Euler's Method

EULER'S METHOD

 Calculus
o Absolute Maxima and Minima

o Absolute and Conditional Convergence

o Accumulation Function

o Accumulation Problems

o Algebraic Functions

o Alternating Series

o Antiderivatives

o Application of Derivatives

o Approximating Areas

o Arc Length of a Curve

o Area Between Two Curves

o Arithmetic Series

o Average Value of a Function

o Calculus of Parametric Curves

o Candidate Test

o Combining Differentiation Rules

o Combining Functions

o Continuity

o Continuity Over an Interval

o Convergence Tests
o Cost and Revenue

o Density and Center of Mass

o Derivative Functions

o Derivative of Exponential Function

o Derivative of Inverse Function

o Derivative of Logarithmic Functions

o Derivative of Trigonometric Functions

o Derivatives

o Derivatives and Continuity

o Derivatives and the Shape of a Graph

o Derivatives of Inverse Trigonometric Functions

o Derivatives of Polar Functions

o Derivatives of Sec, Csc and Cot

o Derivatives of Sin, Cos and Tan

o Determining Volumes by Slicing

o Direction Fields

o Disk Method

o Divergence Test

o Eliminating the Parameter

o Euler's Method

o Evaluating a Definite Integral

o Evaluation Theorem

o Exponential Functions

o Finding Limits

o Finding Limits of Specific Functions

o First Derivative Test

o Function Transformations

o General Solution of Differential Equation

o Geometric Series

o Growth Rate of Functions

o Higher-Order Derivatives

o Hydrostatic Pressure

o Hyperbolic Functions

o Implicit Differentiation Tangent Line

o Implicit Relations

o Improper Integrals

o Indefinite Integral

o Indeterminate Forms

o Initial Value Problem Differential Equations

o Integral Test

o Integrals of Exponential Functions

o Integrals of Motion

o Integrating Even and Odd Functions

o Integration Formula

o Integration Tables

o Integration Using Long Division

o Integration of Logarithmic Functions

o Integration using Inverse Trigonometric Functions

o Intermediate Value Theorem

o Inverse Trigonometric Functions

o Jump Discontinuity

o Lagrange Error Bound

o Limit Laws

o Limit of Vector Valued Function

o Limit of a Sequence

o Limits

o Limits at Infinity

o Limits at Infinity and Asymptotes

o Limits of a Function

o Linear Approximations and Differentials

o Linear Differential Equation

o Linear Functions

o Logarithmic Differentiation

o Logarithmic Functions

o Logistic Differential Equation

o Maclaurin Series

o Manipulating Functions

o Maxima and Minima

o Maxima and Minima Problems

o Mean Value Theorem for Integrals

o Models for Population Growth

o Motion Along a Line

o Motion in Space

o Natural Logarithmic Function

o Net Change Theorem

o Newton's Method

o Nonhomogeneous Differential Equation

o One-Sided Limits
o Optimization Problems

o P Series

o Particle Model Motion

o Particular Solutions to Differential Equations

o Polar Coordinates

o Polar Coordinates Functions

o Polar Curves

o Population Change

o Power Series

o Radius of Convergence

o Ratio Test

o Related Rates

o Removable Discontinuity

o Riemann Sum

o Rolle's Theorem

o Root Test

o Second Derivative Test

o Separable Equations

o Separation of Variables

o Simpson's Rule

o Solid of Revolution

o Solutions to Differential Equations

o Surface Area of Revolution

o Symmetry of Functions

o Tangent Lines

o Taylor Polynomials
 o Taylor Series

o Techniques of Integration

o The Fundamental Theorem of Calculus

o The Mean Value Theorem

o The Power Rule

o The Squeeze Theorem

o The Trapezoidal Rule

o Theorems of Continuity

o Trigonometric Substitution

o Vector Valued Function

o Vectors in Calculus

o Vectors in Space

o Washer Method

 Decision Maths
o

 Geometry
o

o
o

o
o

o
o

o
 o

 Mechanics Maths
o

o
 o

 Probability and Statistics

o

 Pure Maths
o

o
o

o
o

o
o

o
o

o
o

o
o

o
o

o
o

o
o

o
o

o
o

o
o

o
 o

 Statistics
o

o
o

o
o

o
o

o
 o

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Given the complex nature of differential equations, these equations often
cannot be solved exactly. However, there are numerous approximation
algorithms for solving differential equations. One such algorithm is known
as Euler's Method. Euler's Method relies on linear approximation as it uses a
few small tangent lines derived based on a given initial value.

