APM2613/101/0/2022

Tutorial letter 101/0/2022

APM2613

Year module

Department of Mathematical Sciences

This tutorial letter contains important information

about your module.

BARCODE

university
Define tomorrow. of south africa
 CONTENTS

Page

1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................4
1.1 my Unisa ...............................................................................................................................4
1.2 Tutorial Matter.......................................................................................................................4
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES ............................................................................................4
2.1 Purpose ...............................................................................................................................4
2.2 Outcomes ............................................................................................................................5
3 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS .........................................................................5
3.1 Lecturer(s) ...........................................................................................................................5
3.2 Department .........................................................................................................................6
3.3 University .............................................................................................................................6
4 RESOURCES ......................................................................................................................6
4.1 Prescribed book(s) ..............................................................................................................6
4.2 Recommended book(s) .......................................................................................................7
4.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves) .........................................................................................7
4.4 Library services and resources information ........................................................................7
5 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ......................................................................................8
6 ASSUMED BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE........................................................................8
6.1 Pre-requisites .......................................................................................................................8
6.2 Co-requisites ........................................................................................................................8
7 STUDY PLAN ......................................................................................................................8
8 PRACTICAL WORK .........................................................................................................10
9 ASSESSMENT ..................................................................................................................10
9.1 Assessment criteria......................................................................................................10
9.2 Assessment plan ...............................................................................................................11
9.3 Assignment ........................................................................................................................12
9.3.1 General assignment numbers ...........................................................................................12
9.3.2 Submission of assignments ...............................................................................................13
9.4 Other assessment methods ..............................................................................................13
9.5 The examination ................................................................................................................13
9.5.1 Online Examinations ..........................................................................................................14

2
 APM2613/101/0/2022

9.5.2 Examination admission ......................................................................................................14

9.5.3 Examination period.............................................................................................................14
9.5.4 Examination paper .............................................................................................................15
10 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ...............................................................................15
11 IN CLOSING .....................................................................................................................15
12 ADDENDUM ......................................................................................................................16
ADDENDUM A: ASSIGNMENTS ................................................................................................16

3
1 INTRODUCTION
Dear Student

Welcome to the Numerical Methods module, APM2613 (formally COS2633) in the Department of
Mathematical Sciences at Unisa. We trust that you will find this module both interesting and re-
warding as you equip yourself with numerical skills for your career.

The module APM2613 is a year module, which replaces offerings in Semester 1 and Semester 2
with one offering that runs through the year. This provides you with adequate time to master the
material covered in this module.

1.1 myUnisa
Unisa follows an Open Distance eLearning (ODeL) model of Teaching and Learning. The platform
for teaching and learning at Unisa is myUnisa. You must be registered on
myUnisa (http://my.unisa.ac.za) to be able to submit assignments online, gain access to the library
functions, services and various learning resources, download study material, ”chat” to your lectur-
ers and fellow students about your studies and the challenges you encounter, and participate in
online discussion forums. myUnisa provides additional opportunities to take part in activities and
discussions of relevance to your module, assignments, marks and examinations.

1.2 Tutorial Matter

A tutorial letter is our way of communicating with you about teaching, learning and assessment.
Tutorial Letter 101 contains important information about the scheme of work, resources and as-
signments for this module as well as the admission requirements for the examination and timelines
to help you organise your studies. It also specifies the admission requirements for the examination
as well as module specific guidelines for assessments.

Some of this tutorial matter may not be available when you register. Tutorial matter that is not
available when you register will be posted to the myUnisa module site as soon as possible.

You will receive a number of tutorial letters during the course of the module via the my Unisa
module site. We urge you to read this and subsequent tutorial letters carefully and keep it at hand
when working through the study material, preparing and submitting assignments, preparing for the
examination and addressing queries that you may have about the course (course content, textbook,
worked examples and exercises, theorems and their applications in your assignments, tutorial and
textbook problems, etc.) to your APM2613 lecturers.

