Taylor's Inequality/Newton's Method (Tips, Please)

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Newton's method approximates the root of the equation f(x)=0 using successive iterations defined by x_{n+1} = x_n - f(x_n)/f'(x_n). The discussion focuses on applying Taylor's Inequality to demonstrate that if the second derivative f''(x) exists and is bounded, then the error in the approximation decreases quadratically with each iteration. Specifically, it shows that if the error at stage n is at most 10^{-m}, then the error at stage n+1 is at most (M/2K)10^{-2m}. Participants suggest using the function g(x) and the second-degree Taylor polynomial to derive the relationship between the approximations and the actual root. The conclusion confirms the quadratic convergence of Newton's method under the specified conditions.
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Newton's method gives an approximation to a root r of the equation f(x)=0. From an initial approximation x_1 we obtain successive approximations x_2 , x_3 , \ldots , where

x_{n+1} = x_n - \frac{f(x_n)}{f^{\prime}(x_n)}

Use Taylor's Inequality with n=1, a=x_n, and x=r to show that if f^{\prime \prime} (x) exists on an interval I containing r, x_n, and x_{n+1}, and \left| f^{\prime \prime} (x) \right| \leq M, \left| f^{\prime} (x) \right| \geq K for all x \in I, then

\left| x_{n+1} - r \right| \leq \frac{M}{2K}\left| x_n - r \right| ^2

[This means that if x_n is accurate to d decimal places, then x_{n+1} is accurate to about 2d decimal places. More precisely, if the error at stage n is at most 10^{-m}, then the error at stage n+1 is at most \left( \frac{M}{2K} \right) 10^{-2m} .]

Comments

I'm acquainted with Newton's method

x_{n+1} = x_n - \frac{f(x_n)}{f^{\prime}(x_n)}

and Taylor's Inequality

\left| R_n (x) \right| \leq \frac{M}{\left( n+1 \right) !} \left| x-a \right| ^{n+1} \qquad \mbox{ for } \left| x-a \right| \leq d

However, it's not clear to me how I can join those concepts. Here is what I tried to do (without success :cry:):

If

\int _{x_n} ^{r} f^{\prime \prime} (t) \, dt \leq \int _{x_n} ^{r} M \, dt

f^{\prime} (r) - f^{\prime} (x_n) \leq M (r-x_n)

f^{\prime} (r) \leq f^{\prime} (x_n) + M (r-x_n)

Then

\int _{x_n} ^{r} K \, dt \leq \int _{x_n} ^{r} f^{\prime} (t) \, dt \leq \int _{x_n} ^{r} \left[ f^{\prime} (x_n) + M (t-x_n) \right] \, dt

K (r-x_n) \leq f (r) - f(x_n) \leq f^{\prime}(x_n)(r-x_n) + \frac{M}{2} (r-x_n) ^2

I just need some tips. I probably am in the wrong direction.

Thank you :smile:
 
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I would suggest that you consider the function g(x)=x-\frac{f(x)}{f^{'}(x)}, using Taylor's inequality. Note that R_n(x) can be expressed as |x_{n+1}-r|. Also, after differentiating g(x) once, you may need an estimate for |f(x)|. You may obtain such by noting that f(x)=\int^{x}_{r}f^{'}(y)dy
 
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This seems close, but I'm not 100% sure.

x_{n+1} = x_n - \frac{f(x_n)}{f^{\prime}(x_n)} \Longrightarrow r \approx x_n - \frac{f(x_n)}{f^{\prime}(x_n)}

Let's rewrite that as follows

0 = f(x_n) + f^{\prime}(x_n) (r-x_n)

which is the first-degree Taylor polynomial approximation to r.

In order to gain further insight through Taylor's Inequality, we may find the second-degree Taylor polynomial approximation to r. Thus, we have

0 = f(x_n) + f^{\prime}(x_n) (r-x_n) + \frac{f^{\prime \prime}(x_n)}{2} (r-x_n) ^2

Then

0 = \frac{f(x_n)}{f^{\prime}(x_n)} + (r-x_n) + \frac{f^{\prime \prime}(x_n)}{2f^{\prime}(x_n)} (r-x_n) ^2

0 = -(x_{n+1}-x_n) + (r-x_n) + \frac{f^{\prime \prime}(x_n)}{2f^{\prime}(x_n)} (r-x_n) ^2

0 = r - x_{n+1} + \frac{f^{\prime \prime}(x_n)}{2f^{\prime}(x_n)} (r-x_n) ^2

r - x_{n+1} = - \frac{f^{\prime \prime}(x_n)}{2f^{\prime}(x_n)} (r-x_n) ^2

\left| r - x_{n+1} \right| = \frac{\left| f^{\prime \prime}(x_n) \right|}{2\left|f^{\prime}(x_n)\right|} \left| r-x_n \right| ^2

\left| r - x_{n+1} \right| \leq \frac{M}{2K} \left| r-x_n \right| ^2 \Longleftrightarrow \left| x_{n+1} - r \right| \leq \frac{M}{2K} \left| x_n - r \right| ^2
 
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