Katherine Johnson, one of the first African-American women to work as a scientist for
NASA, used Euler's Method in 1961 to capacitate the first United States human space
flight. Euler's Method allowed Johnson to estimate when the spacecraft should slow
down to begin its descent into the atmosphere and resulted in a successful flight and
landing!
Everything you'll need for your studies in one place for Euler's
Method
StudySmarter FREE web and mobile app
Get Started Now

The formula behind Euler's Method

Linear Approximation Review
The formula behind Euler's Method should be familiar to you. Recall the
formula for linear approximation (can be found in the article Linear
Approximations and Differentials) for f(x):

�(�)≈�(�)+�'(�)(�-�)

where f(x) is the value of the function f at point x and a is a known initial

value point.

The tangent line is formed from an initial point (a, f(a)) then the slope of the
tangent line is used to approximate the value of f(y); here, the point (x, y) is
the approximation while the point (x, f(y)) is the actual value - StudySmarter
Original
Create and find the best flashcards for Euler's Method
StudySmarter FREE web and mobile app
Get Started Now

Euler's Method Formula

Similarly, the general formula for Euler's Method for a differential equation
of the form �'=�(�,�). The only difference between Euler's method and
linear approximation is that Euler's method uses multiple approximation
iterations to find a more exact value. Using Euler's method, we use x0 and y0,
which are typically given as initial values, to estimate the slope of the tangent
at x1. It looks like this:

��+1≈��+ℎ�(��,��)
where��+1is the next solution value approximation,��is the current
value,ℎis the interval between steps, and �(��,��) is the value of the
differential equation evaluated at (��,��).
Let's break this formula down further.

Derivation of Euler's Method

Consider the picture below.
Euler's Method General Formula Intuition - StudySmarter Original
With an initial point (�0,�0), we can find a tangent line with a slope
of �(�0,�0). We can use these values to approximate the
point (�1,�1) where �1=�0+ℎ and�1≈�0+ℎ�(�0,�0) according to
basic coordinate geometry. This operation can be done as many times as need
be. However, it's important to mention that using a smaller step size h will
produce a more accurate approximation. A larger step size h will produce a
less accurate approximation.

If y1 is a good approximation, then using Euler's method will give us a good
estimate of the actual solution. However, if y1 is not a good approximation,
then the solution using this method will be off as well!
Stop procrastinating with our smart planner features for
Euler's Method
StudySmarter FREE web and mobile app
Get Started Now

Importance of Euler's Method

Differential equations are commonly used to describe natural phenomena in
the natural world with applications ranging in simplicity from the movement
of a car to spacecraft trajectory models. Unfortunately, these equations
cannot be solved directly given their complexity. This is where Euler's
Method and other differential equation approximation algorithms come in.
We can use differential equation approximation algorithms, like Euler's
Method, to find an approximate solution. An approximate solution is much
better than no solution at all!
Limitations of Euler's Method
Though Euler's Method is a simple and direct algorithm, it is less accurate
than many algorithms like it. As previously mentioned, using a smaller step
size h can increase accuracy but it requires more iterations and thus an
unreasonably larger computational time. For this reason, Euler's Method is
rarely used in practice. However, Euler's Method forms a basis for more
accurate and useful approximation algorithms.

Create Euler's Method notes faster than ever before

StudySmarter FREE web and mobile app
Get Started Now

Euler's Method Examples

A step-by-step method
Consider the differential equation d�d�=6-2�� with an initial value
of�(3)=1. Use ℎ=0.2 to approximate �(4).

