4.

Theory of Operators
4.1 Finite Difference
4.2 Definition of operator.
4.3 Types of operators.
4.4 Reasons to use operators.
4.5 Applications of operators.
 4.1 Finite Difference

• Definition
 4.2 Definition of operator
• Operator is a symbol which is operated with a
function then it transforms the function or we
can say that the operator maps one sequence
to other.
 Properties of Operators
• Equality of Operators.
• Some properties like (AB)f(x)= A[Bf(x)] .
• In general A1A2 A2A1 .
• Linear combination of operators.
• Inverse Operators.
• Identity operators.
 4.3 Types of operators
∆ Forward operator
E y(x) = y(x+h) Shift operator
Backward operator

Central difference operator

Average operator
Dy(x) = y’ (x) Differential operator
 Relationship between the operators

• E =1+∆.
• 1 .
• ∆ .
• .
• .

•
 The Forward difference Operator

• Definition
 Forward difference operator
Argument x a a+h a +2h a+3h

Entries f(x) f(a) f(a+h) f (a+2h) f (a+3h)

 The Forward difference Operator
• If y0, y1, y2, ……yn denote a set of values of y. Now the
difference between two consecutive values of y are y1-
y0, y2-y1, y3-y2,………….yn-yn-1 .
We denote these differences by
∆y0, ∆y1,……..∆yn-1respectively.
Here ∆y0= y1-y0, ∆y1=y2-y1,………… ∆yn= yn+1-yn .
As ∆y0= y1-y0, so ∆ ∆y0)= ∆( y1-y0) = ∆y1- ∆y0 or
∆ =∆y1- ∆y0 or ∆ =∆yn+1- ∆yn.
We can write ∆ =∆ ∆ .
This operator ∆ is called forward difference operator.
 Forward Difference Table
x y 1st difference 2nd difference 3rd difference 4th difference
∆ ∆2y ∆3y ∆4y
a y0

∆y0

• a+h y1 ∆

∆y1 ∆

a+2h y2 ∆ ∆

∆y2 ∆

a+3h y3
∆

∆y3
a+4h y4
 The Backward difference

• The differences y1- y0, y2-y1, y3-y2,………….yn-yn-1

are called backward differences and they are
denoted by y1, y2,,….., yn respectively.
Here y1= y1-y0, y2 =y2-y1,……., yn = yn-yn-1 .
So 2y2 = y2)= y2- y1 =y2-y1-(y1-y0)
= y2-2y1+y0.
Similarly 3y2 =y3-3y2+3y1-y0.
This operator is called backward difference
operator.
 Backward Difference Table

x y 1st difference 2nd difference 2y 3rd difference 3y 4th difference 4y

x0 y0

y1

x1 y1

y2

x2 y2

y3

x3 y3

y4
x4 y4
 Central differences

• The central difference operator is defined

as y1-y0 = , y2-y1= ,……., yn-yn-1=
 Central Difference Table

x y 1st difference 2nd difference 3rd difference 4th difference

x0 y0

y1/2
x1 y1

y3/2 /

x2 y2

y5/2 /

x3 y3

y7/2
x4 y4
 The Shift Operator E

• The operator E increases the value of the

argument by one interval.
If x = x0, x1, x2,…….. and y = y0, y1, y2,… respectively.
Then
Ey0= y(x0 +h)=y1, Ey1= y(x1 +h)=y2,…………..
When this operator E is applied twice, the value
of the argument increases by two intervals:
E2y0 = y2 , E2y1 = y3 , E2yn = yn+2
and in general Eryn = yn+r .
 The Averaging Operator

• The averaging operator is defined as

1
2 2 2
Factorial Polynomial or differences of
a Polynomial
• The expression of the type x(x-h)(x-2h)..{x-(n-1)}
is called a factorial polynomial of degree n and is
denoted by x(n). It has n factors, where n is a
positive integer. It is beginning with x and
decreasing by h. Here x(1)=x, x(2)=x(x-h),
x(3)=x(x-h)(x-2h)………….and ∆x(n) = nhx(n-1),
∆2 x(n) = n(n-1)h2 x(n-2).
We can say that y(x) be a polynomial of nth
degree so
y(x)=a0+a1x+a2x2+a3x3+………+anxn.
 Continue
• The 1st difference of a polynomial.
• 2nd difference of a polynomial.
• nth differences of a polynomial.
• It is also true that these results hold good if
the values of x are equally spaced.
 Questions
• Evaluate the following:
• (i)E2x2, h =2 (ii) ( +∆)2(x2+x), h=1
• Solution: - (i) E2x2 = EEx2=E(x +2)2=(x+2+2)2
=x2 + 8x + 16.
(ii) ( +∆)2(x2+x) = ( 1-E-1 +E- 1)2 (x2 +x)
= ( E- E-1)2 (x2+x)=E2-2+E-2)(x2+x)
=E2(x2+x) -2(x2+x)+E-2(x2+x)
= [(x+2)2+(x+2)] -2(x2+x) +[(x-2)2+(x-2)]
= (x2+5x+6) - (2x2+2x) + (x2-3x+2) = 8
 Questions
• (iii) ∆2Cos2x, h=h (iv) ∆
• Solution: - (iii) ∆Cos2x= Cos2(x+h)- Cos2x
=- 2Sin(2x+h)Sinh= - 2SinhSin(2x+h)
∆2Cos2x= ∆ ∆Cos2x) = ∆(-2SinhSin(2x+h))
=- 2Sinh ∆Sin(2x+h)
= - 2Sinh[Sin{2(2x+h)+h}-Sin(2x+h)]
=-2Sinh2Cos(2x+2h)Sinh=-hSin2hCos(2x+2h).
• (iv) ∆ = Logf(x+1) – Logf(x)=Log[ ]
 4.4 Reasons to use operators
• Formal calculations with operators, using the
rules of algebra, we get assistance in finding
approximation formula so we use operators.
 4.5 Applications of operators
• Constructing numerical methods.
• Numerical solution of the problems related
with engineering & physical science.
 Applications of operators
• The Taylor’s series
f(x+h)=f(x)+hf ’(x) + (x)+ (x)+………
! !
can be written symbolically as
Ef x 1 ⋯ ⇒
1! 2! 3!
⇒ .
• Similarly hD can be written as
hD= ⋯,

∆ ⋯
2! 3!
1 and hD=Log(1+∆ ∆ ∆ ∆ …..