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Lecture

Bisection Method: Zero Finding

In course

MATH-251(c): Numerical analysis

Le cours présente des méthodes numériques pour la résolution de problèmes mathématiques comme des systèmes d'équations linéaires ou non linéaires, l'approximation de fonctions, l'intégration et la dérivation, et les équations différentielles. ...

Description

This lecture covers the bisection method for finding zeros of continuous functions. It explains the process of changing signs to locate zeros and the importance of continuous functions. The method is illustrated through examples and the convergence criteria are discussed.

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Instructors (2)

Fabio Nobile

Simone Deparis

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Related concepts (24)

Root-finding algorithms

In mathematics and computing, a root-finding algorithm is an algorithm for finding zeros, also called "roots", of continuous functions. A zero of a function f, from the real numbers to real numbers or from the complex numbers to the complex numbers, is a number x such that f(x) = 0. As, generally, the zeros of a function cannot be computed exactly nor expressed in closed form, root-finding algorithms provide approximations to zeros, expressed either as floating-point numbers or as small isolating intervals, or disks for complex roots (an interval or disk output being equivalent to an approximate output together with an error bound).

Bisection method

In mathematics, the bisection method is a root-finding method that applies to any continuous function for which one knows two values with opposite signs. The method consists of repeatedly bisecting the interval defined by these values and then selecting the subinterval in which the function changes sign, and therefore must contain a root. 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.

Continuous function

In mathematics, a continuous function is a function such that a continuous variation (that is a change without jump) of the argument induces a continuous variation of the value of the function. This means that there are no abrupt changes in value, known as discontinuities. More precisely, a function is continuous if arbitrarily small changes in its value can be assured by restricting to sufficiently small changes of its argument. A discontinuous function is a function that is .

Brent's method

In numerical analysis, Brent's method is a hybrid root-finding algorithm combining the bisection method, the secant method and inverse quadratic interpolation. It has the reliability of bisection but it can be as quick as some of the less-reliable methods. The algorithm tries to use the potentially fast-converging secant method or inverse quadratic interpolation if possible, but it falls back to the more robust bisection method if necessary. Brent's method is due to Richard Brent and builds on an earlier algorithm by Theodorus Dekker.

Continuous functions on a compact Hausdorff space

In mathematical analysis, and especially functional analysis, a fundamental role is played by the space of continuous functions on a compact Hausdorff space with values in the real or complex numbers. This space, denoted by is a vector space with respect to the pointwise addition of functions and scalar multiplication by constants. It is, moreover, a normed space with norm defined by the uniform norm. The uniform norm defines the topology of uniform convergence of functions on The space is a Banach algebra with respect to this norm.

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