Q) What is Numerical Analysis?

A) Numerical Analysis is the study of algorithms that use numerical approximation

for the problems of mathematical analysis.
Applications/Uses:
*It can be essential in making numerical weather prediction feasible
*It can compute the trajectory of a spacecraft and missiles.
*It can improve the crash saftey of cars by using computer simulations of car
crashes.
*Airlines use sophisticated optimization algorithms to decide ticket prices, airplane
and crew assignments and fuel needs.
*Insurance companies use numerical programs for actuarial analysis.

Q) What is Root-finding Method?

A) A root-finding method is a numerical method, or algorithm, for finding a value x
such that f(x) = 0, for a given function f. Such an x is called a root of the function f.
Numerical root-finding methods use iteration, producing a sequence of numbers
that hopefully converge towards a limit, which is a root.

TYPES OF ROOT-FINDING METHODS:

1) Bracketing Methods: As the name implies, these are based on two initial guesses
that bracket the rootthat is, are on either side of the root
i) Bisection Method:
ii) False-Position Method

2) Open Methods: These methods can involve one or more initial guesses, but there
is no need for them to bracket the root.
i) Secant Method
ii) Newton-Raphson Method
iii) Interpolation Methods

Q) What are Iterative Methods?

A) The term "iterative method" refers to a wide range of techniques that use
successive approximations to obtain more accurate solutions to a linear system at
each step.JACOBI's METHOD and GAUSS-SEIDEL METHOD are examples of Iterative
Methods.

Q) What do you mean by convergence and

divergence?
A) For any iterative numerical technique, each successive iteration results in a
solution that moves progressively closer to the true solution. This is known as
convergence. A numerical method is not always guaranteed to produce converging
results. Convergence is subject to satisfying certain conditions. If these conditions
are not met, each successive iteration produces a result that progressively moves
away from the true solution. This is known as divergence.
The Gauss Seidel approach is a numerical technique used to solve a system
of linear equations. It is an improvement of another similar numerical technique
known as the Jacobi Method, which is also used to solve a system of linear
equations. The Gauss Seidel approach is generally preferred over the Jacobi
approach as it provides faster convergence i.e. moves towards the true solution in
fewer iterations.

Q) Explain Bisection Method.

A) The bisection method in mathematics is a root-finding method that repeatedly
bisects an interval and then selects a subinterval in which a root must lie for further
processing. It is a very simple and robust method, but it is also relatively slow.
Because of this, it is often used to obtain a rough approximation to a solution which
is then used as a starting point for more rapidly converging methods.
THEORY:
The method is applicable for numerically solving the equation f(x) = 0 for the real
variable x, where f is a continuous function defined on an interval [a, b] and where
f(a) and f(b) have opposite signs. In this case a and b are said to bracket a root
since, by the intermediate value theorem, the continuous function f must have at
least one root in the interval (a, b).

ADVANTAGES:
1. Bisection can be shown to be an "optimal" algorithm for functions that change
sigh in [a,b] in that it produces the smallest interval of uncertainty in a given # of
iterations
2. f(x) need not be continuous on [a,b]

3. convergence is guarenteed (linearly)

DISADVANTAGES/DRAWBACKS:
4. Two initial guesses are required,with f(a) f(b) <0. This may prove difficult
5. If there are multiple zeros in the interval there is no guidance as to which will be
chosen
6. Linear convergence may be slow compared to other methods

Q) Explain False-Position Method.

A) The false-position method(Regula-Falsi Method) is a modification on the bisection
method: if it is known that the root lies on [a, b], then it is reasonable that we can
approximate the function on the interval by interpolating the points (a, f(a)) and (b,
f(b)).
ADVANTAGES:
(Not Found Yet)
DISADVANTAGES/DRAWBACKS:
(Not Found Yet)

Q) Explain Secant Method.

A) The secant method is a root-finding algorithm that uses a succession of roots of
secant lines to better approximate a root of a function f. The secant method can be
thought of as a finite difference approximation of Newton's method.
ADVANTAGES:
1. It converges at faster than a linear rate, so that it is more rapidly convergent than
the bisection method.
2. It does not require use of the derivative of the function, something that is not
available in a number of applications.
3. It requires only one function evaluation per iteration, as compared with Newtons
method which requires two.
DISADVANTAGES/DRAWBACKS:
1. It may not converge.
2. There is no guaranteed error bound for the computed iterates.

Q) Explain Newton-Raphson Method.

A) It is a process for approximating the roots of an equation by replacing the curve
representing the equation by its tangent and finding the intersection of the tangent
with the x-axis and iterating this process.
ADVANTAGES:
1. This method is the best fastest convergences to the root. This feature makes the
newton raphson method to stand upfront from the other known methods.
2. Apart from the fast convergences, it also converges quadraticly on the root. This
advantages show that this method also deals with the higher degree of variable
involved.
3. It is flexible; it means that it is easier to convert this method to multiple
dimensions.
DISADVANTAGES/DRAWBACKS:
1. It needs the function evaluation and then the derivative evaluation.
2. It is dependent on initial guess
May be too far from local root
May encounter a zero derivative
May loop indefinitely

Q) Explain Interpolation.
A) Interpolation is a method of constructing new data points within the range of a
discrete set of known data points.
INTERPOLANTS: An interpolant is a function L=L(x) which agrees with a particular
function f at a set of known points and which is used to compute values for f(x) at
those points.

METHODS OF INTERPOLATION:
1. Direct Method
2. Newton Dividend Difference
3. Lagrange Interpolation

TYPES OF INTERPOLATION:
1. Linear Interpolation

2. Quadratic Interpolation
3. Cubic Interpolation

Q) What is a Difference? Also Expalin its Types.

A) Any of a sequence of differences obtained by incrementing successively the
dependent variable of a function by a fixed amount.

TYPES OF DIFFERENCES:
1. Dividend Differences: Divided differences is a recursive division process. The
method can be used to calculate the coefficients in the interpolation polynomial in
the Newton form.This difference is useful when the function is tabulated at unequal
intervals.
2. Forward Difference: When the data points are equidistantly distributed we get the
special case called forward differences. They are easier to calculate than the more
general divided differences.
3. Backward Difference: It is same as forward difference
4. Central Difference: (Not in the Course)

Q) Define Jacobi's and Gauss-Seidel Methods.

A) JACOBI's METHOD: Jacobi method is an algorithm for determining the solutions of
a diagonally dominant system of linear equations. Each diagonal element is solved
for, and an approximate value is plugged in. The process is then iterated until it
converges.

GAUSS-SEIDEL METHOD: This method is similar to Jacobi Method , it uses the

previously updated value in each iteration.And it is also much faster than Jacobis
Method.

COMPARISONS/DIFFERENCES
* Bracketing Method vs Open Method

(Rest below still not searched)

* Bisection vs False-Position
* Bisection vs Secant
* Bisection vs Newton-Raphson
* False-Position vs Secant
* False-Position vs Newton-Raphson
* Secant vs Newton-Raphson
* Interpolation vs Extrapolation
* Forward Difference vs Backward Difference
* Jacobi Method vs Gauss-Seidel Method
* Convergence vs Divergence
* Forward Difference Interpolation vs Backward Difference Interpolation

NOTE: Please mention if any question and comparison is on your mind.!!