Attractor basins of various root-finding methods.

• Main Author: Stewart, Bart D.
• Other Authors: Canright, David
• Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School 2012
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/10997

Real world phenomena commonly exhibit nonlinear relationships, complex geometry, and intricate processes. Analytic or exact solution methods only address a minor class of such phenomena. Consequently, numerical approximation methods, such as root-finding methods, can be used. The goal is, by making use of a variety of root-finding methods (Newton-Rhapson, Chebyshev, Halley and Laguerre), to gain a qualitative appreciation on how various root- finding methods address many prevailing real-world concerns, to include, how are suitable approximation methods determined; when do root finding methods converge; and how long for convergence? Answers to the questions were gained through examining the basins of attraction of the root-finding methods. Different methods generate different basins of attraction. In the end, each method appears to have its own advantages and disadvantages.