next up previous
Next: Fixed point iteration: Up: ratish-1 Previous: Newton-Raphson Method:

Convergence of Newton-Raphson method:

Suppose $ x_{r}$ is a root of $ f(x)=0$ and $ x_{n}$ is an estimate of $ x_{r}$ s.t. $ \vert x_{r}-x_{n}\vert=\delta << 1$. Then by Taylor series expansion we have,

$\displaystyle 0=f(x_{r})=f(x_{n}+\delta)=f(x_{n})+f'(x_{n})(x_{r}-x_{n})+\frac{f''(\xi)}{2}\quad(x_{r}-x_{n})^{2}\qquad\qquad (1*)$

for some between $ x_{n}$ and $ x_{r}$.
By Newton-Raphson method, we know that

$\displaystyle x_{n+1}=x_{n}-\frac{f(x_{n})}{f'(x_{n})}$

i.e.

$\displaystyle f(x_{n})=f'(x_{n})(x_{n}-x_{n+1})\quad \qquad \quad (2*)$

Using(2*) in (1*) we get

$\displaystyle 0=f'(x_{n})(x_{r}-x_{n+1})+\frac{f''(\xi)}{2}\quad(x_{r}-x_{n})^{2}$

Say

$\displaystyle e_{n}=(x_{r}-x_{n}),\quad e_{n+1}=x_{r}-x_{n+1}$

Where $ e_{n},\quad e_{n+1}$ denote the error in the solution at n$ ^{th}$ and (n+1)$ ^{th}$ iterations.

% latex2html id marker 3599
$\displaystyle \therefore \qquad e_{n+1}=-\frac{f''(\xi)}{2f'(x_{n})}\sim e^{2}_{n}$

$\displaystyle \Rightarrow e_{n+1}\quad \propto \quad e^{2}_{n}$

% latex2html id marker 3603
$ \therefore$ Newton Raphson Method is said to have quadratic convergence.

Note:
Alternatively, one can also prove the quadratic convergence of Newton-Raphson method based on the fixed - point theory. It is worth stating few comments on this approach as it is a more general approach covering most of the iteration schemes discussed earlier.

A Brief discussion on fixed Point iteration:
Suppose that you are given a function $ f(x)=0\qquad\qquad\qquad \,\,\,(i)$
on an interval $ [a,b]$ for which you need to find a root. Derive from it, an equation of the form:

$\displaystyle X=g(x)\qquad\qquad\qquad\qquad (ii)$

Any solution to (ii) is called a fixed point and it is a solution of (i). The function g(x) is called as iteration function.

Example:
Given $ f(x)=2x^{3.4}+4x^{2}+x-8=0$, one may re-write it as:

$\displaystyle x=g(x)=8-2x^{3.4}-4x^{2}$

or

$\displaystyle x=g(x)=\frac{\sqrt{8-x-2x^{3.4}}}{2}$

or

$\displaystyle x=g(x)=\{(8-x-4x^{2})/2\}^{1/3.4}$

Where g(x) denotes possible choice iteration function.
next up previous
Next: Fixed point iteration: Up: ratish-1 Previous: Newton-Raphson Method:
root 2006-02-07