X1
=
2, X2 = 1.75, X2 = 1.732142857, X4 = 1.73205081
X5
=
1.732050808, X6 = 1.732050808 , X7 1.732050808
X8
=
1.732050808 and so on
We notice that when Xn = 1.732050808, so is Xn+1. Squaring these terms we get X12 = 4, X22 = 3.0625, ... , X52 = 3 and the rest of the other terms are the same!!

This implies that when Xn » Ö3 so is Xn+1 and the values of Xn tend to the limit Ö3. This special property can easily be proven. Assume that the limit exists, so Xn+1 = Xn = X, then solve the equation

X = 1
2
æ
ç
è
X + 3
N
ö
÷
ø


If we test it for N = 3, we see that X29 = 1.44224957, which is what the calculator gives for the cube root of 3. Testing it for N = 8, we get X1 = 2, which is the right answer.