1 00:00:00 --> 00:00:06 2 00:00:20 --> 00:00:26 The topic for today is -- 3 00:00:23 --> 00:00:29 4 00:00:32 --> 00:00:38 Today we're going to talk, I'm postponing the linear 5 00:00:35 --> 00:00:41 equations to next time. Instead, I think it's a good 6 00:00:38 --> 00:00:44 idea, since in real life, most of the differential 7 00:00:42 --> 00:00:48 equations are solved by numerical methods to introduce 8 00:00:45 --> 00:00:51 you to those right away. Even when you see the compute 9 00:00:49 --> 00:00:55 where you saw the computer screen, the solutions being 10 00:00:53 --> 00:00:59 drawn. Of course, what really was 11 00:00:55 --> 00:01:01 happening was that the computer was calculating the solutions 12 00:00:59 --> 00:01:05 numerically, and plotting the points. 13 00:01:03 --> 00:01:09 So, this is the main way, numerically, 14 00:01:05 --> 00:01:11 it is the main way differential equations are actually solved, 15 00:01:09 --> 00:01:15 if they are of any complexity at all. 16 00:01:12 --> 00:01:18 So, the problem is, that initial value problem, 17 00:01:15 --> 00:01:21 let's write up the first-order problem the way we talked about 18 00:01:20 --> 00:01:26 it on Wednesday. And now, I'll specifically add 19 00:01:23 --> 00:01:29 to that, the starting point that you used when you did the 20 00:01:27 --> 00:01:33 computer experiments. And, I'll write the starting 21 00:01:32 --> 00:01:38 point this way. So, y of x0 should be y0. 22 00:01:35 --> 00:01:41 So, this is the initial 23 00:01:38 --> 00:01:44 condition, and this is the first-order differential 24 00:01:42 --> 00:01:48 equation. And, as you know, 25 00:01:44 --> 00:01:50 the two of them together are called an IVP, 26 00:01:48 --> 00:01:54 an initial value problem, which means two things, 27 00:01:51 --> 00:01:57 the differential equation and the initial value that you want 28 00:01:56 --> 00:02:02 to start the solution at. Okay, now, the method we are 29 00:02:03 --> 00:02:09 going to talk about, the basic method of which many 30 00:02:08 --> 00:02:14 others are merely refinements in one way or another, 31 00:02:14 --> 00:02:20 is called Euler's method. Euler, who did, 32 00:02:19 --> 00:02:25 of course, everything in analysis, as far as I know, 33 00:02:25 --> 00:02:31 didn't actually use it to compute solutions of 34 00:02:30 --> 00:02:36 differential equations. His interest was theoretical. 35 00:02:36 --> 00:02:42 He used it as a method of proving the existence theorem, 36 00:02:40 --> 00:02:46 proving that solutions existed. But, nowadays, 37 00:02:44 --> 00:02:50 it's used to calculate the solutions numerically. 38 00:02:47 --> 00:02:53 And, the method is very simple to describe. 39 00:02:51 --> 00:02:57 It's so naive that you probably think that if you that living 40 00:02:55 --> 00:03:01 300 years ago, you would have discovered it 41 00:02:59 --> 00:03:05 and covered yourself with glory for all eternity. 42 00:03:04 --> 00:03:10 So, here is our starting point, (x0, y0). 43 00:03:07 --> 00:03:13 Now, what information do we have? 44 00:03:10 --> 00:03:16 At that point all we have is the little line element, 45 00:03:14 --> 00:03:20 whose slope is given by f of (x, y). 46 00:03:18 --> 00:03:24 So, if I start the solution, 47 00:03:21 --> 00:03:27 the only way the solution could possibly go would be to start 48 00:03:26 --> 00:03:32 off in that direction, since I have no other 49 00:03:30 --> 00:03:36 information. At least it has the correct 50 00:03:35 --> 00:03:41 direction at (x0, y0). 51 00:03:36 --> 00:03:42 But, of course, it's not likely to have the 52 00:03:40 --> 00:03:46 correct direction anywhere else. Now, what you do, 53 00:03:43 --> 00:03:49 then, is choose a step size. I'll try just two steps of the 54 00:03:48 --> 00:03:54 method. That's, I think, 55 00:03:50 --> 00:03:56 good enough. Choose a uniform step size, 56 00:03:53 --> 00:03:59 which is usually called h. And, you continue that solution 57 00:03:57 --> 00:04:03 until you get to the next point, which will be x0 + h, 58 00:04:02 --> 00:04:08 as I've drawn it on the picture. 59 00:04:06 --> 00:04:12 So, we get to here. We stop at that point, 60 00:04:09 --> 00:04:15 and now you recalculate what the line element is here. 61 00:04:12 --> 00:04:18 Suppose, here, the line element, 62 00:04:15 --> 00:04:21 now, through this point goes like that. 63 00:04:18 --> 00:04:24 Well, then, that's the new direction that you should start 64 00:04:22 --> 00:04:28 out with going from here. And so, the next step of the 65 00:04:26 --> 00:04:32 process will carry you to here. That's two steps of Euler's 66 00:04:30 --> 00:04:36 method. Notice it produces a broken 67 00:04:33 --> 00:04:39 line approximation to the solution. 68 00:04:36 --> 00:04:42 But, in fact, you only see that broken line 69 00:04:39 --> 00:04:45 if you are at a computer if you are looking at the computer 70 00:04:43 --> 00:04:49 visual, for example, whose purpose is to illustrate 71 00:04:47 --> 00:04:53 for you Euler's method. In actual practice, 72 00:04:50 --> 00:04:56 what you see is, the computer is simply 73 00:04:53 --> 00:04:59 calculating this point, that point, and the succession 74 00:04:57 --> 00:05:03 of points. And, many programs will just 75 00:04:59 --> 00:05:05 automatically connect those points by a smooth looking curve 76 00:05:04 --> 00:05:10 if that's what you prefer to see. 77 00:05:08 --> 00:05:14 Well, that's all there is to the method. 