Guided Notes Key
Name: Date:
Approximating Solutions
Objective
In this lesson, you will use graphing, tables, and successive approximation to solve equations
Graphing to Find Solutions
To solve the equation 2𝑥𝑥 2 + 2𝑥𝑥 − 6 = 𝑥𝑥 2 + 3𝑥𝑥 + 6 by graphing, we need to move all the terms
to one side of the equal sign so the other side is equal to 0 . Then combine like terms to
get a quadratic equation in standard form.
2𝑥𝑥 2 + 2𝑥𝑥 − 6 = 𝑥𝑥 2 + 3𝑥𝑥 + 6
2𝑥𝑥 2 − 𝑥𝑥 2 + 2𝑥𝑥 − 3𝑥𝑥 − 6 − 6 = 0
𝑥𝑥 2 − 𝑥𝑥 − 12 = 0
The graph shows that the solutions are
x = –3 and x = 4 .
The x-intercepts represent the solutions
because the equation is set up to
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equal 0 .
This is designed to find what values of
x will make y = 0. On the graph, the
x-intercepts occur where y = 0.
Guided Notes: Approximating Solutions 1
Guided Notes Key
Another way to solve 2𝑥𝑥 2 + 2𝑥𝑥 − 6 = 𝑥𝑥 2 + 3𝑥𝑥 + 6 by graphing
is to describe the left and right sides as different a rule that assigns
functions of x. to each input
exactly one output
We can write the functions as a system of equations,
distinguishing the left and right sides by using function
notation.
f(x) = 2x 2
+ 2x – 6
g(x) = x2 + 3x +6
Graph functions f and g separately to
determine where the functions
intersect , or are equal.
The x-values of the points of intersection
are the solutions to the original
equation.
Notice that the x-values where the two
functions intersect match the solutions
found earlier.
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Guided Notes: Approximating Solutions 2
Guided Notes Key
An equation can have multiple solutions, but
some have no solutions. When we graph the
two sides of an equation separately and the
graphs don’t intersect at all, then the
equation has no solution , or
no real solution. For example, consider the
equation |𝑥𝑥 − 2| = −2𝑥𝑥 2 + 1.
Approximating Solutions
We can approximate the solution when the intersection doesn’t land on a gridline by finding
approximations using graphing technology, a table of values, or successive approximation.
GRAPHING TECHNOLOGY
3
The equation √3𝑥𝑥 − 4 = |2𝑥𝑥 − 8| doesn’t
have integer solutions. The graph shows
the two sides of the equation.
The intersection points don’t lie
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get to integer solutions are the
approximations
x= 3 and x = 5 .
Guided Notes: Approximating Solutions 3
Guided Notes Key
Using the zoom function of the graphing
tool, we can look at the graph closer to one
of the intersection points. In this case, we
see the point of intersection rounded to the
nearest hundredth . So, the coordinates
of this intersection are more precisely
( 3.12 , 1.75 ). The level of accuracy
depends on the graphing software used.
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Guided Notes: Approximating Solutions 4
Guided Notes Key
TABLE OF VALUES
𝑥𝑥+1
Example: 𝑥𝑥 4 − 2𝑥𝑥 − 1 =
𝑥𝑥
Set the left and right sides equal to 𝑥𝑥+1
𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 4 − 2𝑥𝑥 − 1 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥) =
𝑥𝑥
f(x) and g(x), respectively.
x f(x) g(x)
Create a table using integer values for x. –2 19 0.5
At x = 1, notice that f(x) < g(x). But at x = 2,
–1 2 0
f(x) > g(x). This is a strong indication that the
two functions intersect somewhere in this 0 2 Undefined
interval.
1 –2 2
2 11 1.5
Expand the table to show x-values between 1
and 2 with increments of 0.25. We see that x f(x) g(x)
f(x) becomes greater than g(x) somewhere
1.25 –1.0586 1.8
between 1.5 and 1.75. For an even more
accurate answer, we could continue this 1.5 1.0625 1.8
process of narrowing down the table of
1.75 4.8789 1.5714
values.
Continuing to expand the table will show that the solution is x ≈ 1.55 .
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Guided Notes: Approximating Solutions 5
Guided Notes Key
SUCCESSIVE APPROXIMATION
3
Use successive approximation to find the solution of the equation 𝑥𝑥 5 − 𝑥𝑥 − 1 = √𝑥𝑥 + 3.
Define the left side of the equation as f(x) and the right side as g(x) .
3
𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 5 − 𝑥𝑥 − 1 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥) = √𝑥𝑥 + 3
Graph the functions. We can see that they intersect between
x = 1 and x = 2 .
These values will be starting point for the process and
serve as the lower and upper bounds of our first
interval.
Write the functions in the form f(x) – g(x) . Substitute the upper and lower
bounds into the equation. If a solution exists between the bounds, one of the bounds will
give a negative result and the other will yield a positive result.
3
𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) − 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥) = 𝑥𝑥 5 − 𝑥𝑥 − 1 − √𝑥𝑥 + 3
3
𝑓𝑓(1) − 𝑔𝑔(1) = 15 − 1 − 1 − √1 + 3 ≈ −2.5874
3
𝑓𝑓(2) − 𝑔𝑔(2) = 25 − 2 − 1 − √2 + 3 ≈ 27.2900
Take the average of the upper and lower bounds and substitute it into 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) − 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥). If the
result is positive, it will replace the bound that had a positive result for 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) − 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥). If the result
is negative, it will replace the bound that had a negative result for 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) − 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥).
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1+2 3
=
2 2
3 3 3 5 3 3 3
𝑓𝑓 � � − 𝑔𝑔 � � = � � − − 1 − �� � + 3 ≈ 3.4428
2 2 2 2 2
Take the average of the lower bound and the new upper bound. This is the
approximate solution for x after one iteration.
3
1+2 5
=
2 4
Guided Notes: Approximating Solutions 6
Guided Notes Key
This completes one iteration of the cycle.
To complete further iterations, repeat the last two steps above until you reach the desired level
of accuracy.
Iteration 2
5
Substitute into 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) − 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥).
4
5 5 5 5 5 3 5
𝑓𝑓 � � − 𝑔𝑔 � � = � � − − 1 − �� � + 3 ≈ −0.8180
4 4 4 4 4
5
Since the result is negative, replaces 1 as the lower bound. Take the average of the new
4
bounds.
5 3
4 + 2 = 11
2 8
Iteration 3
11
Substitute into 𝑓𝑓(𝑥𝑥) − 𝑔𝑔(𝑥𝑥).
8
11 11 11 5 11 3 11
𝑓𝑓 � � − 𝑔𝑔 � � = � � − − 1 − �� � + 3 ≈ 0.9044
8 8 8 8 8
11 3
Since the result is positive, replaces as the upper bound. Take the average of the new
8 2
bounds.
5 11
4 + 8 = 21
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2 16
21
After three iterations, we know that the solution is approximately .
16
Guided Notes: Approximating Solutions 7