Step 1: Find the slope of the tangent line at the initial point
To find the tangential slope at (3,1), we simply plug it into the differential
equation to get
d�d�=6-213=163

Step 2: Find our new x-value

To find our next x-value, we add h to the initial x-value to get
�1=3+15=165

Step 3: Plug in our values to obtain our new y-value approximation

So, we have:

 Step size, ℎ=0.2=15
  Initial y-value, �0=1
 The slope of the tangent line at the initial value, �(�0,�0)=163

Plugging in all of our values, we get

�1≈�0+ℎ·�(�0,�0)�1≈1+15163≈1+1615≈3115
So, the approximation to the solution at �=3+0.2=3.2 is 3115 or
�(3.2)≈3115

Step 4: Repeat the algorithm as many times as needed to obtain y(4)

Given that our step size is 0.2, we will have to repeat the algorithm 4 more
times:

 Using 165,3115: �165,3115=6-
23115165=11324,�2=175,�2≈3115+1511324=361120
 Using 175,361120: �175,361120=6-
2361120175=863204,�3=185,�3≈361120+15863204=2621680
 Using �185,2621680: �185,2621680=6-
22621680185=47231224,�4=195,�4≈2621680+1547231224=353976
5
 Using �195,3539765: �195,3539765=6-
23539765195=103642907,�5=4,�5≈3539765+15103642907=913171

Finally, we have obtained our approximation at �(4)≈913171≈5.339!

When solving multiple iterations of Euler's Method, it may be useful to
construct a table for each of your values! In iterative problems such as these,
tables can help to our numbers organized.
For this problem, a table might look like:

(xi, yi) dy/dx h = 0.2 xi+1 yi+1

(3,1) 163 165 3115

165,3115 11324 175 361120

175,361120 863204 185 2621680

185,2621680 47231224 195 3539765

195,3539765 103642907 4 913171

Step 5: Check the error

As this specific example can be solved directly, we can check the global error
of our answer.
The direct solution to the differential equation is �=-45�2+2�. Plugging in
x = 4, we get
�=-4516+8=8316=5.1875
To check the percent error, we simply compute
%�����=|�����-�������������|
�����×100%=8316-9131718316×100≈2.92%
Our error is relatively low!
We use absolute values in the percent error calculation because we don't care
if our approximation is above or below the actual value, we just want to know
how far away it is!
Lucky for us, all Euler's Method problems follow the same simple algorithm.

Euler's Method - Key takeaways

 Euler's Method is an approximation tool for differential equation

solving based on linear approximation
  The general Euler's Method formula
is ��+1≈��+ℎ·�(��,��)where

o ��+1is the next solution value approximation,

o ��is the current value,

o ℎis the interval between steps, and

o �(��,��)is the value of the differential equation evaluated

at (��,��)

 Euler's Method is rarely used in real-world applications as the

algorithm tends to have low accuracy and requires vast computation
time

Frequently Asked Questions about Euler's Method

What is euler's method?
Euler's Method is an approximation tool for differential equation solving based
on linear approximation.
What is Euler's method formula?
The Euler's Method formula is based on the formula for linear approximation.
The next approximation is the sum of the old approximation value and the
product of the step size and the differential equation at the old point. 
What is Euler's method used for?
Euler's Method is used for approximating solutions to differential equations that
cannot be solved directly.
Why is Euler's method important?
Euler's Method is important because most differential equations cannot be solved
directly and thus must be estimated through approximation.
When can you use Euler's method?
Euler's Method can be used when the function f(x) does not grow too quickly.
Final Euler's Method Quiz
Question

What is Euler's Method based on?

Show answer
Answer

Linear approximation using a tangent line

Show question
Question

What are the limitations of Euler's Method?

Show answer
Answer

Low accuracy


 Large computational time

Show question
Question

Explain Euler's Method in words.

Show answer
Answer

Euler's Method goes through an arbitrary number of

iterations where each iteration uses the slope of an
 approximated tangent line to estimate where the next
point will be.
Show question
Question

A larger step value h produces a ____ accurate

approximation while a smaller step value h produces a
____ accurate approximation.
Show answer
Answer

less, more
Show question
Afraid of the next exam? Learn with your flashcards in
our learning app whenever and wherever you want.

Register for free

1 / 5