18.

5 Given these data

(a) Calculate f(2.8) using Newton’s interpolating polynomials of

order 1 through 3. Choose the sequence of the points for your
estimates to attain the best possible accuracy.

1st 2nd 3rd

i Xi f(xi)
0 2.5 14 1.4285714285714 -8.80952380952 1.01190476190476
1 3.2 15 5.8333333333333 -7.29166666667 -0.65104166666667
2 2 8 0 -6.25
3 4 8 2.5
4 1.6 2
 4th

1.84771825396825