How to find the number of iterations needed within a certain degree of accuracy in the bisection method

I know how to find a zero of a function by the bisection method. But I am not sure how to find the number of iterations needed within a certain degree of accuracy.

Let's say, when we use the bisection method to find the zero $x^*$ of the function $g(x)=x\log(x+1)+x-1$, how many evaluations of log do we need to find $x^*$ to an accuracy of $|x_n-x^*|\leq0.01$ without really computing the iterates?

Could anybody give me some clue on what formula to use or is there any other way to approach the problem?

• It depends on the interval you start with. Just think about, what the bisection method does to your interval. Then you immediately get your answer. – Severin Schraven May 8 '16 at 12:40

On $[0,1]$, the first iteration is you try $0.5$ and this will give you an error of no more than $0.5$. Second iteration you try either $0.25$ or $0.75$ and the error is no more than $0.25$. After n steps the error is no more than $\frac 1 {2^n}$. What is the least $n$ for which this error is less than $0.01$? The general answer will have to do with the negative of the logarithm in base 2 of the error bound you want as a fraction of the length of the interval you started with.