78 00:05:11 --> 00:05:17 What we have to do now is derive the equations for the 79 00:05:15 --> 00:05:21 method. Now, how are we going to do 80 00:05:18 --> 00:05:24 that? Well, the essence of it is how 81 00:05:21 --> 00:05:27 to get from the nth step to the n plus first 82 00:05:26 --> 00:05:32 step? So, I'm going to draw a picture 83 00:05:29 --> 00:05:35 just to illustrate that. So, now we are not at x0. 84 00:05:34 --> 00:05:40 But let's say we've already gotten to (xn, 85 00:05:37 --> 00:05:43 yn). How do I take the next step? 86 00:05:40 --> 00:05:46 Well, I take the line element, and it goes up like that, 87 00:05:44 --> 00:05:50 let's say, because the slope is this. 88 00:05:47 --> 00:05:53 I'm going to call that slope A sub n. 89 00:05:51 --> 00:05:57 Of course, A sub n is the value of the right hand side at the 90 00:05:56 --> 00:06:02 point (xn, yn), and we will need that in the 91 00:05:59 --> 00:06:05 equation, -- -- but I think it will be a 92 00:06:03 --> 00:06:09 little bit clearer if I just give it a capital letter at this 93 00:06:08 --> 00:06:14 point. Now, this is the new point, 94 00:06:10 --> 00:06:16 and all I want to know is what are its coordinates? 95 00:06:14 --> 00:06:20 Well, the x n plus one is there. 96 00:06:17 --> 00:06:23 The y n plus one is here. 97 00:06:19 --> 00:06:25 Clearly I should draw this triangle, complete the triangle. 98 00:06:23 --> 00:06:29 This side of the triangle, the hypotenuse has slope An. 99 00:06:27 --> 00:06:33 This side of the triangle has length h. 100 00:06:30 --> 00:06:36 h is the step size. Perhaps I'd better indicate 101 00:06:33 --> 00:06:39 that, actually put that up so that you know the word step. 102 00:06:39 --> 00:06:45 It's the step size on the x-axis, how far you have to go 103 00:06:44 --> 00:06:50 to get from each x to the next one. 104 00:06:47 --> 00:06:53 What's this? Well, if that slope has this, 105 00:06:51 --> 00:06:57 the slope An, this is h. 106 00:06:53 --> 00:06:59 Then this must be h times An, the length of that side, 107 00:06:58 --> 00:07:04 in order that the ratio of the height to this width should be 108 00:07:03 --> 00:07:09 An. And, that gives us the method. 109 00:07:07 --> 00:07:13 How do I get from, clearly, to get from xn to x n 110 00:07:12 --> 00:07:18 plus one, I simply add h. 111 00:07:16 --> 00:07:22 So, that's the trivial part of it. 112 00:07:19 --> 00:07:25 The interesting thing is, how do I get the new 113 00:07:24 --> 00:07:30 y n plus one? And so, the best way to write 114 00:07:28 --> 00:07:34 it as, that y n plus one minus yn divided by h, 115 00:07:32 --> 00:07:38 well, sorry, y n plus one minus yn is this 116 00:07:36 --> 00:07:42 line, the same as the line h times An. 117 00:07:43 --> 00:07:49 So, that's the way to write it. Or, since the computer is 118 00:07:47 --> 00:07:53 interested in calculating y n plus one itself, 119 00:07:52 --> 00:07:58 put this on the other side. You take the old yn, 120 00:07:56 --> 00:08:02 the previous one, and to it, you add h times An. 121 00:08:00 --> 00:08:06 And, what, pray tell, 122 00:08:03 --> 00:08:09 is An? Well, the computer has to be 123 00:08:07 --> 00:08:13 told that An is the value of f. So, now, with that, 124 00:08:11 --> 00:08:17 let's actually write the Euler program, not the program, 125 00:08:15 --> 00:08:21 but the Euler-- the Euler method equations, 126 00:08:19 --> 00:08:25 let's just call it the Euler equations. 127 00:08:22 --> 00:08:28 What will they be? First of all, 128 00:08:24 --> 00:08:30 the new x is the old x plus h. 129 00:08:28 --> 00:08:34 The new y is just what I've written there, 130 00:08:31 --> 00:08:37 the old y plus h times a certain number, 131 00:08:34 --> 00:08:40 An, and finally, 132 00:08:38 --> 00:08:44 An has the value-- It's the slope of the line 133 00:08:43 --> 00:08:49 element here, and therefore by definition, 134 00:08:47 --> 00:08:53 that's f of (xn,yn). 135 00:08:50 --> 00:08:56 So, if these three equations which define Euler's method. 136 00:08:55 --> 00:09:01 I assume in 1.00 you must be asked to, at some point, 137 00:09:00 --> 00:09:06 as an exercise in the term at one point to program the 138 00:09:05 --> 00:09:11 computer in C or whatever they're using, 139 00:09:08 --> 00:09:14 Java, now, I guess, to do Euler's method. 140 00:09:14 --> 00:09:20 And, these would be the recursive equations that you 141 00:09:20 --> 00:09:26 would put in to do that. Okay, let's try an example, 142 00:09:27 --> 00:09:33 then. So, what would be a good color 143 00:09:32 --> 00:09:38 for Euler? Well, a purple. 144 00:09:35 --> 00:09:41 I assume nobody can see purple. Is that correct? 145 00:09:40 --> 00:09:46 Can anyone in the back of the room see that that's purple? 146 00:09:46 --> 00:09:52 Okay. Sit closer. 147 00:09:48 --> 00:09:54 So, let's calculate. The example, 148 00:09:52 --> 00:09:58 I'll use a simple example, but it's not entirely trivial. 