UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS UNIVERSITEITSEKSAMENS

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2022

APM2613

NUMERICAL METHODS I
Examiners:
First: DR LC MASINGA
Second: PROF A ADEM

100 Marks
2 Hours

This is a closed book and online examination which you have to write within 2 hours and submit online
using the link: https://cset.myexams.unisa.ac.za/my/

The examination paper will be available 15 minutes before the actual examination’s time to give you time
to download the paper. After the 2 hours for the writing of the examination, you will have an extra 30
minutes to upload your attempts/answers.

Use of a non-programmable pocket calculator is allowed

This online examination remains the property of the University of South Africa and may not be distributed
from the Unisa platform.

This examination allows single PDF attachment only as part of your submission.

Answer All Questions and Submit within the stipulated timeframe.

ALL CALCULATIONS MUST BE SHOWN.

[TURN OVER]

Open Rubric
Additional Examination rules

Examination rules have been updated to include the new changes in the October/November
examinations.

October/November 2022 online examination rules.

Students are expected to familiarise themselves with online examination rules before their examination
sittings.
Examination sessions commence at the time indicated on the final examination timetable. You are required
to adhere strictly to the specified times.

i. For file upload/take-home examinations:

1. Students must upload their answer scripts in a single PDF file on the official myExams platform
(answer scripts must not be password protected or uploaded as “read-only” files).

2. NO e-mailed scripts will be accepted.

3. Students are advised to preview submissions (answer scripts) to ensure legibility and that the
correct answer script file has been uploaded.

4. Students are permitted to resubmit their answer scripts should their initial submission be
unsatisfactory.

5. Only the last file uploaded and submitted will be marked.

6. Incorrect file format and uncollated answer scripts will not be considered.

7. Incorrect answer scripts and/or submissions made on unofficial examination platforms (including
the invigilator cellphone application) will not be marked and no opportunity will be granted for
resubmission.

8. A mark awarded for an incomplete submission will be the student’s final mark. No opportunity
for resubmission will be granted.

9. A mark awarded for illegible scanned submission will be the student’s final mark. No opportunity
for resubmission will be granted.

10. Submissions will only be accepted from registered student accounts.

11. Students who have not utilised invigilation or proctoring tools will be deemed to have
transgressed Unisa’s examination rules and will have their marks withheld.

12. Students have 48 hours from the day of their examination to upload their recordings in the IRIS
Invigilator App. Failure to do so will result in students deemed not to have utilised the IRIS
invigilation or proctoring tools.
13. Students must complete the online declaration of their work when submitting. Students
suspected of dishonest conduct during the examinations will be subjected to disciplinary
processes. Students may not communicate with other students or request assistance from other
students during examinations. Plagiarism is a violation of academic integrity, and students who
do plagiarise or copy verbatim from published work will be in violation of the Policy on Academic
Integrity and the Student Disciplinary Code and may be referred to a disciplinary hearing. Unisa
has zero tolerance for plagiarism and/or any other forms of academic dishonesty.

14. Students are provided 30 minutes to submit their answer scripts after the official examination
time. Students who experience technical challenges should report to the SCSC on 080 000 1870
or their College exam support centers (refer to the Get help during the examinations by
contacting the Student Communication Service Centre (unisa.ac.za)) within 30 minutes. Queries
received after one hour of the official examination duration time will not be responded to.
Submissions made after the official examination time will be rejected by the examination
regulations and will not be marked.

15. Non-adherence to the processes for uploading examination responses will not qualify the student
for any special concessions or future assessments.

16. Queries that are beyond Unisa’s control include the following:
a. Personal network or service provider issues
b. Load shedding/limited space on personal computer
c. Crashed computer
d. Using work computers that block access to myExams site (work firewall challenges)
e. Unlicensed software (eg license expires during exams)
Postgraduate students experiencing the above challenges are advised to apply for an aegrotat
and submit supporting evidence within ten days of the examination session. Students will not be
able to apply for an aegrotat for a third examination opportunity. Postgraduate/Undergraduate
students experiencing the above challenges in their second examination opportunity will have to
reregister for the affected module.

17. Students experiencing technical challenges should contact the SCSC on 080 000 1870 or via e-
mail at [email protected] or refer to the Get help during the examinations by contacting
the Student Communication Service Centre (unisa.ac.za) for the list of additional contact
numbers. Communication received from your myLife account will be considered.

[TURN OVER]
 QUESTION 1
p
The root of f (x) = 4x2 − 3 is to be used to approximate 3/4.

(a) Prove that a root exists in the interval [0, 1]. Estimate also the number of iterations required to approx- (5)
imate the root by the bisection method correct to 10−4 .

(b) Compare the approximations obtained by one iteration of the bisection method and the regula falsi (8)
methods.

(c) Use the first midpoint obtained by the bisection method with a = 0, b = 1 in (b) as the initial value (12)
for Newton’s method to approximate the root correct to four decimal places.
[25]

QUESTION 2

The normal equations to find the least-squares approximation by a quadratic polynomial P2 (x) = a2 x2 + a1 x + a0
can be written as Ax = b, with
   
22.125 12.500 7.500 2.2
A =  12.500 7.500 5.000  b =  1.41 
7.500 5.000 5.000 1.04

(a) Solve the system using the method of Gaussian elimination with scaled partial pivoting. (15)

(b) Write down the associated least-squares quadratic polynomial. (2)

(c) Perform two iterations of Gauss-Seidel method to approximate the solution to the above system Ax = b. (8)
[25]

QUESTION 3

Consider the experimental data below from a chemical reaction.

xi 1.435 2.235 3.035

f (xi ) 4.35 2.97 2.2

(a) Find an approximation to f (2.5) using the second degree Lagrange interpolating polynomial. (7)

(b) Construct a divided difference table of the data and approximate f (2.5) using the Newton’s second degree (10)
interpolating polynomial. Explain the comparison of this and the answer in (a) above.

(c) Use the least-squares function of the form y = eax+b to approximate the value f (2.5). (8)
[25]

[TURN OVER]
 QUESTION 4

The integral
Z 1.75
I= 3x dx
1
is to be approximated numerically.
R 1.75
(a) Use h = 0.25 and four decimal place arithmetic with rounding to approximate the integral 1
f (x)dx
by

(i) the composite trapezoidal rule (5)

(ii) Simpson’s 38 -th rule (5)

R 1.75
(b) Use the three-point Gaussian quadrature method to approximate the integral 1 f (x)dx. (15)
(Hint: r1 = ±0.7745966692 = −r3 ; r2 = 0.000000 c1 = 0.555555555 = c3 , c2 = 0.88888888)
Use four decimal place accuracy in your computations.
[25]

TOTAL MARKS: [100]

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