Final answer:
To find x3, the third approximation to the root of the equation x^5 - x - 7 = 0 using Newton's method and the initial approximation x1 = 1, we follow these steps: calculate f(x1), calculate f'(x1), use the formula x2 = x1 - f(x1)/f'(x1) to find the second approximation, and repeat steps 1-3 to find x3. The third approximation to the root is x3 = 1.7501 (rounded to four decimal places).
Step-by-step explanation:
Newton's method is an iterative method for finding the roots of a given equation. It works by using an initial approximation and repeatedly refining it to get better and better approximations to the root. In this case, we are given the equation x^5 - x - 7 = 0 and the initial approximation x1 = 1. To find x3, the third approximation to the root, we follow these steps:
- Calculate f(x1), which is the value of the equation at x1. In this case, f(x1) = x1^5 - x1 - 7 = 1^5 - 1 - 7 = -7.
- Calculate f'(x1), which is the derivative of the equation evaluated at x1. In this case, f'(x1) = 5x1^4 - 1 = 5(1)^4 - 1 = 4.
- Use the formula x2 = x1 - f(x1)/f'(x1) to find the second approximation. Substituting the values we have, x2 = 1 - (-7)/4 = 1 + 7/4 = 1.75.
- Repeat steps 1-3 to find x3, the third approximation. Using x2 as the new initial approximation, we have f(x2) = x2^5 - x2 - 7 = 1.75^5 - 1.75 - 7 = -0.03125, f'(x2) = 5x2^4 - 1 = 5(1.75)^4 - 1 = 23.515625. Substituting these values into the formula, x3 = 1.75 - (-0.03125)/23.5156 = 1.7501.
Therefore, the third approximation to the root of the equation x^5 - x - 7 = 0, using Newton's method and the initial approximation x1 = 1, is x3 = 1.7501 (rounded to four decimal places).