What's the root and what's the useful of finding the root in algorithms like bisection?

Question

I already solved a bisection algorithm using C++ as a language, I think the main purpose is to find the root.

I understood the whole algorithm, but I didn't understand what the root will do or what will be the the purpose of root if we find it.

Answer 1

In mathematics, a root (or zero) of function f is a value of x where f(x) = 0.

For example, the function f(x) = x^2 - 4 has two roots: x=2 and x=-2.

For more information, see Wikipedia.

For some applications (for polynomials), see https://math.stackexchange.com/questions/83837/what-is-a-real-world-application-of-polynomial-factoring

Answer 2

Remember the many times you were asked to find out some value by solving an equation? Well, to find a root is another way of saying "solve the equation." The advantage of methods like this is that they give answers even for truly horrible equations, where the techniques taught in school have no chance to give answers.