If’]
Step 2.10: Do Step 2.11 to Step to Step 2.18
Step2.11: Set y ← x
Step 2.12: Set x ← a − ((f(a) / (f(b) − f(a))) × (b − a))
Step 2.13: If(f(x) < 0) then
Step 2.14: Set a ← x
[End of ‘If’]
Step 2.15: Else
Step 2.16: Set b ← x
[End of ‘Else’]
Step 2.17: Print “a, b, f(a),f(b), x, f(x)”
Step 2.18: While(fabs(x - y) > err) then go to Step 2.10 repeatedly
Step 2.19: Display the value of the root correct up to 4 decimal places
i.e. print “x”
[End of the function “void main()”]
Step 3: Stop
ADVANTAGES
1. The formula is very simple for computation.
2. This method does not require the value of derivatives to be restricted for convergence.
3. The method is evidently convergent.
DISADVANTAGES
1. Sometimes the method is very slow.
2. The interval in which the root lies must be very small.
APPLICATION
1. It is used to solve an equation in one unknown.
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