INTERPOLATION WITH EQUAL INTERVALS

Lecture -1

Introduction: Let ( ) be some explicitly unknown function of x whose numerical values at

equidistant points x 0 , x1 , x 2 ,..., x n  x i , i  0,1, 2,..., n  in the interval [a, b] are given as

, , ,…, where = , = and = + ℎ,  i. Then the process of knowing the

value of ( ) for some unknown value of x say  x i in the interval [a, b] is called
Interpolation. The value of ( ) thus determined is known as Interpolated value. Similarly, if
the value of xs lies outside the interval [a, b] then it is known as Extrapolation. For example,
suppose we are given the following data:

x : 0 5 10 15 20

f (x) : 10 13 17 20 25 ,

then the method for finding f (8) or (17) with the help of given data will be called Interpolation
and that for finding (21) or (−0.5) will be known as Extrapolation.

The various methods of Interpolation are as follows:

i. The method of graph

ii. The method of curve fitting
iii. Use of the calculus of Finite Difference Formulae.

Here, we shall confined our discussion to (iii) i.e. Interpolation using finite difference calculus.