
540 • How to Solve Estimation Problems
25.3 Estimation Problems Using the Error Term
In Section 24.1.4 of the previous chapter, we used a third-order Taylor poly-
nomial P
3
to estimate e
−1/10
; then we used the remainder term R
3
to get
an idea of how good our approximation was. Let’s revisit these methods and
generalize them.
To set the scene, consider the following two similar examples:
1. Estimate e
1/3
using a Taylor polynomial of order 2, and also estimate
the error.
2. Estimate e
1/3
with an error no more than 1/10000.
The second problem is more difficult than the first one. You see, in the first
problem, we know that we’re dealing with a Taylor polynomial of order 2, so
we can set N = 2 in our formulas. In the second problem, we actually have
to find N, which is one more thing to worry about.
With these two types of problems in mind, check out the general method
PSfrag replacements
(
a, b)
[
a, b]
(
a, b]
[
a, b)
(
a, ∞)
[
a, ∞)
(
−∞, b)
(
−∞, b]
(
−∞, ∞)
{
x : a < x < b}
{
x : a ≤ x ≤ b}
{
x : a < x ≤ b}
{
x : a ≤ x < b}
{
x : x ≥ a}
{
x : x > a}
{
x : x ≤ b}
{
x : x < b}
R
a
b
shadow
0
1
4
−
2
3
−
3
g(
x) = x
2
f(
x) = x
3
g(
x) = x
2
f(
x) = x
3
mirror (
y = x)
f
−
1
(x) =
3
√
x
y = h
(x)
y = h
−
1
(x)
y = (
x − 1)
2
−
1
x
Same height
−
x
Same length,
opposite signs
y = −
2x
−
2
1
y =
1
2
x − 1
2
−
1
y = 2
x
y = 10
x
y = 2
−
x
y = log
2
(
x)
4
3 units
mirror (
x-axis)
y = |
x|
y = |
log
2
(x)|
θ radians
θ units
30
◦
=
π
6
45
◦
=
π
4
60
◦
=
π
3
120
◦
=
2
π
3
135
◦
=
3
π
4
150
◦
=
5
π
6
90
◦
=
π
2
180
◦
= π
210
◦
=
7
π
6
225
◦
=
5
π
4
240
◦
=
4
π
3
270
◦
=
3
π
2
300
◦
=
5
π
3
315
◦
=
7
π
4
330
◦
=
11
π
6
0
◦
= 0 radians
θ
hypotenuse
opposite
adjacent
0 (
≡ 2π)
π
2
π
3
π
2
I
II
III
IV
θ
(
x, y)
x
y
r
7
π
6
reference angle
reference angle =
π
6
sin +
sin −
cos +
cos −
tan +
tan −
A
S
T
C
7
π
4
9
π
13
5
π
6
(this angle is
5
π
6
clockwise)
1
2
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
−
1
−
2
−
3
−
4
−
5
−
6
−
3π
−
5
π
2
−
2π
−
3
π
2
−
π
−
π
2
3
π
3
π
5
π
2
2
π
3
π
2
π
π
2
y = sin(
x)
1
0
−
1
−
3π
−
5
π
2
−
2π
−
3
π
2
−
π
−
π
2
3
π
5
π
2
2
π
2
π
3
π
2
π
π
2
y = sin(
x)
y = cos(
x)
−
π
2
π
2
y = tan(
x), −
π
2
< x <
π
2
0
−
π
2
π
2
y = tan(
x)
−
2π
−
3π
−
5
π
2
−
3
π
2
−
π
−
π
2
π
2
3
π
3
π
5
π
2
2
π
3
π
2
π
y = sec(
x)
y = csc(
x)
y = cot(
x)
y = f (
x)
−
1
1
2
y = g(
x)
3
y = h
(x)
4
5
−
2
f(
x) =
1
x
g(
x) =
1
x
2
etc.
