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Polynomial Method of
Interpolation
http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Transforming Numerical Methods Education for STEM
Undergraduates
http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu 1
Newton’s Divided
Difference Method of
Interpolation
http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
What is Interpolation ?
Given (x0,y0), (x1,y1), …… (xn,yn), find the
value of ‘y’ at a value of ‘x’ that is not given.
3 http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Interpolants
Polynomials are the most common
choice of interpolants because they
are easy to:
Evaluate
Differentiate, and
Integrate.
4 http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Newton’s Divided Difference
Method
Linear interpolation: Given ( x0 , y 0 ), ( x1 , y1 ), pass a
linear interpolant through the data
f1 ( x) b0 b1 ( x x0 )
where
b0 f ( x0 )
f ( x1 ) f ( x0 )
b1
x1 x0
5 http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Example
The upward velocity of a rocket is given as a function of
time in Table 1. Find the velocity at t=16 seconds using
the Newton Divided Difference method for linear
interpolation.
Table. Velocity as a
function of time
t (s) v (t ) (m/s)
0 0
10 227.04
15 362.78
20 517.35
22.5 602.97
30 901.67
Figure. Velocity vs. time data
6 for the rocket example http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Linear Interpolation
550
517.35
v(t ) b0 b1 (t t 0 ) 500
ys
v(t1 ) v(t 0 )
b1 30.914 362.78 350
t1 t 0 10
x s 10
12 14 16 18
x s range x desired
20 22 24
x s 10
0 1
7 http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Linear Interpolation (contd)
550
517.35
500
ys
f ( range)
450
f x desired
400
362.78 350
10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
x s 10 x s range x desired x s 10
v(t ) b0 b1 (t t 0 )
0 1
8
393.69 m/s http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Quadratic Interpolation
Given ( x0 , y 0 ), ( x1 , y1 ), and ( x 2 , y 2 ), fit a quadratic interpolant through the data.
f 2 ( x) b0 b1 ( x x0 ) b2 ( x x0 )( x x1 )
b0 f ( x0 )
f ( x1 ) f ( x0 )
b1
x1 x 0
f ( x 2 ) f ( x1 ) f ( x1 ) f ( x 0 )
x 2 x1 x1 x0
b2
x 2 x0
9 http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Example
The upward velocity of a rocket is given as a function of
time in Table 1. Find the velocity at t=16 seconds using
the Newton Divided Difference method for quadratic
interpolation.
Table. Velocity as a
function of time
t (s) v (t ) (m/s)
0 0
10 227.04
15 362.78
20 517.35
22.5 602.97
30 901.67
Figure. Velocity vs. time data
10 for the rocket example http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Quadratic Interpolation (contd)
550
517.35
500
450
ys
400
f ( range)
f x desired 350
300
250
227.04 200
10 12 14 16 18 20
10 x s range x desired 20
The absolute relative approximate error a obtained between the results from the first
order and second order polynomial is
392.19 393.69
a x100
392.19
= 0.38502 %
13 http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
General Form
f 2 ( x) b0 b1 ( x x0 ) b2 ( x x0 )( x x1 )
where
b0 f [ x0 ] f ( x0 )
f ( x1 ) f ( x 0 )
b1 f [ x1 , x0 ]
x1 x0
f ( x 2 ) f ( x1 ) f ( x1 ) f ( x0 )
f [ x 2 , x1 ] f [ x1 , x0 ] x 2 x1 x1 x0
b2 f [ x 2 , x1 , x0 ]
x 2 x0 x 2 x0
Rewriting
f 2 ( x) f [ x0 ] f [ x1 , x0 ]( x x0 ) f [ x 2 , x1 , x0 ]( x x0 )( x x1 )
14 http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
General Form
Given (n 1) data points, x0 , y 0 , x1 , y1 ,......, x n 1 , y n 1 , x n , y n as
f n ( x) b0 b1 ( x x0 ) .... bn ( x x0 )( x x1 )...( x x n 1 )
where
b0 f [ x0 ]
b1 f [ x1 , x0 ]
b2 f [ x 2 , x1 , x0 ]
bn 1 f [ x n 1 , x n 2 ,...., x 0 ]
bn f [ x n , x n 1 ,...., x0 ]
15 http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
General form
The third order polynomial, given ( x0 , y 0 ), ( x1 , y1 ), ( x 2 , y 2 ), and ( x3 , y 3 ), is
f 3 ( x) f [ x0 ] f [ x1 , x0 ]( x x 0 ) f [ x 2 , x1 , x 0 ]( x x0 )( x x1 )
f [ x3 , x 2 , x1 , x0 ]( x x0 )( x x1 )( x x 2 )
b0
x0 f ( x0 ) b1
f [ x1 , x0 ] b2
x1 f ( x1 ) f [ x 2 , x1 , x0 ] b3
f [ x 2 , x1 ] f [ x3 , x 2 , x1 , x0 ]
x2 f ( x2 ) f [ x3 , x 2 , x1 ]
f [ x3 , x 2 ]
x3 f ( x3 )
16 http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Example
The upward velocity of a rocket is given as a function of
time in Table 1. Find the velocity at t=16 seconds using
the Newton Divided Difference method for cubic
interpolation.
Table. Velocity as a
function of time
t (s) v (t ) (m/s)
0 0
10 227.04
15 362.78
20 517.35
22.5 602.97
30 901.67
Figure. Velocity vs. time data
17 for the rocket example http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Example
The velocity profile is chosen as
v(t ) b0 b1 (t t 0 ) b2 (t t 0 )(t t1 ) b3 (t t 0 )(t t1 )(t t 2 )
we need to choose four data points that are closest to t 16
t0 10, v(t 0 ) 227.04
t1 15, v(t1 ) 362.78
t 2 20, v (t 2 ) 517.35
t 3 22.5, v(t 3 ) 602.97
19 http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Example
Hence
v (t ) b0 b1 (t t 0 ) b2 (t t 0 )( t t1 ) b3 (t t 0 )( t t1 )(t t 2 )
227.04 27.148( t 10) 0.37660(t 10)(t 15)
5.4347 * 10 3 (t 10)( t 15)( t 20)
At t 16,
v (16) 227.04 27.148(16 10) 0.37660(16 10)(16 15)
5.4347 * 10 3 (16 10)(16 15)(16 20)
392.06 m/s
Theabsoluterelative approximate error a obtainedis
.06392
392 .19
a x100
392.06
=0.033427%
20 http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Comparison Table
Order of 1 2 3
Polynomial
v(t=16) 393.69 392.19 392.06
m/s
Absolute Relative ---------- 0.38502 % 0.033427 %
Approximate Error
21 http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Distance from Velocity Profile
Find the distance covered by the rocket from t=11s to
t=16s ?
v (t ) 227.04 27.148(t 10) 0.37660( t 10)( t 15)
10 t 22.5
5.4347 * 10 (t 10)( t 15)( t 20)
3
s 16 s 11 v t dt
11
16
16
t2 t3 t4
4.2541t 21.265 0.13204 0.0054347
2 3 4 11
22 1605 m http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Acceleration from Velocity Profile
Find the acceleration of the rocket at t=16s given that
29.664 m / s 2
23 http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu
Additional Resources
For all resources on this topic such as digital audiovisual
lectures, primers, textbook chapters, multiple-choice
tests, worksheets in MATLAB, MATHEMATICA, MathCad
and MAPLE, blogs, related physical problems, please
visit
http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu/topics/newton_di
vided_difference_method.html
THE END
http://numericalmethods.eng.usf.edu