2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES

2.1 Purpose
This module is available as part of a major in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics. The
purpose of the module is to enable students to understand and use numerical methods in solv-
ing scientific and mathematical problems that are difficult to solve analytically. It comprises of

4
 APM2613/101/0/2022

numerical solution of nonlinear equations and systems of equations, the construction and use of
interpolating polynomials, least squares approximation, numerical differentiation and integration.

In this module you will learn how to develop and use numerical methods to solve mathematical
problems by means of a computer. While the emphasis is on the more practical aspects, a good
mathematical background is essential. We therefore advise you to include second year mathemat-
ics, in particular MAT2611 and MAT2613, in your curriculum.

The module that follows Numerical Methods 1 is, of course, Numerical Methods 2 (APM3711)
which is also available as a subject in Computer Science and Applied Mathematics. Although nu-
merical methods are not dependent on any specific programming language, many software pack-
ages are available as an aid to the study of numerical methods. You are therefore expected to
learn one or two programming languages (like Matlab/Octave, Python, C++ or Maple) on your own
and to be able to write relatively simple programs/code in the language. Some of these software
packages are open source or have open source versions that you can download.

2.2 Outcomes
The broad outcomes for this module are as follows:

At the end of this module, you should be able to

1. Analyse and draw a rough graph of any given function.

2. Solve various types of nonlinear equations using various numerical methods and interpret
the results.

3. Solve sets of linear equations using a variety of numerical methods.

4. Construct interpolating polynomials and fit curves to given data.

5. Perform numerical differentiation and integration.

3 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS

3.1 Lecturer(s)
The primary lecturer for this module is Dr LC Masinga:

Department of Mathematical Sciences

Telephone: 011 670 9153
Email: masinlc@unisa.ac.za
Additional contact details for the module lecturers will be provided in a subsequent tutorial letter.

All queries that are not of a purely administrative nature but are about the content of this module
should be directed to your lecturer(s). Tutorial Letter 301 will provide additional contact details for
your lecturer. Please have your study material with you when you contact your lecturer by tele-
phone. If you are unable to reach us, leave a message with the departmental secretary (contact
details below). Provide your name, the time of telephone call and contact details. If you have

5
problems with questions that you are unable to solve, please send your own attempts so that the
lecturers can determine where the fault lies.

Please note: Letters to lecturers may not be enclosed with or inserted into assignments.

3.2 Department
You can contact the Department of Mathematical Sciences as follows:

Departmental Secretary: 011 670 9147 (SA) +27 11 670 9147 (International)
Emails: Swanemm@unisa.ac.za mathsciences@unisa.ac.za

3.3 University
If you need to contact the University about matters not related to the content of this module, please
consult the publication, Study @ Unisa that you received with your study material. This booklet
contains information on how to contact the University (e.g. to whom you can write for different
queries, important telephone and fax numbers, addresses and details of the times certain facilities
are open).

Whenever you contact a lecturer or any office of the University, please include your student number
to enable the lecturer to help you more effectively. Remember to always have your student number
at hand whenever you contact the University. Your are also urged to always use your myLife email
facility as it will always give your identity immediately.

4 RESOURCES
4.1 Prescribed book(s)
Prescribed books can be obtained from the University official booksellers. If you have difficulty
locating your book(s) at these booksellers, please contact the Prescribed Books Section at (012)
429 4152 or e-mail vospresc@unisa.ac.za

Your prescribed book for this module is:

Title: Numerical Analysis

Author(s): R.L. Burden, D.J. Faires, A.M. Burden
Edition: 10th edition
Publisher(s): Cengage Learning
Year: 2016
ISBN: 978-1-305-25366-7
Please buy the textbook as soon as possible since you have to study from it directly - you cannot
do this module without the prescribed textbook. Van Schaik’s bookstore is one of the official uni-
versity textbook suppliers. This bookstore has a link to purchase electronic versions of some of the
textbooks online. You are advised to explore this route of purchasing the textbook so you can not
experience any delays in purchasing the textbook.

