# setting a variable equal to the output of FindRoot

So I set a function f[x]

f[x_] := x*E^(-x) - 0.16064


Then I set a variable 'actualroot' to the function FindRoot, starting at 3

actualroot = FindRoot[ f[x], {x, 3} ]


and get the output

{x -> 2.88976}


Later I want to compare this output with a different estimate (-2.88673) of the root, and calculate error, so I have

Abs[ (actualroot - estimateroot)/actualroot ]


and i get this output:

Abs[ (-2.88673 + (x -> 2.88976))/(x -> 2.88976) ]


How do I get mathematica to evaluate this expression? I also tried using N[] to give me a decimal evaluation but it didn't work.

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You can use actualroot = FindRoot[f[x], {x, 3}][[1, 2]] –  b.gatessucks Jul 13 '12 at 20:27

The usual way to get the values of the results of FindRoot, Solve, etc., which are lists of Rule is the following:

f[x_] := x E^(-x) - 0.16064
actualroot = x /. FindRoot[f[x], {x, 3}]
estimateroot = -2.88673;
Abs[(actualroot - estimateroot)/actualroot]


Output:

2.88976
1.99895

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Thanks, new to mathematica, just diving in –  DWC Jul 13 '12 at 21:05
@DWC well, then it's probably good to know that /. is shorthand for ReplaceAll. Apart from its doc page reading this tutorial on transformation rules will prove fruitful. –  Sjoerd C. de Vries Jul 13 '12 at 21:51