NEWTON AND LINERAR INTERPOLATION

Linear Interpolation
Linear Interpolation is a method of curve fitting using linear polynomials to construct new data points
within the range of a discrete set of known data points.

Linear interpolation uses the approach of finding the gradient of a straight line. Taking gradient of a
y 2− y 1
straight line m= . Linear interpolation makes the assumption that using point B and C to find
x 2−x 1
the gradient of the line should give the same answer as using point A and C given:
y− y 1 y1 − y 0
=
x−x 1 x1 −x 0
y 1− y 0
y= y1 + ×( x−x 1 )
x 1−x 0
Linear interpolation also assumes that the graph (curve) formed by the points very close enough to
form an assumed straight line.
In the graph above, the curve blue represents a quadratic equation f ( x )=x 2−2 x +4 and the yellow
line represent a line connecting the two points (-2, 12) and (0,4) that is f (−2 )∧f ( 0 ) on the curve
f ( x). Assuming f (−1 ) is unknown and will be determined by linear interpolation.
f (−1 )−f (0) f (−2 )−f (0)
=
−1−0 −2−0
12−4
f (−1 ) =4 + ×(−1−(0))
−2−0
f (−1 ) =8
And the estimated value of the absolute true percentage error is

ε t=|8−78|×100 %
ε t=12.5 %

Newton Interpolation

The newton interpolation uses the a general formular

f n−1 ( x )=b 1+ b2 ( x−x1 ) + …+bn ( x−x 1 ) ( x−x 2 ) … ( x −xn −1 ) … … … … … … … .. equ(1)

Where (n−1) will be the order of the function that is (n−1)th order polynomial.

Newton Interpolation is an interpolation method which is used to determine an approximate curve

which is capable of replacing a curve in question given three or more points on that curve.

C
B

A
In the figure above, when given the coordinate at points A, B and C there will be the need to
determine the value of f ( x ) at point D given the value of x at that point.

Using Newton interpolation method to approximate the value of f ( x ) at point D, the given coordinate
A, B and C which are found on unknown line f ( x ) is evaluated to obtain the line f 2 ( x) which is
evaluated for f 2 (2) which is expected to be a value very close to f ( 2 ) if not equal.

In order to use the newton evaluation method, one is required to be given an n number of points on
the assume unknown line in order to evaluate for the coefficients b 1 , b2 , b3 , … ,b n.

Where, b 1=f ( x 1 )

b 2=f [ x 1 , x 2 ]

b 3=f [ x 1 , x 2 , x 3 ]
. .
. .
. .

b n=f [ x 1 , x 2 , x 3 ,.. , x n−1 , x n ]

Also Note that,

f ( x i )−f ( x j )
f ( x i , x j , )=
x i−x j

f ( xi , x j , )−f ( x j , x k , )
f ( xi , x j , xk )=
x i−x k

Try example:

In this try example data points at x 1=1, x 2=4 and x 3=6 were used to estimate ln (2) with a
parabola. Now adding a fourth point [ x 4 =5 ;f ( x 4 ) =1.609438 ], estimate ln (2) with a third order
newton’s interpolating polynomial.
Solution
The third-order polynomial, with n=4 , is

f 3 ( x )=b 1+ b2 ( x−x 1) + b3 ( x−x 1) ( x−x 2 ) +b 4 ( x−x 1 )( x−x 2) ( x−x 3 ) … … … equ (2)

x f (x)
1 0 0.4620981 −0.05187311 0.007865529
4 1.386294 0.2027326 −0.02041100
6 1.791759 0.1823216
5 1.609438
 f 3 ( x )=0+ 0.4620981( x−1)−0.05187311( x−1)(x−4 )+ 0.007865529( x−1)( x −4)( x−6)

After the equation f 3 ( x ) have been derived, it is evaluated for f 3 ( 2 ) to obtain 0.6287686 .

But the actual value for f ( x )=ln ⁡( x ) that is f ( 2 ) =ln ( 2 )=0.6931471806 .

ε t= |0.6931471806−0.6287686
0.6931471806 |×100 %
ε t=9.2878 % ≅ 9.3 %

There it can be seen that the approximation worked with only 9.3% error.