149 00:10:00 --> 00:10:06 My example is going to be the equation, x squared minus y 150 00:10:03 --> 00:10:09 squared on the right hand side. 151 00:10:07 --> 00:10:13 And, let's start with y of zero equals one, 152 00:10:10 --> 00:10:16 let's say. And so, this is my initial 153 00:10:13 --> 00:10:19 value problem, that pair of equations. 154 00:10:16 --> 00:10:22 And, I have to specify a step size. 155 00:10:18 --> 00:10:24 So, let's take the step size to 0.1. 156 00:10:20 --> 00:10:26 You choose the step size, or the computer does. 157 00:10:24 --> 00:10:30 We'll have to talk about that in a few minutes. 158 00:10:27 --> 00:10:33 Now, what do you do? Well, I say this is a 159 00:10:31 --> 00:10:37 nontrivial equation because this equation, as far as I know, 160 00:10:36 --> 00:10:42 cannot be solved in terms of elementary functions. 161 00:10:39 --> 00:10:45 So, this equation would be, in fact, a very good candidate 162 00:10:43 --> 00:10:49 for a numerical method like Euler's. 163 00:10:46 --> 00:10:52 And, you had to use it, or maybe it was the other way 164 00:10:50 --> 00:10:56 around, I forget. On your problem set, 165 00:10:53 --> 00:10:59 you drew a picture of the direction field and answered 166 00:10:57 --> 00:11:03 some questions about the isoclines, how the solutions 167 00:11:01 --> 00:11:07 behave. Now, the main thing I want you 168 00:11:04 --> 00:11:10 to get, this is not just for Euler's, talking about Euler's 169 00:11:08 --> 00:11:14 equations. But in general, 170 00:11:10 --> 00:11:16 for the calculations you have to do in this course, 171 00:11:13 --> 00:11:19 it's extremely important to be systematic because if you are 172 00:11:17 --> 00:11:23 not systematic, you know, if you just scribble, 173 00:11:20 --> 00:11:26 scribble, scribble, scribble, scribble, 174 00:11:22 --> 00:11:28 you can do the work, but it becomes impossible to 175 00:11:25 --> 00:11:31 find mistakes. You must do the work in a form 176 00:11:28 --> 00:11:34 in which it can be checked, which you can look over it and 177 00:11:32 --> 00:11:38 find, and try to see where mistakes are if, 178 00:11:35 --> 00:11:41 in fact, there are any. So, I strongly suggest, 179 00:11:39 --> 00:11:45 this is not a suggestion, this is a command, 180 00:11:43 --> 00:11:49 that you make a little table to do Euler's method by hand, 181 00:11:48 --> 00:11:54 I'd only ask you for a step or two, but since I'm just trying 182 00:11:53 --> 00:11:59 to make sure you have some idea of these equations and where 183 00:11:58 --> 00:12:04 they come from. So, first, the value of n, 184 00:12:02 --> 00:12:08 then the value of xn, then the value of the yn, 185 00:12:06 --> 00:12:12 and then, a couple of more columns which tell you how to do 186 00:12:11 --> 00:12:17 the calculation. You are going to need the value 187 00:12:15 --> 00:12:21 of the slope, and it's probably a good idea, 188 00:12:18 --> 00:12:24 also, because otherwise you'll forget it, to put in h An 189 00:12:23 --> 00:12:29 because that occurs in the formula. 190 00:12:26 --> 00:12:32 All right, let's start doing it. 191 00:12:30 --> 00:12:36 The first value of n is zero. That's the starting point. 192 00:12:34 --> 00:12:40 At the starting point, (x0, y0), x has the value zero, 193 00:12:38 --> 00:12:44 and y has the value one, so, zero and one. 194 00:12:42 --> 00:12:48 In other words, starting, I'm carrying out 195 00:12:45 --> 00:12:51 exactly what I drew pictorially only now I'm doing it 196 00:12:49 --> 00:12:55 arithmetically using a table and substituting into the formulas. 197 00:12:55 --> 00:13:01 Okay, the next thing we have to calculate is An. 198 00:13:00 --> 00:13:06 Well, since An is the value of the right hand side, 199 00:13:03 --> 00:13:09 at the point zero one, you have to plug that in. 200 00:13:07 --> 00:13:13 The right-hand side is x squared minus y squared. 201 00:13:11 --> 00:13:17 So, it's 0 squared minus 1 squared. 202 00:13:14 --> 00:13:20 The value of the slope, 203 00:13:17 --> 00:13:23 there, is minus one, negative one. 204 00:13:20 --> 00:13:26 Now, I have to multiply that by H. 205 00:13:22 --> 00:13:28 h is 0.1. So, it's negative, 206 00:13:24 --> 00:13:30 I'll never learn that. The way you learn to talk in 207 00:13:28 --> 00:13:34 kindergarten is the way you learn to talk the rest of your 208 00:13:32 --> 00:13:38 life, unfortunately. In kindergarten, 209 00:13:37 --> 00:13:43 we said minus. Negative 0.1. 210 00:13:40 --> 00:13:46 n is one now. What's the value of xn? 211 00:13:45 --> 00:13:51 Well, to the old value I add 1/10. 