0
1
π
1
2
π
1
3
π
1
4
π
1
5
π
1
6
π
1
7
π
g(
x) = sin
1
x
1
0
−
1
L
10
100
200
y =
π
2
y = −
π
2
y = tan
−
1
(x)
π
2
π
y =
sin(
x)
x
, x > 3
0
1
−
1
a
L
f(
x) = x sin (1/x)
(0 < x < 0
.3)
h
(x) = x
g(
x) = −x
a
L
lim
x
→a
+
f(x) = L
lim
x
→a
+
f(x) = ∞
lim
x
→a
+
f(x) = −∞
lim
x
→a
+
f(x) DNE
lim
x
→a
−
f(x) = L
lim
x
→a
−
f(x) = ∞
lim
x
→a
−
f(x) = −∞
lim
x
→a
−
f(x) DNE
M
}
lim
x
→a
−
f(x) = M
lim
x
→a
f(x) = L
lim
x
→a
f(x) DNE
lim
x
→∞
f(x) = L
lim
x
→∞
f(x) = ∞
lim
x
→∞
f(x) = −∞
lim
x
→∞
f(x) DNE
lim
x
→−∞
f(x) = L
lim
x
→−∞
f(x) = ∞
lim
x
→−∞
f(x) = −∞
lim
x
→−∞
f(x) DNE
lim
x →a
+
f(
x) = ∞
lim
x →a
+
f(
x) = −∞
lim
x →a
−
f(
x) = ∞
lim
x →a
−
f(
x) = −∞
lim
x →a
f(
x) = ∞
lim
x →a
f(
x) = −∞
lim
x →a
f(
x) DNE
y = f (
x)
a
y =
|
x|
x
1
−
1
y =
|
x + 2|
x + 2
1
−
1
−
2
1
2
3
4
a
a
b
y = x sin
1
x
y = x
y = −
x
a
b
c
d
C
a
b
c
d
−
1
0
1
2
3
time
y
t
u
(
t, f(t))
(
u, f(u))
time
y
t
u
y
x
(
x, f(x))
y = |
x|
(
z, f(z))
z
y = f (
x)
a
tangent at x = a
b
tangent at x = b
c
tangent at x = c
y = x
2
tangent
at x = −
1
u
v
uv
u + ∆
u
v + ∆
v
(
u + ∆u)(v + ∆v)
∆
u
∆
v
u
∆v
v∆
u
∆
u∆v
y = f (
x)
1
2
−
2
y = |
x
2
− 4|
y = x
2
− 4
y = −
2x + 5
y = g(
x)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0
−
1
−
2
−
3
−
4
−
5
−
6
y = f (
x)
3
−
3
3
−
3
0
−
1
2
easy
hard
flat
y = f
0
(
x)
3
−
3
0
−
1
2
1
−
1
y = sin(
x)
y = x
x
A
B
O
1
C
D
sin(
x)
tan(
x)
y =
sin(
x)
x
π
2
π
1
−
1
x = 0
a = 0
x > 0
a > 0
x < 0
a < 0
rest position
+
−
y = x
2
sin
1
x
N
A
B
H
a
b
c
O
H
A
B
C
D
h
r
R
θ
1000
2000
α
β
p
h
y = g(
x) = log
b
(x)
y = f (
x) = b
x
y = e
x
5
10
1
2
3
4
0
−
1
−
2
−
3
−
4
y = ln(
x)
y = cosh(
x)
y = sinh(
x)
y = tanh(
x)
y = sech(
x)
y = csch(
x)
y = coth(
x)
1
−
1
y = f (
x)
original function
inverse function
slope = 0 at (
x, y)
slope is infinite at (
y, x)
−
108
2
5
1
2
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
−
1
−
2
−
3
−
4
−
5
−
6
−
3π
−
5
π
2
−
2π
−
3
π
2
−
π
−
π
2
3
π
3
π
5
π
2
2
π
3
π
2
π
π
2
y = sin(
x)
1
0
−
1
−
3π
−
5
π
2
−
2π
−
3
π
2
−
π
−
π
2
3
π
5
π
2
2
π
2
π
3
π
2
π
π
2
y = sin(
x)
y = sin(
x), −
π
2
≤ x ≤
π
2
−
2
−
1
0
2
π
2
−
π
2
y = sin
−
1
(x)
y = cos(
x)
π
π
2
y = cos
−
1
(x)
−
π
2
1
x
α
β
y = tan(
x)
y = tan(
x)
1
y = tan
−
1
(x)
y = sec(
x)
y = sec
−
1
(x)
y = csc
−
1