6
 APM2613/101/0/2022

Please also note that having the prescribed edition of the textbook is of essence and cannot be
replaced with alternative editions. Any textbook reference used in supplementary study material is
to the 10th edition.

4.2 Recommended book(s)

There are no recommended books for this module.

4.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves)

There are no electronic e-reserves for this module

4.4 Library services and resources information

The Unisa Library offers a range of information services and resources:

• for detailed Library information go to

http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library

• for research support and services (e.g. personal librarians and literature search
services) go to
http://www.unisa.ac.za/sites/corporate/default/Library/Library-
services/Research-support

The Library has created numerous Library guides: http://libguides.unisa.ac.za

Recommended guides:

• find recommended reading in the print collection and e-services:

http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/undergrad

• request and download recommended material:

http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/request

• postgraduate information services:

http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/request/postgrad

• finding, obtaining and using library resources and tools to assist in doing research:
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/Research_skills

• how to contact the Library/find us on social media/frequently asked questions

about the Library:
http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/ask

• Services to students living with disabilities:

http://libguides.unisa.ac.za/disability

7
5 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES
The Study @ Unisa brochure is also available on my Unisa:
www.unisa.ac.za/brochures/studies

This brochure has all the tips and information you need to succeed at distance learning and, specif-
ically, at Unisa.

6 ASSUMED BACKGROUND KNOWLEDGE

6.1 Pre-requisites
The compulsory pre-requisite for this module is COS1511 (Introduction to Programming). The
programming knowledge acquired in this module helps with handling the intensive computations
invilved in APM2613. Other assumed background knowledge is Calculus.

6.2 Co-requisites
In order to be able to understand the relevance of this module you should have done some Pre-
calculus and Linear Algebra. Hence it is recommended that you take MAT1503 (Linear Algebra I)
and MAT1512 (Calculus A) alongside this module.

7 STUDY PLAN
The sections of the tenth edition that are prescribed for examination purposes are:

• Chapter 2: sections 2.1 - 2.6 (Solutions of Equations in One Variable);

• Chapter 3: sections 3.1 - 3.7 (Interpolation and polynomial approximation);

• Chapter 4: sections 4.1 - 4.9 (Numerical Differentiation and Integration);

• Chapter 6: sections 6.1 - 6.5 (Direct Methods for Solving Linear Systems);

• Chapter 7: sections 7.1, 7.3 - 7.5 (Iterative Techniques in Matrix Algebra);

• Chapter 8: section 8.1 (Discrete Least Squares Approximation);

• Chapter 10: section 10.2 (Newton’s Method for Nonlinear Systems of Equations)

Although listed in this sequence, the textbook suggests a plan of going through the syllabus for a
coherent flow of concepts. (see Preface of the textbook)

In addition to the textbook you should also study the following:

• Tutorial Letter 102, the use of which we discuss in the preface.

8
 APM2613/101/0/2022

Year Module
Assignment (Due date) Textbook - (10th ed.)
1 (08/04) Study Chapters 1 and 2
2 (tba) Study Chapters 6 and 7
3 (tba) Study Chapters 3 and 8.1
4 (tba) Study Chapters 4 and 10.2
Exam Revise all chapters

Table 1: Suggested study programme for APM2613 Year module

• Additional resources, which may contain a diversity of material deemed fit to enhance your
study. You are advised to check the Additional Resources folder of the myUnisa module site
for material that is uploaded from time to time. This folder contains additional material like
Lecture Notes and/or Lessons and any material aimed at enhancing your study journey.
• Tutorial Letters, which include detailed discussions and model solutions of the assignments.
The assignments and the corresponding tutorial letters are important since they give you an
idea of what is expected of you with regard to the types of problems to be solved, and their
solutions. Please note, however that you should not rely solely on the tutorial letters for your
exam preparation. The examination covers the whole syllabus, theory as well as practice,
and you should prepare accordingly. We also give additional explanations in these letters.