212 00:13:48 --> 00:13:54 What's the value of y? Well, at this point, 213 00:13:53 --> 00:13:59 you have to do the calculation. It's the old value of y. 214 00:13:59 --> 00:14:05 To get this new value, it's the old value plus this 215 00:14:05 --> 00:14:11 number. Well, that's this plus that 216 00:14:11 --> 00:14:17 number is nine-tenths. An, now I have to calculate the 217 00:14:16 --> 00:14:22 new slope at this point. Okay, that is one-tenth squared 218 00:14:23 --> 00:14:29 minus nine-tenths squared. That's 0.01 minus 0.81, 219 00:14:28 --> 00:14:34 which makes minus 0.80, I hope. 220 00:14:31 --> 00:14:37 221 222 00:14:38 --> 00:14:44 Check it on your calculators. Whip them out and press the 223 00:14:43 --> 00:14:49 buttons. I now multiply that by h, 224 00:14:46 --> 00:14:52 which means it's going to be minus 0.08, perhaps with a zero 225 00:14:51 --> 00:14:57 after. I didn't tell you how many 226 00:14:54 --> 00:15:00 decimal places. Let's carry it out to two 227 00:14:58 --> 00:15:04 decimal places. I think that will be good 228 00:15:02 --> 00:15:08 enough. And finally, 229 00:15:05 --> 00:15:11 the last step, 2, here, add another one-tenth, 230 00:15:10 --> 00:15:16 so the value of x is now two-tenths. 231 00:15:15 --> 00:15:21 And finally, what's the value of y? 232 00:15:18 --> 00:15:24 Well, I didn't tell you where to stop. 233 00:15:22 --> 00:15:28 Let's stop at y of 0.2 because there's no 234 00:15:28 --> 00:15:34 more room on the blackboard. About approximately how big is 235 00:15:34 --> 00:15:40 that? In other words, 236 00:15:36 --> 00:15:42 this is, then, this is going to be the old y 237 00:15:41 --> 00:15:47 plus this number, which seems to be 0.82 to me. 238 00:15:48 --> 00:15:54 So, the answer is, the new value is 0.82. 239 00:15:51 --> 00:15:57 Okay, we got a number. We did what we are supposed to 240 00:15:55 --> 00:16:01 do. We got a number. 241 00:15:56 --> 00:16:02 Next question? Now, let's ask a few questions. 242 00:16:00 --> 00:16:06 One of the first, most basic things is, 243 00:16:03 --> 00:16:09 you know, how right is this? How can I answer such a 244 00:16:07 --> 00:16:13 question if I have no explicit formula for that solution? 245 00:16:11 --> 00:16:17 That's the basic problem with numerical calculation. 246 00:16:15 --> 00:16:21 In other words, I have to wander around in the 247 00:16:18 --> 00:16:24 dark to some extent, and yet have some idea when 248 00:16:21 --> 00:16:27 I've arrived at the place that I want to go. 249 00:16:24 --> 00:16:30 Well, the first question I'd like to answer, 250 00:16:28 --> 00:16:34 is this too high or too low? Is Euler, sorry, 251 00:16:32 --> 00:16:38 he'll forgive me in heaven, I will use him. 252 00:16:36 --> 00:16:42 By this, I mean, is the result, 253 00:16:38 --> 00:16:44 let me just say something first, and that I'll criticize 254 00:16:43 --> 00:16:49 it. Is Euler too high or too low? 255 00:16:46 --> 00:16:52 In other words, is the result of using Euler's 256 00:16:50 --> 00:16:56 method, i.e. is this number too high or too 257 00:16:53 --> 00:16:59 low? Is it higher than the right 258 00:16:56 --> 00:17:02 answer, what it should be? Or, is it lower than the right 259 00:17:02 --> 00:17:08 answer? Or, God forbid, 260 00:17:05 --> 00:17:11 is it exactly right? Well, it's almost never exactly 261 00:17:09 --> 00:17:15 right. That's not an option. 262 00:17:12 --> 00:17:18 Now, how will we answer that question? 263 00:17:16 --> 00:17:22 Well, let's answer it geometrically. 264 00:17:19 --> 00:17:25 Basically, if the solution were a straight line, 265 00:17:24 --> 00:17:30 then the Euler method would be exactly right all the time. 266 00:17:29 --> 00:17:35 But, it's not a line. Then it's a curve. 267 00:17:34 --> 00:17:40 Well, the critical question is, is it curved? 268 00:17:38 --> 00:17:44 Is the solution? So, here's a solution. 269 00:17:41 --> 00:17:47 Let's call it y1 of x, and let's say here 270 00:17:45 --> 00:17:51 was the starting point. Here, the solution is convex. 271 00:17:49 --> 00:17:55 And, here the solution is concave, right? 272 00:17:52 --> 00:17:58 Concave up or concave down, if you learn those words, 273 00:17:57 --> 00:18:03 but I think those have, by now, I hope pretty well 274 00:18:01 --> 00:18:07 disappeared from the curriculum. Call it, if you haven't up 275 00:18:06 --> 00:18:12 until now, what mathematicians call it, convex is that, 276 00:18:10 --> 00:18:16 and the other one is concave. Well, how do Euler's solutions 277 00:18:13 --> 00:18:19 look? Well, I'll just sketch. 278 00:18:15 --> 00:18:21 I think from this you can see already, when you start out on 279 00:18:19 --> 00:18:25 the Euler's solution, it's going to go like that. 280 00:18:22 --> 00:18:28 Now you are too low. Well, let's suppose after that, 281 00:18:25 --> 00:18:31 the line element here is approximately the same as what 282 00:18:28 --> 00:18:34 it is there, or roughly parallel. 283 00:18:32 --> 00:18:38 After all, they are not too far apart. 284 00:18:34 --> 00:18:40 And, the direction field is continuous. 285 00:18:37 --> 00:18:43 That is, the directions don't change drastically from one 286 00:18:40 --> 00:18:46 point to another. But now, you see it's still too 287 00:18:43 --> 00:18:49 low. It's even lower as it 288 00:18:45 --> 00:18:51 pathetically tries to follow. It's losing territory, 289 00:18:49 --> 00:18:55 and that's basically because the curve is convex. 290 00:18:52 --> 00:18:58 Exactly the opposite what would happen if the curve were 291 00:18:55 --> 00:19:01 concave, if the solution curve were concave. 292 00:19:00 --> 00:19:06 Now it's too high, and it's not going to be able 293 00:19:04 --> 00:19:10 to correct that as long as the solution curve stays concave. 