Numerical Analysis: A Computational Approach

COT4501, Spring 2017

Solutions to Homework 1

Epperson, Section 1.1:3. What is the sixth-order Taylor polynomial for f (x) = 1 + x2 , using
x0 = 0?

f (x) = 1 + x2

f (x) = x(1 + x2 )1/2

f (x) = x2 (1 + x2 )3/2 + (1 + x2 )1/2

f (3) (x) = 3x3 (1 + x2 )5/2 3x(1 + x2 )3/2

f (4) (x) = 15x4 (1 + x2 )7/2 + 18x2 (1 + x2 )5/2 3(1 + x2 )3/2

f (5) (x) = 105x5 (1 + x2 )9/2 150x3 (1 + x2 )7/2 + 45x(1 + x2 )5/2

f (6) (x) = 945x6 (1 + x2 )11/2 + 1575x4 (1 + x2 )9/2 675x2 (1 + x2 )7/2 + 45(1 + x2 )5/2

Therefore, setting x0 = 0, we have after plugging in the value for the dierent derivatives, f (0) = 1,
f (0) = 0, f (0) = 1, f (3) (0) = 0, f (4) (0) = 3, f (5) (0) = 0, f (6) (0) = 45. This yields p6 = f (0) +
f (0)x + 21 f (0)x2 + 16 f (3) (0)x3 + 24
1 (4) 1 (5)
f (0)x4 + 120 f (0)x5 + 720 f (0)x6 = 1 + 12 x2 18 x4 + 16
1 (6) 1 6
x .

5. Given that
|x|6
R(x) = exp {}
6!
[ ] [ ]
for x 12 , 12 , where is between x and 0, find an upper bound for |R|, valid for all x 12 , 12 .
R(x) = |x|
6
6! e , which is monotonically increasing along with x and . Since x [ 2 , 2 ] and
1 1

|| |x|, to find the upper bound of |R(x)|, we should choose = x = 2 , which means that
1

| 12 |6 1
|R(x)| e 2 3.578 105 .
6!

7. Use a Taylor polynomial to find an approximate value for e that is accurate to within 103 .
1
The residual of the Taylor series expansion for f (x) = ex is Rn (x) = (n+1)! f (n+1) (x )xn+1 ,
1
where [0, x]. Letting x = 21 , from Rn ( 12 ) 103 , we get for n = 4, R4 ( 21 ) = 5!1 e 2 ( 12 )5 =

4.2935 104 < 103 . Therefore, ex 1 + x + 12 x2 + 16 x3 + 24 x , and we get e 1.6484.
1 4

1
 Actually, there are two ways to do this. We can approximate f (x) = exp (x) and use x = 12 as

shown above, or we can approximate g(x) = x and use x = e. In addition, we can be conventional
and take x0 = 0, or we can take x0 = 0 in order to speed convergence.

11. For each function below, construct the third-order Taylor polynomial approximation, using
x0 = 0, and then estimate the error by computing an upper bound on the remainder, over the given
interval.
1 4
(a) f (x) = 1 x + 12 x2 16 x3 . |R(x)| = 24 e x 1
24 = 0.0417 when = 0, x = 1.

(b) f (x) = x 12 x2 + 13 x3 . |R(x)| = 1

24 (6(1 + )4 )x4 = when = 1, x = 1.

(c) f (x) = x 16 x3 . |R(x)| = 1

24 (sin )x
4 4.0587 when = /2, x = .

(d) f (x) = x 12 x2 + 13 x3 . |R(x)| = 1

24 (6(1 + )4 )x4 0.25 when = 12 , x = 12 .

(e) f (x) = 1 x + x2 x3 . |R(x)| = (1 + )5 x4 2 when = 21 , x = 12 .

23. Use the Integral Mean Value Theorem to show that the pointwise form (1.3) of the Taylor
remainder (usually called the Lagrange form) follows from the integral form (1.2) (usually called
the Cauchy form).
It is obvious that (x t)n does not change sign when t [x0 , x] if x0 < x, or in [x, x0 ] if x < x0 .
Applying the Integral Mean Value Theorem, the Cauchy term becomes
x
1 x 1 1 (n+1) 1
(xt)n f (n+1) (t)dt = f () (n+1)(xt)n d(xt) = f (n+1) ()(xx0 )n+1
n! x0 n + 1 n! x0 (n + 1)!

which is just the Lagrange term.

27. Prove Theorem 1.6, providing all the details.

Proof: n
n
S= ak f (xk ) ak f (xM )
k=1 k=1

where xM {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } such that f (xM ) f (xi ) for each xi {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn }. Also,

n
S ak f (xm )
k=1

where xm {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn } such that f (xm ) f (xi ) for each xi {x1 , x2 , . . . , xn }. Thus, we have

n
n
f (xm ) ak S f (xM ) ak .
k=1 k=1
n
Since k=1 ak = 1, we have
f (xm ) S f (xM ).
By the Intermediate Value Theorem, we know that there exists a point [a, b] such that S = f ().