The tutorial letters are dispatched to you in the course of the year as they become available
and will also be downloadable from the internet via ny Unisa module site. It is important to
check myUnisa regularly for announcements and allerts to new material.
• Inventory for the current academic year that you receive on registration and which lists the
items available from the my Unisa module site at the time of registration. Please check the tu-
torial matter you have received against this inventory.You should also look for study resources
in myUnisa as the official Teaching and Learning platform for the ODeL model.
You should read the entire Tutorial Letter 102, before working through the textbook. You should
work through the sections of the prescribed textbook in the order indicated in Table 1 and submit
assignments 1, 2 and 3 before the respective due dates as indicated in this Tutorial Letter.

See the brochure Study @ Unisa for general time management and planning skills.

Here is a broad outline of how to plan your study programme:

• Tutorial Letter 102, to be studied in addition to the textbook, the use of which we discuss in
its preface.
• Suggested Study Programme
The structure of the assignments will be as outlined in Table 1.
You should read the entire tutorial letter 102, before working through the textbook. You should work
through the sections of the prescribed textbook in the suggested order and submit assignments 1,
2, and 3 before the respective due dates.
See the brochure Study @ Unisa for general time management and planning skills.

9
8 PRACTICAL WORK
There is no practical work in this module.

9 ASSESSMENT
9.1 Assessment criteria
Specific Outcome 1:
Be able to draw a rough graph of any given function.

Assessment criteria
• Ability to extract relevant information for a function, including existence, discontinuities, sin-
gularities, symmetries, boundedness, behaviour at very small and very large values of x,
behaviour at 0, roots and zeros, turning points, etc.
Specific Outcome 2:
Be able to solve different nonlinear equations using different numerical methods and interpret the
results.
Numerical techniques include (but are not limited to) bisection, fixed-point iteration, Newton’s
method and its extensions: secant and regula falsi methods, analysis of convergence and er-
ror, zeros of polynomials and Muller’s method.

Assessment criteria
• give a mathematical formulation of a method;

• identify and understand the meaning of terms in a formulated method;

• perform a few iterations of a numerical method;

• study convergence of a numerical method;

• estimate error of approximation ...

Specific Outcome 3:
Be able to solve sets of equations using different numerical methods.
Methods include (but are not limited to) Gaussian elimination, pivoting strategies and matrix fac-
torisation, Jacobi, Gauss-Seidel and SOR iterative techniques, Newton’s method for functions of
several variables.

Assessment criteria

• give a mathematical formulation of a method;

• identify and understand the meaning of terms in a formulated method;

• perform a few iterations of a numerical method;

• study convergence of a numerical method;

10
 APM2613/101/0/2022

• estimate error of approximation ...

Specific Outcome 4:
Be able to construct interpolating polynomials and fit curves to given data.
Methods include (but are not limited to) interpolation and Lagrange polynomials, difference meth-
ods, Hermite interpolation, cubic splines, parametric curves, data approximation, discrete least
squares approximation.

Assessment criteria

• give a mathematical formulation of a method;

• identify and understand the meaning of terms in a formulated method;

• estimate error of approximation ...

Specific Outcome 5:
Be able to perform numerical differentiation and integration.
Methods include (but are not limited to)

• Differentiation: forward difference, backward difference, centered difference and their vari-
ous refinements;

• Integration: trapezoidal rule, Simpson’s rules, mid-point rule, Gaussian quadrature, . . . (standard,
composite, mixed, . . . formats)

Assessment criteria

• give a mathematical formulation of a method;

• identify and understand the meaning of terms in a formulated method;

• estimate error of approximation ...

9.2 Assessment plan

Assessment of this module comprises of both formative in the form of assignments, and summative
assessment in the form of a written examination.

A final mark of at least 50% is required to pass the module. If a student does not pass the module
then a final mark of at least 40% is required to permit the student to access the supplementary
examination.

