Edexcel P3 2021 January — Question 6

Exam BoardEdexcel
ModuleP3 (Pure Mathematics 3)
Year2021
SessionJanuary
TopicFixed Point Iteration

6. $$\mathrm { f } ( x ) = x \cos \left( \frac { x } { 3 } \right) \quad x > 0$$
  1. Find \(\mathrm { f } ^ { \prime } ( x )\)
  2. Show that the equation \(\mathrm { f } ^ { \prime } ( x ) = 0\) can be written as $$x = k \arctan \left( \frac { k } { x } \right)$$ where \(k\) is an integer to be found.
  3. Starting with \(x _ { 1 } = 2.5\) use the iteration formula $$x _ { n + 1 } = k \arctan \left( \frac { k } { x _ { n } } \right)$$ with the value of \(k\) found in part (b), to calculate the values of \(x _ { 2 }\) and \(x _ { 6 }\) giving your answers to 3 decimal places.
  4. Using a suitable interval and a suitable function that should be stated, show that a root of \(\mathrm { f } ^ { \prime } ( x ) = 0\) is 2.581 correct to 3 decimal places.
    In this question you must show all stages of your working. Solutions relying entirely on calculator technology are not acceptable.