Attractive Fixed Points
If an equation can be put into the form f(x) = x, and a solution x is an attractive fixed point of the function f, then one may begin with a point x1 in the basin of attraction of x, and let xn+1 = f(xn) for n ≥ 1, and the sequence {xn}n ≥ 1 will converge to the solution x. If the function f is continuously differentiable, a sufficient condition for convergence is that the spectral radius of the derivative is strictly bounded by one in a neighborhood of the fixed point. If this condition holds at the fixed point, then a sufficiently small neighborhood (basin of attraction) must exist.
Read more about this topic: Iterative Method
Famous quotes containing the words attractive, fixed and/or points:
“Mrs. Robinson: Do you find me undesirable?
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—Calder Willingham (1923–1995)
“These earthly godfathers of Heaven’s lights,
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Have no more profit of their shining nights
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—William Shakespeare (1564–1616)
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—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)