The final mark for the module comprises the formative/semester mark and the examination mark.
The final mark composition is as follows:

Formative

Formative assessment comprises assignments as follows:

11
 Assignment Number Type of assignment Contribution to the final semester mark (%)
01 (Compulsory) MCQ 25
02 Written 25
03 Written 25
04 Written 25
Total 100

Summative

There will be a written examination. The details of the dates and duration are published by the
Examinations Department.

Final Mark

The final mark will be a composition of the semester mark and the examination mark, composed
as follows:

Type of assessment Contribution to the final mark (%)

Formative 20
Summative 80
Final mark total 100

Example A student obtains the following marks:

Assignment 01: 55%
Assignment 02: 100%
Assignment 03: 65%
Exam: 58%
The year/semester (formative) mark is
55 × 20 + 100 × 40 + 65 × 40
= 71%
100
The final mark for the module is
 
20 80
× 71 + × 58 , i.e. (16.8 + 46.4 = 61),
100 100

Please note that the 20% contribution by the assignments makes it extremely important that you
do all the assignments and score high marks, otherwise it is impossible for you to pass the module.

9.3 Assignment
9.3.1 General assignment numbers
The assignments for this module are labeled Assignment 01, Assignment 02, etc.

12
 APM2613/101/0/2022

9.3.2 Submission of assignments

You may submit your assignments electronically via myUnisa. ONLY PDF copies of written assign-
ments should be submitted electronically. Assignments may NOT be submitted by fax or email. It
is advisable not to wait for the last minutes to submit your assignment solutions as the system may
be clogged from other submissions.

Please make a copy of your assignment before you submit it !

For detailed information on assignments, please refer to the Study @ Unisa

brochure which you received with your study package.

To submit an assignment via myUnisa:

• Go to my Unisa.

• Log in with your student number and password.

• Select the module.

• Click on “Assignments” in the menu on the left-hand side of the screen.

• Click on the assignment number you wish to submit.

• Follow the instructions.

Please make sure that you submit the correct assignment for the relevant module and period (First
Semester, Second Semester or year module) for which you have registered. For each assignment
there is a fixed closing date, the date at which the assignment must reach the University. When
appropriate, solutions for each assignment will be dispatched, as Tutorials Letter 201 (for Assign-
ment 01) and Tutorial Letter 202 (for Assignment 02), etc. a few days after the closing date. The
solutions will also be available on myUnisa. Late assignments will not be marked!

Note that Assignment 01 is the compulsory assignment for admission to the examination
and must reach us by the due date.

9.4 Other assessment methods

There are no other assessment methods for this module than those indicated in this Tutorial Letter.

9.5 The examination

The module will have a summative assessment in the form of an examination. Preparation for
the examination should not be left as a last minute exercise, but should form part of your study
throughout the course offering. Unisa publishes general guidelines for examinations, prior and
post examination in the Study @ Unisa brochure. The

13
9.5.1 Online Examinations
Unisa has adopted an Online Examination approach to replace venue-based examinations. This is
a major shift from past practice resulting in the use of new policies, systems and operations in the
administration of examinations. Examinations are now online and administered through dedicated
internet platforms for accessing examinations question papers and submission of answer scripts.
This demands a high level of organisation on the part of the student in terms of identifying suitable
space and technological instruments and tools for writing the examination. Specifically, you should
make sure that you have access to a computer equipped with a camera for use during the exami-
nation.

The Examination Department will provide you with information regarding the examination in gen-
eral, examination dates and examination times. Several guidelines and tutorial letters are made
available to students to help them with the preparation for and organisation of examination ses-
sions.

For general information and requirements as far as examinations are concerned, see the brochure
Study @ Unisa.

9.5.2 Examination admission

Please note the following important details about the final examination;

• You will not be admitted to the examination without submitting an assignment, we therefore
strongly advise you to ensure that the first assignment is in on time for you to gain exam
admission for this module.

