Linear Interpolation

 
• The line joining the points on the curve

where x=a and x=b cuts the x-axis at c.

• Assuming that the diagram shows that

the interval between a and c is likely to

be smaller than the interval bisection

point of a and b.
 
• The line joining the point on the curve

y=f(x) where x=a and x=b forms a pair

of similar triangles .

• Therefor the point divides the line

between x=a and x=b in the ratio

• Therefore
 If transpose to find

|  𝑓 ( 𝑎 )|( 𝑏 − 𝑐 1 )=¿ 𝑓 ( 𝑏 ) ∨(𝑐 1 − 𝑎)

𝑏
  |𝑓 ( 𝑎 )|− 𝑐 1|𝑓 ( 𝑎 )|= 𝑐1|𝑓 ( 𝑏 )|− 𝑎∨𝑓 ( 𝑏 )∨¿

𝑐
  1|𝑓 ( 𝑎 )|+𝑐 1|𝑓 ( 𝑏 )|= 𝑎|𝑓 ( 𝑏 )|+𝑏∨ 𝑓 ( 𝑎 ) ∨¿

𝑐 1=𝑎|𝑓 ( 𝑏 )+𝑏|𝑓 ( 𝑎 ) ∨ ¿ ¿
|𝑓 ( 𝑎 )|+¿ 𝑓 ( 𝑏 )∨ ¿¿
 EXAMPLE

 Let
a. Show that has a root between 1 and 2
  
b. Use linear interpolation three times to get an approximate value for this root.
c. Show that the approximation is correct to two decimal places.
  Let

Showing that f(x) has a root between 1 and 2

𝑓  ( 1 ) =−1.2817 𝑓  ( 2 ) =1.3890

𝑓  ( 1 ) . 𝑓 ( 2 ) <0 Therefore f(x) has a root between1 and 2

   Let

𝑐 1=𝑎|𝑓 ( 𝑏 )+𝑏|𝑓 ( 𝑎 ) ∨ ¿ ¿
|𝑓 ( 𝑎 )|+¿𝑓 ( 𝑏 )∨ ¿¿
𝑎
  =1|𝑓 ( 𝑎 )|=1.2817 𝑏 =2|𝑓 ( 𝑏 )|=1.3890

1 ( 1.3890 )+ 2(1.2817)
𝑐  1= ¿  1.4799
1.2817+1.3890

𝑓  ( 𝑐1 ) =¿ −0.5672
 

𝑓  ( 𝑎 ) . f ( c 1 ) >0∧f ( c1 ) . f ( b )< 0  Therefore is in the interval 1.4799 and 2

𝑐 2=𝑐 1|𝑓 ( 𝑏 ) +𝑏|𝑓 ( 𝑐 1 )∨ ¿ ¿

|𝑓 (𝑐1)|+¿𝑓 ( 𝑏 )∨¿¿
𝑐 2=𝑐 1|𝑓 ( 𝑏 ) +𝑏|𝑓 ( 𝑐 1 )∨ ¿ ¿
𝑓| ( 𝑐 1 )|+¿𝑓 ( 𝑏 )∨¿¿

𝑐
  1=1. 4799|𝑓 ( 𝑐 1 )|=0.5672 𝑏= 2|𝑓 ( 𝑏 )|=1.3890

1.4799 ( 1.3890 )+ 2(0.5672)

𝑐  2= ¿  1.6307
0.5672+1.3890

𝑓  ( 𝑐2 ) =− 0.1539

𝑓  ( 𝑐2 ) . 𝑓 ( 𝑐 1 ) >0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓 ( 𝑐2 ) . 𝑓 ( 2 ) < 0  Therefore lies in the interval 1.6307 and 2

𝑐 3=𝑐2|𝑓 ( 𝑏 ) +𝑏|𝑓 ( 𝑐 2 )∨ ¿ ¿
|𝑓 (𝑐2 )|+¿ 𝑓 𝑏 ∨¿¿
( )
𝑐 3=𝑐2|𝑓 ( 𝑏 ) +𝑏|𝑓 ( 𝑐 2 )∨ ¿ ¿
|𝑓 (𝑐2 )|+¿ 𝑓 𝑏 ∨¿¿
( )

𝑐
  2=1.6307|𝑓 ( 𝑐 2 )|=0.1539 𝑏 =2|𝑓 ( 𝑏 )|=1.3890

1.6307 ( 1.3890 ) +2(0.1539)

𝑐  3= ¿  1.6675
0.1539+1.3890

  Therefore the approximate value for this root is

To show that the approximation correct to 2 decimal place it is safe to do another linear interpolation

𝑓  ( 𝑐3 ) =− 0.0360

𝑓  ( 𝑐3 ) . 𝑓 ( 𝑐2 ) >0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑓 ( 𝑐 3 ) . 𝑓 ( 2 ) <0  Therefore must be in the interval 1.6675 and 2

𝑐
  3=1.6675|𝑓 ( 𝑐 3 )|=0.0360 𝑏 =2|𝑓 ( 𝑏 )|=1.3890

1.6675 ( 1.3890 ) +2( 0.0360)

𝑐  4 = ¿  1.6759
0.0360+1.3890

Therefore the approximation correct to 2 decimal places is 1.68

 Exercise

 Show that the equation has a root between x=3 and x=3.5
  
 Use linear interpolation twice to get an approximate value for this root.
𝑙𝑛𝑥
  − 𝑥+2=0

𝑓  ( 3 ) =0.0986 𝑓  ( 3.5 )=−0.2472

𝑓  ( 3 ) . 𝑓 ( 3.5 )< 0∴ 𝛼 𝑙𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑡h𝑒 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑣𝑎𝑙 ∨3 , 3.5∨¿

 𝑙𝑛𝑥
  − 𝑥+2=0
𝑐 1=𝑎|𝑓 ( 𝑏 )∨+𝑏|𝑓 ( 𝑎 )∨ ¿ ¿
|𝑓 ( 𝑎 )|+¿𝑓 ( 𝑏 )∨¿¿

𝑎
  =3|𝑓 ( 3 )|=0.0986 𝑏=3.5|𝑓 ( 𝑏 )|=0.2472

3 ( 0.2472 )+ 3.5(0.0986)
𝑐  1= ¿  3.1426
0.0986+0.2472

𝑓  ( 3.1426 )=0.0025

  therefore lies in the interval |3.1426, 3.5|

𝑐
  1=3.1426|𝑓 ( 𝑐 1 )|=0.0025 𝑏 =3.5|𝑓 ( 𝑏 )|=0.2472

3.1426 ( 0.2472 ) +3.5(0.0025)

𝑐  2= ¿  3.1461
0.0025+0.2472