294 00:19:09 --> 00:19:15 Well, that's probably too optimistic. 295 00:19:13 --> 00:19:19 It's probably more like this. So, in other words, 296 00:19:17 --> 00:19:23 in this case, if the curve is convex, 297 00:19:21 --> 00:19:27 Euler is going to be too high, sorry, too low. 298 00:19:25 --> 00:19:31 Let's put E for Euler. How about that? 299 00:19:30 --> 00:19:36 Euler is too low. If it's concave, 300 00:19:32 --> 00:19:38 then Euler is too high. Okay, that's great. 301 00:19:36 --> 00:19:42 There's just one little problem left, namely, 302 00:19:40 --> 00:19:46 if we don't have a formula for the solution, 303 00:19:44 --> 00:19:50 and we don't have a computer that's busy drawing the picture 304 00:19:49 --> 00:19:55 for us, in which case we wouldn't need any of this 305 00:19:54 --> 00:20:00 anyway, how are we supposed to tell if it's convex or concave? 306 00:20:01 --> 00:20:07 Back to calculus. Calculus to the rescue! 307 00:20:04 --> 00:20:10 When is a curve convex? A curve is convex if its second 308 00:20:08 --> 00:20:14 derivative is positive because the first to be convex means the 309 00:20:12 --> 00:20:18 first derivative is increasing all the time. 310 00:20:16 --> 00:20:22 And therefore, the second derivative, 311 00:20:18 --> 00:20:24 which is the derivative of the first derivative, 312 00:20:22 --> 00:20:28 should be positive. Just the opposite here; 313 00:20:25 --> 00:20:31 the curve, the slope is, the first derivative, 314 00:20:29 --> 00:20:35 is decreasing all the time and therefore the second derivative 315 00:20:33 --> 00:20:39 is negative. So, all we have to do is decide 316 00:20:38 --> 00:20:44 what the second derivative of the solution is. 317 00:20:41 --> 00:20:47 We should probably call it a solution. 318 00:20:43 --> 00:20:49 y of x is a little too vague. 319 00:20:46 --> 00:20:52 y1 means the solution started at this point. 320 00:20:49 --> 00:20:55 So, in fact, probably it would have been 321 00:20:52 --> 00:20:58 better from the beginning to call that y1, 322 00:20:54 --> 00:21:00 except there's no room, y1, let's say. 323 00:20:57 --> 00:21:03 That means the solution which started out at the point, 324 00:21:01 --> 00:21:07 (0, 1). So, I'm still talking about at 325 00:21:04 --> 00:21:10 a solution like that. All right, so I want to know if 326 00:21:08 --> 00:21:14 this is positive, the second derivative is 327 00:21:10 --> 00:21:16 positive at the starting point, zero, or it's negative. 328 00:21:14 --> 00:21:20 Now, again, how you can regulate the second derivative, 329 00:21:17 --> 00:21:23 if you don't know what the solution is explicitly, 330 00:21:20 --> 00:21:26 then the answer is you can do it from the differential 331 00:21:24 --> 00:21:30 equation itself. How do I do that? 332 00:21:26 --> 00:21:32 Well: easy. y prime equals x squared minus 333 00:21:29 --> 00:21:35 y squared. Okay, that tells me how to 334 00:21:34 --> 00:21:40 calculate y prime if I know the value of x and y, 335 00:21:39 --> 00:21:45 in other words, the 0.01. 336 00:21:41 --> 00:21:47 What would be the value of y double prime? 337 00:21:45 --> 00:21:51 Well, differentiate the equation. 338 00:21:48 --> 00:21:54 It's two x minus two y y prime. 339 00:21:52 --> 00:21:58 Don't forget to use the chain rule. 340 00:21:55 --> 00:22:01 So, if I want to calculate at (0, 1), in other words, 341 00:22:00 --> 00:22:06 if my starting point is that curve convex or concave, 342 00:22:04 --> 00:22:10 well, let's calculate. y of zero equals one. 343 00:22:10 --> 00:22:16 Okay, what's y prime of zero? 344 00:22:12 --> 00:22:18 Well, I don't have to repeat 345 00:22:15 --> 00:22:21 that calculation. Using this, I've already 346 00:22:18 --> 00:22:24 calculated that it was negative one. 347 00:22:20 --> 00:22:26 And now, the new thing, what's y double prime of zero? 348 00:22:24 --> 00:22:30 Well, it is this. 349 00:22:26 --> 00:22:32 I'll write it out. It's two times zero minus two 350 00:22:29 --> 00:22:35 times negative y, which is one, 351 00:22:31 --> 00:22:37 two times one times y prime, which is negative one. 352 00:22:36 --> 00:22:42 You want to see we are pulling 353 00:22:41 --> 00:22:47 ourselves up by our own boot straps, which is impossible. 354 00:22:45 --> 00:22:51 But, it is not impossible because we are doing it. 355 00:22:49 --> 00:22:55 So, what's the answer? Zero here, two, 356 00:22:52 --> 00:22:58 I've calculated without having the foggiest idea of what the 357 00:22:57 --> 00:23:03 solution is or how it looks. I've calculated that its second 358 00:23:03 --> 00:23:09 derivative at the starting point is two. 359 00:23:07 --> 00:23:13 Therefore, my solution is convex at the starting point. 360 00:23:13 --> 00:23:19 And therefore, this Euler approximation, 361 00:23:17 --> 00:23:23 if I don't carry it out too far, will be too low. 362 00:23:22 --> 00:23:28 So, it's convex Euler, too low. 363 00:23:25 --> 00:23:31 Now, you could argue, yeah, well, what about this? 364 00:23:32 --> 00:23:38 [LAUGHTER] So, you could go like this, 365 00:23:36 --> 00:23:42 and then you can see it catches up. 366 00:23:39 --> 00:23:45 Well, of course, if the curve changes from 367 00:23:44 --> 00:23:50 convex to concave, then it's really impossible to 368 00:23:49 --> 00:23:55 make any prediction at all. That's a difficulty. 