(x)
y = cot
−
1
(x)
1
y = cosh
−
1
(x)
y = sinh
−
1
(x)
y = tanh
−
1
(x)
y = sech
−
1
(x)
y = csch
−
1
(x)
y = coth
−
1
(x)
(0
, 3)
(2
, −1)
(5
, 2)
(7
, 0)
(
−1, 44)
(0
, 1)
(1
, −12)
(2
, 305)
y = 1
2
(2
, 3)
y = f (
x)
y = g(
x)
a
b
c
a
b
c
s
c
0
c
1
(
a, f(a))
(
b, f(b))
1
2
1
2
3
4
5
6
0
−
1
−
2
−
3
−
4
−
5
−
6
−
3π
−
5
π
2
−
2π
−
3
π
2
−
π
−
π
2
3
π
3
π
5
π
2
2
π
3
π
2
π
π
2
y = sin(
x)
1
0
−
1
−
3π
−
5
π
2
−
2π
−
3
π
2
−
π
−
π
2
3
π
5
π
2
2
π
2
π
3
π
2
π
π
2
c
OR
Local maximum
Local minimum
Horizontal point of inflection
1
e
y = f
0
(
x)
y = f(
x) = x ln(x)
−
1
e
?
y = f(
x) = x
3
y = g(
x) = x
4
x
f(
x)
−
3
−
2
−
1
0
1
2
1
2
3
4
+
−
?
1
5
6
3
f
0
(
x)
2 −
1
2
√
6
2 +
1
2
√
6
f
00
(
x)
7
8
g
00
(
x)
f
00
(
x)
0
y =
(
x − 3)(x − 1)
2
x
3
(
x + 2)
y = x ln(
x)
1
e
−
1
e
5
−
108
2
α
β
2 −
1
2
√
6
2 +
1
2
√
6
y = x
2
(
x − 5)
3
−
e
−
1/2
√
3
e
−
1/2
√
3
−
e
−3/2
e
−
3/2
−
1
√
3
1
√
3
−
1
1
y = xe
−
3x
2
/2
y =
x
3
− 6
x
2
+ 13x − 8
x
28
2
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
−
100
−
200
−
300
−
400
−
500
−
600
0
10
−
10
5
−
5
20
−
20
15
−
15
0
4
5
6
x
P
0
(
x)
+
−
−
existing fence
new fence
enclosure
A
h
b
H
99
100
101
h
dA/dh
r
h
1
2
7
shallow
deep
LAND
SEA
N
y
z
s
t
3
11
9
L
(11)
√
11
y = L
(x)
y = f (
x)
11
y = L
(x)
y = f (
x)
F
P
a
a + ∆
x
f(
a + ∆x)
L
(a + ∆x)
f(
a)
error
df
∆
x
a
b
y = f (
x)
true zero
starting approximation
better approximation
v
t
3
5
50
40
60
4
20
30
25
t
1
t
2
t
3
t
4
t
n
−2
t
n
−1
t
0
= a
t
n
= b
v
1
v
2
v
3
v
4
v
n
−1
v
n
−
30
6
30
|
v|
a
b
p
q
c
v(
c)
v(
c
1
)
v(
c
2
)
v(
c
3
)
v(
c
4
)
v(
c
5
)
v(
c
6
)
t
1
t
2
t
3
t
4
t
5
c
1
c
2
c
3
c
4
c
5
c
6
t
0
=
a
t
6
=
b
t
16
=
b
t
10
=
b
a
b
x
y
y = f (
x)
1
2
y = x
5
0
−
2
y = 1
a
b
y = sin(
x)
π
−
π
0
−
1
−
2
0
2
4
y = x
2
0
1
2
3
4
2
n
4
n
6
n
2(
n−2)
n
2(
n−1)
n
2
n
n
= 2
width of each interval =
2
n
−
2
1
3
0
I
II
III
IV
4
y
dx
y = −
x
2
− 2x + 3
3
−
5
y = |−
x
2
− 2x + 3|
I
II
IIa
5
3
0
1
2
a
b
y = f (
x)
y = g(
x)
y = x
2
a
b
5
3
0
1
2
y =
√
x
2
√
2
2
2
dy
x
2
a
b
y = f (
x)
y = g(
x)
M
m
1
2
−
1
−
2
0
y = e
−
x
2
1
2
e
−
1/4
f
av
y = f
av
c
A
M
0
1
2
a
b
x
t
y = f(
t)
F (
x )
y = f(
t)
F (
x + h )
x + h
F (
x + h) − F (x)
f(
x)
1
2
y = sin(
x)
π
−
π
−
1
−
2
y =
1
x
y = x
2
1
2
1
−
1
y = ln
|x|
θ
a
x
a
x
p
