While Loop code not working?

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Bob
Bob on 17 Feb 2015
Commented: Bob on 18 Feb 2015
Question: I have to create a function m file called myfirstzero(f,a) which takes two inputs:
f: A function handle which you may assume will represent a polynomial.
a: A real number.
Does: Uses a while loop to find the smallest n such f(n)(a) = 0. Note that this means the nth derivative at x = a and note that n = 0 is fair game, where the 0th derivative of a function is just the function itself.
Returns: This value of n.
This is my code:
function a = myfirstzero(f,a)
syms x;
n = 0;
d = abs(subs(f(x),a));
while (d > 0);
d = subs(diff(f(x),n),a);
n = n+1;
end
a = n;
end
Testing: When I test the code with results =myfirstzero(@(x) x^3+2,0) I get a= 2 when the correct answer should actually be 1.
Can someone help me with fine tuning my code. It works with some of my test data but not all of it. Below is all the test data I have to test this code:
a = myfirstzero(@(x) 2*x^3-3*x^2-12*x+6,2)----> works
a =1
a = myfirstzero(@(x) x^3,0)----->works
a =0
a = myfirstzero(@(x) x^3+2,0)----> not work
a =1
a = myfirstzero(@(x) x^6-5*x^5-2*x^4-x^3+x^2-x+10,3)---->not work
a =7
a = myfirstzero(@(x) x^5-x^3,2)----->not work
a =6
a = myfirstzero(@(x) x^4-10*x^3+24*x^2,1)----->not work
a =2
Test data file is also attached.

Answers (2)

Bob
Bob on 18 Feb 2015
Can anyone help me?
  2 Comments
Erik S.
Erik S. on 18 Feb 2015
Don't see your test data file
Bob
Bob on 18 Feb 2015
Edited: Bob on 18 Feb 2015
Sorry forgot to attach but here. It is also included in my question.

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Claire Li
Claire Li on 18 Feb 2015
For the first test data sample that doesnt work for you, it seemed like it was because it doesn't know to stop when n=1 because its also 0 when n=2?
Try adding a break somewhere
  1 Comment
Bob
Bob on 18 Feb 2015
Adding the break gave me a different answer, that was still wrong.

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