369 00:23:54 --> 00:24:00 So, all this analysis is only if you stay very nearby. 370 00:24:02 --> 00:24:08 However, I wanted to show you, the main purpose of it in my 371 00:24:06 --> 00:24:12 mind was to show you how do you use, it's these equations, 372 00:24:11 --> 00:24:17 how to use the differential equation itself to get 373 00:24:14 --> 00:24:20 information about the solutions, without actually being able to 374 00:24:19 --> 00:24:25 calculate the solutions? Now, so that's the method, 375 00:24:23 --> 00:24:29 and that's how to find out something about it. 376 00:24:27 --> 00:24:33 And now, what I'd like to talk about is errors. 377 00:24:32 --> 00:24:38 How do I handle, right? 378 00:24:34 --> 00:24:40 So, in a sense, I've started the error 379 00:24:38 --> 00:24:44 analysis. In other words, 380 00:24:40 --> 00:24:46 the error, by definition, the error is this difference, e. 381 00:24:46 --> 00:24:52 So, in other words, 382 00:24:48 --> 00:24:54 what I'm asking here, is the error positive? 383 00:24:52 --> 00:24:58 It depends which we measure it. Usually, you take this minus 384 00:24:59 --> 00:25:05 that. So, here, the error would be 385 00:25:03 --> 00:25:09 considered positive, and here it would be considered 386 00:25:07 --> 00:25:13 negative, although I'm sure there's a book somewhere in the 387 00:25:13 --> 00:25:19 world, which does the opposite. Most hedge by just using the 388 00:25:18 --> 00:25:24 absolute value of the error plus a statement that the method is 389 00:25:23 --> 00:25:29 producing answers which are too low or too high. 390 00:25:27 --> 00:25:33 The question, then, is, naturally, 391 00:25:30 --> 00:25:36 this is not the world's best method. 392 00:25:35 --> 00:25:41 It's not as bad as it seems. It's not the world's best 393 00:25:38 --> 00:25:44 method because that convexity and concavity means that you are 394 00:25:42 --> 00:25:48 automatically introducing a systematic error. 395 00:25:45 --> 00:25:51 If you can predict which way the error is going to be by just 396 00:25:49 --> 00:25:55 knowing whether the curve is convex or concave, 397 00:25:51 --> 00:25:57 it's not what you want. I mean, you want to at least 398 00:25:55 --> 00:26:01 have a chance of getting the right answer, 399 00:25:57 --> 00:26:03 whereas this is telling you you're definitely going to get 400 00:26:01 --> 00:26:07 the wrong answer. All it tells you is, 401 00:26:03 --> 00:26:09 and it's telling you whether your answer is going to be too 402 00:26:07 --> 00:26:13 high or too low. We've like a better chance of 403 00:26:12 --> 00:26:18 getting the right answer. Now, so the question is, 404 00:26:17 --> 00:26:23 how do you get a better method? A search is for a better 405 00:26:23 --> 00:26:29 method. Now, the first method, 406 00:26:26 --> 00:26:32 which will occur, I'm sure, to anyone who looks 407 00:26:30 --> 00:26:36 at that picture, is, look, if you want this 408 00:26:35 --> 00:26:41 yellow line to follow the white one, the white solution, 409 00:26:40 --> 00:26:46 more accurately, for heaven's sake, 410 00:26:43 --> 00:26:49 don't take such big steps. Take small steps, 411 00:26:50 --> 00:26:56 and then it will follow better. All right, let's draw a 412 00:26:59 --> 00:27:05 picture. Excuse me. 413 00:27:02 --> 00:27:08 My little box of treasures, here. 414 00:27:08 --> 00:27:14 [LAUGHTER] So, use a smaller step size. 415 00:27:13 --> 00:27:19 And the picture, roughly, which is going to 416 00:27:17 --> 00:27:23 justify that, will look like this. 417 00:27:21 --> 00:27:27 If the solution curve looks like this, then with a big step 418 00:27:26 --> 00:27:32 size, I'm liable to have something that looks like that. 419 00:27:33 --> 00:27:39 But, if I take a smaller step size, suppose I have the step 420 00:27:38 --> 00:27:44 size. How's it going to look, 421 00:27:40 --> 00:27:46 then? Well, I better switch to a 422 00:27:43 --> 00:27:49 different color. If I have the step size, 423 00:27:47 --> 00:27:53 I'll get a littler, goes like that. 424 00:27:50 --> 00:27:56 And now it's following closer. Of course, I'm stacking the 425 00:27:55 --> 00:28:01 deck, but see how close it follows? 426 00:28:00 --> 00:28:06 I'm definitely not to be trusted on this. 427 00:28:02 --> 00:28:08 Okay, let's do the opposite, make really big steps. 428 00:28:05 --> 00:28:11 Suppose instead of the yellow ones I used the green one of 429 00:28:08 --> 00:28:14 double step size. Well, what would have happened 430 00:28:11 --> 00:28:17 then? Well, I've started out, 431 00:28:13 --> 00:28:19 but now I've gone all the way to there. 432 00:28:15 --> 00:28:21 And now, on my way up, of course, it has a little 433 00:28:18 --> 00:28:24 further to go. But, if for some reason, 434 00:28:21 --> 00:28:27 I stop there, you could see, 435 00:28:22 --> 00:28:28 I would be still lower. In other words, 436 00:28:24 --> 00:28:30 the bigger the steps size, the more the error. 