• If you score less than 40% in the final examination, the year/semester mark will not be used
to give you a pass. Therefore the minimum summative mark that gives you a chance to pass
the module is 40%.

• The minimum final mark which is required to qualify for a supplementary examination will be
40%. The supplementary examination for 2021 will be written as indicated in the table below.
Please confirm the date and venues on the Unisa website.

• There is no other exam opportunity other than the supplementary examination but a new
enrollment for repeat learning in the module.

9.5.3 Examination period

This module is a year module. This means that you will write the examination in October/November
2022. Supplementary examination dates will be provided by the Examination Section, according
to the periods indicated in the above table.
It is likely that any supplementary examination will take place in January/February 2023. This will
be confirmed by the Examination Department in due course. Specific dates are provided by the
Examination Department on the appropriate Unisa websites.

14
 APM2613/101/0/2022

9.5.4 Examination paper

The exam consists of a two hour paper. Note that you are only allowed to use a non-programmable
calculator in the exam.
General guidelines for examinations are published under the Examinations section of the Univer-
sity website.

Information on the examination

The material you have to study for examination purposes is stated clearly in the Assessment sec-
tion of this Tutorial Letter. This comprises the scope of the examination.

10 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Study @ Unisa brochure contains an A-Z guide of the most relevant study information.

11 IN CLOSING
Remember, you are important to us and we are very willing and available to assist you with your
course content related problems. We hope that you will enjoy APM2613 and we wish you all the
best in your studies at Unisa!

Our best wishes,

Your APM2613 lecturer(s).

15
12 ADDENDUM

ADDENDUM A: ASSIGNMENTS

ASSIGNMENT 01
(COMPULSORY ASSIGNMENT FOR EXAM ADMISSION)

Due date: 08 April 2022

Total Marks: 100

YEAR MODULE

This assignment covers:

Basic theory of functions material and iterative methods for solving nonlinear equa-
tions of one variable, error analysis for iterative methods.

IMPORTANT

• This is a multiple choice assignment. ALL the questions must be answered on a mark
reading sheet which you then post to the University. Before answering this assignment,
consult the publication Study @ Unisa on how to submit your assignments online and then
complete the assignment and submit online, using myUnisa.

• You are allowed to use a suitable computer software as a computational tool for calculations.
See Tutorial Letter 102 for the relevant information.

• Keep your rough work so that you can compare your solutions with those that will be sent to
you after the closing date.

• 10 marks will be awarded for every correct answer.

Question 1 [10 marks]

To have an idea on whether we should apply the bisection method to determine the root of f (x) = 0
in a given interval, we may

(1) draw the graph of f (x) and observe the graphs then conclude

(2) check if f (x) and f 0 (x) are continuous then conclude

(3) apply the function f (x) to the endpoints of the given interval and check the sign of the corre-
sponding outputs.

16
 APM2613/101/0/2022

(4) check if f (x) has a critical point in the given interval

(5) check if f (x) has a point of inflection in the given interval.
(For Questions 2 to 5)
Consider the function f (x) = x3 − 2x2 − 4x + 2.

Question 2 [10 marks]

Which of the following statements about the given function is FALSE?
(1) the graph of the function has one point of inflection and has two relative extrema.
(2) The function has no absolute extremum.
(3) The graph of the function has two roots in the interval [0, 3.5]
(4) The function has a point of inflection point at x = 0.
−2
(5) The function has a relative maximum point at x = and relative minimum point at x = 2.
3

Question 3 [10 marks]

Which of the following statements is true about the given function?
(1) The Intermediate Value Theorem does not hold between x = −1 and x = 1.
(2) The function has two roots in the interval [−2, 4].
(3) It will take at least 15 iterations of the bisection method to approximate the root between
x = −2/3 and x = 2 correct to 10−4 .
(4) It will take no more than 14 iterations for the bisection method to converge to the root between
x = −2/3 and x = 2 correct to 10−5 .
(5) The function has at least one singular point.

