Lahore University of Management Sciences

Department of Mathematics, SSE

MATH344: Numerical Computations
Assignment No. 1

Submission Date: Feb. 9, 2015

1). Calculate the error, relative error, and number of significant digits in the following
approximations
a). x = 28.254, x0 = 28.271
b). y = 0.028254, y 0 = 0.028271

c). z = 2, z 0 = 1.414
2). How can we rearrange the following functions in order to avoid the loss-of-significance
errors in the computations
(1 cos x)
x2
b). log(x + 1) logx, for x large.

c). x2 + 1 x
a).

3). Let p0 , q 0 and r0 be the approximations to p, q and r with the errors p , q and r
respectively. Discuss the propagation of error for the following
a). p + q + r = (p0 + p ) + (q 0 + q ) + (r0 + r )
b).

p
p0 + p
= 0
q
q + q

c). pqr = (p0 + p )(q 0 + q )(r0 + r )

4). Given the Taylors polynomial expansions
1
= 1 + h + h2 + h3 + h4 + O(h5 ),
1h
h2 h4
cos h = 1
+
+ O(h6 )
2!
4!
Determine the order of approximation for their sum and product.