437 00:28:29 --> 00:28:35 And, where are the errors that we are talking about? 438 00:28:33 --> 00:28:39 Well, the way to think of the errors, this is the error, 439 00:28:38 --> 00:28:44 that number the error. You can make it positive, 440 00:28:42 --> 00:28:48 negative, or just put it automatically an absolute value 441 00:28:47 --> 00:28:53 sign around it. That's not so important. 442 00:28:51 --> 00:28:57 So, in other words, the conclusion is, 443 00:28:54 --> 00:29:00 that the error e, the difference between the true 444 00:28:59 --> 00:29:05 value that I should have gotten, and the Euler value that the 445 00:29:04 --> 00:29:10 calculation produced, that the error e, 446 00:29:08 --> 00:29:14 depends on the step size. Now, how does it depend on the 447 00:29:14 --> 00:29:20 step size? Well, it's impossible to give 448 00:29:17 --> 00:29:23 an exact formula, but there's an approximate 449 00:29:20 --> 00:29:26 answer, which is, by and large, 450 00:29:22 --> 00:29:28 true. So, the answer is, 451 00:29:24 --> 00:29:30 e is going to be a function of h. 452 00:29:27 --> 00:29:33 What function? Well, asymptotically, 453 00:29:30 --> 00:29:36 which is another way of putting quotation marks around, 454 00:29:34 --> 00:29:40 what did I say? It's going to be a constant, 455 00:29:37 --> 00:29:43 some constant, times H. 456 00:29:40 --> 00:29:46 [LAUGHTER] It looks like this, 457 00:30:12 --> 00:30:18 and for this reason it's called a first order, 458 00:30:17 --> 00:30:23 the Euler is a first-order method. 459 00:30:21 --> 00:30:27 And now, first-order does not refer to the first order of the 460 00:30:28 --> 00:30:34 differential equation. It's not the first order 461 00:30:34 --> 00:30:40 because it's y prime equals f of (x, y). 462 00:30:38 --> 00:30:44 The first order means the fact 463 00:30:41 --> 00:30:47 that h occurs to the first power. 464 00:30:44 --> 00:30:50 The way people usually say this is since the normal way of 465 00:30:49 --> 00:30:55 decreasing the step size, as you'll see as is you try to 466 00:30:53 --> 00:30:59 use a computer visual that deals with the Euler method, 467 00:30:58 --> 00:31:04 which I highly recommend, by the way, so highly 468 00:31:02 --> 00:31:08 recommended that you have to do it, is that the way to say it, 469 00:31:07 --> 00:31:13 each new step has the step size. 470 00:31:12 --> 00:31:18 That's the usual way to do it. If you have the step size, 471 00:31:20 --> 00:31:26 since this is a constant, if I have the step size, 472 00:31:27 --> 00:31:33 I have the error, approximately. 473 00:31:33 --> 00:31:39 Have the step size, have the error. 474 00:31:36 --> 00:31:42 That tells you how the error varies with step size for 475 00:31:42 --> 00:31:48 Euler's method. Please understand, 476 00:31:46 --> 00:31:52 that's what people say, and please understand the 477 00:31:51 --> 00:31:57 grammatical construction. Since everyone in the math 478 00:31:56 --> 00:32:02 department has a cold these days except me for the moment, 479 00:32:03 --> 00:32:09 everyone goes around chanting this mantra. 480 00:32:09 --> 00:32:15 This is totally irrelevant. This whole mantra, 481 00:32:13 --> 00:32:19 feed a cold, starve a fever. 482 00:32:15 --> 00:32:21 And if you asked them what it means, they say eat a lot if you 483 00:32:21 --> 00:32:27 have a cold. And if you have a fever, 484 00:32:24 --> 00:32:30 don't eat very much, which is not what it means at 485 00:32:28 --> 00:32:34 all. Grammatically, 486 00:32:30 --> 00:32:36 it's exactly the same construction as this. 487 00:32:33 --> 00:32:39 What this means is if you have the step size, 488 00:32:37 --> 00:32:43 you will have the error. That's what feed a cold, 489 00:32:40 --> 00:32:46 starve a fever means. And, remember this for the rest 490 00:32:44 --> 00:32:50 of your life. If you feed a cold, 491 00:32:46 --> 00:32:52 if you eat too much when you have a cold, you will get a 492 00:32:50 --> 00:32:56 fever and end up still having to starve yourself because, 493 00:32:54 --> 00:33:00 of course, nobody, when you have a fever, 494 00:32:57 --> 00:33:03 nobody feels like eating, so they don't eat anything. 495 00:33:02 --> 00:33:08 All right, you got that? Good. 496 00:33:06 --> 00:33:12 I want all of you to go home and tell that to your mothers. 497 00:33:14 --> 00:33:20 You know, that's the way we always used to speak. 498 00:33:21 --> 00:33:27 Grimmer ones: spare the rod, 499 00:33:25 --> 00:33:31 spoil the child does not mean that you should not hit your 500 00:33:33 --> 00:33:39 kid. It means that if you fail to 501 00:33:39 --> 00:33:45 hit your kid, he or she will be spoiled, 502 00:33:44 --> 00:33:50 whatever that means. So, you don't want to do that. 503 00:33:50 --> 00:33:56 I guess the mantra today would be, I don't know. 504 00:33:56 --> 00:34:02 Okay, so the first line of defense is simply to keep having 505 00:34:03 --> 00:34:09 the step size in Euler. And, what people do is, 506 00:34:08 --> 00:34:14 if they don't want to use anything better than Euler's 507 00:34:11 --> 00:34:17 method, is you keep having the step size until the curve 508 00:34:15 --> 00:34:21 doesn't seem to change anymore. And then you say, 509 00:34:18 --> 00:34:24 well, that must be the solution. 