Challenge...

A man buys a bag of fruit for £4.45. It

contains a pineapple, two apples, three
bananas and four oranges. The following
information is displayed at the fruit
stall:
• 1 orange and 1 apple costs 80p
• 2 oranges and 1 apple costs £1.30
• 1 apple and 1 banana costs 55p
How much does the pineapple cost?
 Key Learning Points
By the end of this lesson you will:
- be able to use trial and improvement
to find an estimate for solutions

Key Skills:
- substitution
- estimation
 What if I
don’t know
how to start What does
the problem?
this mean?

x2 + x = 9

Why do I How can I

need to solve it?
solve it?
 Success Criteria
Grade D: I can substitute numbers into an
equation

Grade C: I can use trial and improvement

to find an answer

Grade B: I know how to check that my

answer to the trial and improvement
is the best estimate
 x3 + x2 + x = 258
x = 1
x = 2
Which
x = 3
answer is
x = 4
x = 5
it and
x = 6 why?
x = 7
x = 8
x = 9
x = 10
 x3 + x2 + x = 26
x= 2.1
x= 2.2 Which is
x= 2.3 the best
x= 2.4 answer
x= 2.5 and why?
x= 2.6
x= 2.7
x= 2.8
x= 2.9
The equation x3 + x2 = 230
has a solution between x = 5 and x = 6
Use trial and improvement to find this solution.
Give your answer correct to 1 decimal place.
You must show ALL your working out.

4 marks
 x3 + x2 = 230

To get full marks you must:

a) try some answers between the two solutions
b) try some answers to a greater number of
decimal places than the question asks
c) prove beyond doubt that your answer is the
closest (by using midpoints!)

The answer lies between x = 5 and x = 6.