Question 4 [10 marks]

A fixed point equation x = g(x) is obtained from rearranging the root equation f (x) = 0. Which of
the following is not a valid fixed point formula for f (x) = 0?
x3 − 2x2 − 2
(1) x = .
4
−2
(2) x = 2
x − 2x − 4
2x2 + 4x − 2
(3) x = .
x2
(4) x = x3 − 2x2 − 3x + 2.
r
4x − 2 − x2
(5) x = .
2

17
Question 5 [10 marks]
When using the secant method, which of the following results is not true:
(1) Starting with p0 = −3 and p1 = 0, the method converges to p = 0.428006731683 after 7
iterations.
(3) Starting with p0 = 2 and p1 = 4, the method converges to p = 3.086130197651 after at least 9
iterations.
(4) Starting with p0 = 1 and p1 = 4, the method converges to p = 0.428006731684 after at most 12
iterations.
(4) Starting with p0 = −2 and p1 = −0.5 the method converges to p = −1.51413629335 after at
most 12 iterations.
(5) Starting with p0 = 1 and p1 = 4, the method yields p3 = −0.96699105581.
(For Questions 6 to 7 )
Consider the nonlinear equation sin x − e−x = 0, which has a roots in the intervals [0, 1], [3, 4] and
[6, 7].

Question 6 [10 marks]

Which of the following is FALSE.
(1) The fixed-point formula g(x) = x + sin x − e−x converges to the approximate solution p =
3.09636393 if the initial approximation is p0 = 1.
(2) Newton’s method with p0 = 0.5 will converge to the approximate solution p = 0.588532744
after at most three iterations.
(3) The regula falsi method converges to p = 0.5885328664 if p0 = 0, p1 = 1 after ten iterations.
(4) Newton’s method with p0 = 1 will converge to the approximate solution p = 0.588532743982
after exactly 4 iterations
(5) The fixed-point method does not converge if p0 = 0.5.

Question 7 [10 marks]

Consider again the nonlinear equation sin x − e−x = 0. Applying the regula falsi method, with
starting point p0 = 3 and p1 = 4 and a tolerance of 10−5 yields the following result :
(1) 0.589117 after at least three iterations
(2) 0.588641 after at most three iterations
(3) The method does not converge to a solution.
(4) 3.096308 after exactly three iterations
(5) None of the above is true.
Consider now the function f (x) = x4 − 2x3 − 12x2 + 16x − 4 which has four distinct roots.

18
 APM2613/101/0/2022

Question 8 [10 marks]

Which of the following options is FALSE?

(1) f 0 (x) has a local minimum at 2.

(2) f 0 (x) has a local maximum at −1.

(3) f (x) has no singularities and no obvious symmetries and the y-intercept is −4.

(4) f 00 (x) has a local maximum at x = 0.5.

(5) the two zeros of f 00 (x) are −1 and 2.

Question 9 [10 marks]

Which of the following results is FALSE when applying the various methods as indicated:

(1) p = 0.88338140 when applying the secant method with starting points p0 = 0 and p1 = 1.

(2) p = 0.34170924 when applying the bisection method with the starting points p0 = 0 and p1 = 1.

(3) p = 0.34170924 when applying Newton’s method with starting point p0 = 0.

(4) p = 0.88338140 when applying Muller’s method with starting points p2 = 0, p0 = 1 and p1 = 5.

(5) p = 4.04823531 when applying the regula falsi method with starting points p0 = 1 and p1 = 5.

Question 10 [10 marks]

Choose the appropriate option:

(1) The secant method and Muller’s method are similar in the sense that they both start with two
points.

(2) The regula falsi and the secant methods are the same and convergence for the regula falsi is
guaranteed because the next approximation is bracketed.

(3) Muller’s method determines the next approximation by considering the intersection of a parabola
and the x-axis through three given points.

(4) Statements (2) and (3) are correct.

(5) none of the above statements

19