a
2
− x
2
3
x
p
9 − x
2
p
x
2
+ a
2
x
a
p
x
2
+ 15
x
√
15
x
p
x
2
− a
2
a
x
p
x
2
− 4
2
x
−
p
x
2
− a
2
a
x
−
p
x
2
− 4
2
y = f (x)
a
b
a + ε
ε
Z
b
a+ε
f(x) dx
small
even smaller
y = g(x)
infinite area
finite area
1
y =
1
x
y =
1
x
p
, p < 1 (typical)
y =
1
x
p
, p > 1 (typical)
a
1
a
2
a
3
a
4
a
5
a
6
a
7
a
8
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
n
a
n
x
y
y = f (x)
(a, f(a))
a
for solving estimation (or approximation) problems:
1. Look at what you want to estimate, and pick a relevant function f . In
our examples above, we want to estimate e
something
, so set f(x) = e
x
.
Later on, we will set x = 1/3, since f (1/3) = e
1/3
, the quantity we want
to estimate.
2. Pick a number a which is pretty close to this value of x, and so that f(a)
is really nice. This means that you should be able to write down f(a)
exactly, as well as f
0
(a), f
00
(a), and so on. In our example, we’ll put
a = 0, since that’s pretty close to 1/3 and also e
0
is easy to compute.
3. Make a table of derivatives of f , just like we did in the previous section.
It should have three columns which show the values of n, f
(n)
(x), and
f
(n)
(a). If you know the order of the Taylor polynomial to use, that’s
the value of N you’ll need; make sure to go up to the (N +1)th derivative
in the table. Otherwise, just write down as many rows as you can be
bothered to; you can always fill in more later if you need to.
4. If you don’t care about the error in your estimate, skip to step 8. Oth-
erwise, write down the formula for R
N
(x):
R
N
(x) =
f
(N+1)
(c)
(N + 1)!
(x − a)
N+1
making sure to write “c is between a and x.” As you’re writing, replace
a by its true value on the fly, including in your comment about c.
5. If you know the order of the Taylor polynomial to use, replace N by this
number in the above formula. If not, make an educated guess based on
how small you need the error to be. The smaller, the higher N should
be. For many problems, N = 2 or 3 will do nicely. If you’re wrong,
you’ll know soon enough; you’ll just have to repeat this step and the
next two steps with a higher value of N.
6. Now, replace x by the value you want in the formula for R
N
(x). No
unknown variables should be left except for c, and you should write