Question

Hey I'm on pset4 problem 4 and I don't know how to implement the guessing procedure into the script please help. Here is what I have so far http://dpaste.com/hold/528870/ .

Answer 1

I used the bisection method of successive approximation that was taught in one of the lectures.

According to this method, you set a high and low value for the expenses and guess half way in between. The code will look something like this:

high = savings
low = 0
expenses = (high + low) / 2

If your guess is too high, then you know the right answer must be somewhere between your guess and 0, so expenses becomes the new upper bound:

high = expenses

Likewise, if a guess is too low, expenses becomes the lower bound for the next guess, and you repeat this process until you get a result whose absolute value is less than epsilon, which means you will probably have to use a while-loop involving epsilon:

while abs(final_result) > epsilon:
expenses = (high + low) / 2
etc....

Answer 2

O thanks for actually replying and sorry for not going back and saying this earlier but i reposted my question and people helped me. Thanks anyway though.