510 00:34:20 --> 00:34:26 And, I asked you on the problems set, 511 00:34:22 --> 00:34:28 how much would you continue to have to have the step size in 512 00:34:26 --> 00:34:32 order for that good thing to happen? 513 00:34:30 --> 00:34:36 However, there are more efficient methods which get the 514 00:34:35 --> 00:34:41 results faster. So if that's our good method, 515 00:34:39 --> 00:34:45 let's call this our still better method. 516 00:34:43 --> 00:34:49 The better methods aim at being better. 517 00:34:47 --> 00:34:53 They keep the same idea as Euler's method, 518 00:34:51 --> 00:34:57 but they say, look, let's try to improve that 519 00:34:55 --> 00:35:01 slope, An. In other words, 520 00:34:59 --> 00:35:05 since the slope, An, that we start with is 521 00:35:01 --> 00:35:07 guaranteed to be wrong if the curve is convex or concave, 522 00:35:05 --> 00:35:11 can we somehow correct it? So, for example, 523 00:35:08 --> 00:35:14 instead of immediately aiming there, can't we somehow aim it 524 00:35:12 --> 00:35:18 so that by luck, we just, at the next step just 525 00:35:15 --> 00:35:21 lands us back on the curve again? 526 00:35:17 --> 00:35:23 In other words, with sort of looking for the 527 00:35:20 --> 00:35:26 short path, a shortcut path, which by good luck will end us 528 00:35:24 --> 00:35:30 up back on the curve again. And, all the simple 529 00:35:27 --> 00:35:33 improvements on the Euler method, and they are the most 530 00:35:31 --> 00:35:37 stable in ways to solve differential equations 531 00:35:34 --> 00:35:40 numerically, aim at finding a better slope. 532 00:35:39 --> 00:35:45 So, they find a better value for a better slope, 533 00:35:43 --> 00:35:49 find a better value than An. Try to improve that slope that 534 00:35:48 --> 00:35:54 you found. Now, once you have the idea 535 00:35:52 --> 00:35:58 that you should look for a better slope, 536 00:35:55 --> 00:36:01 it's not very difficult to see what, in fact, 537 00:35:59 --> 00:36:05 you should try. Again, I think most of you 538 00:36:03 --> 00:36:09 would say, hey, I would have thought of that. 539 00:36:07 --> 00:36:13 And, you would be closer in time, since these methods were 540 00:36:11 --> 00:36:17 only found about around the turn of the last century is when I 541 00:36:15 --> 00:36:21 place them, mostly by some German mathematicians interested 542 00:36:20 --> 00:36:26 in solving equations numerically. 543 00:36:22 --> 00:36:28 All right, so what is the better method? 544 00:36:25 --> 00:36:31 Our better slope, what should we look for in our 545 00:36:28 --> 00:36:34 better slope? Well, the simplest procedure 546 00:36:33 --> 00:36:39 is, once again, we are starting from there, 547 00:36:36 --> 00:36:42 and the Euler slope would be the same as a line element. 548 00:36:41 --> 00:36:47 So, the line element looks like this. 549 00:36:44 --> 00:36:50 And, our yellow slope, A, and I'll still continue to 550 00:36:48 --> 00:36:54 call it An, goes like that, gets to here. 551 00:36:51 --> 00:36:57 Okay, now if it were convex, if the curve were convex, 552 00:36:55 --> 00:37:01 this would be too low. And therefore, 553 00:36:58 --> 00:37:04 the next step would be, I'm going to draw this next 554 00:37:02 --> 00:37:08 step in pink. Well, let's continue in here, 555 00:37:07 --> 00:37:13 would be going up like that. I'll call this Bn, 556 00:37:10 --> 00:37:16 just because it's the next step of Euler's method. 557 00:37:14 --> 00:37:20 It could be called An prime or something like that. 558 00:37:19 --> 00:37:25 But this will do. And now what you do is, 559 00:37:22 --> 00:37:28 let me put an arrow on it to indicate parallelness, 560 00:37:26 --> 00:37:32 go back to the beginning, draw this parallel to Bn. 561 00:37:31 --> 00:37:37 So, here is Bn. Again, just a line of that same 562 00:37:35 --> 00:37:41 slope. And now, what you should use as 563 00:37:38 --> 00:37:44 the simplest improvement on Euler's method, 564 00:37:42 --> 00:37:48 is take the average of these two because that's more likely 565 00:37:48 --> 00:37:54 to hit the curve than An will, which is sure to be too low if 566 00:37:54 --> 00:38:00 the curve is convex. In other words, 567 00:37:57 --> 00:38:03 use this instead. Use that. 568 00:37:59 --> 00:38:05 So, this is our better slope. Okay, what will we call that 569 00:38:06 --> 00:38:12 slope? We don't have to call it 570 00:38:08 --> 00:38:14 anything. What were the equations for the 571 00:38:11 --> 00:38:17 method be? Well, x n plus one 572 00:38:14 --> 00:38:20 is gotten by adding the step size. 573 00:38:17 --> 00:38:23 So, here's my step size just as it was before. 574 00:38:20 --> 00:38:26 Just as it was before, the new thing is how to get the 575 00:38:25 --> 00:38:31 new value of y. So, y n plus one 576 00:38:28 --> 00:38:34 should be the old yn, plus h times not this crummy 577 00:38:32 --> 00:38:38 slope, An, but the better, the pink slope. 578 00:38:37 --> 00:38:43 What's the formula for the pink slope? 579 00:38:39 --> 00:38:45 Well, let's do it in two steps. It's the average of An and Bn. 580 00:38:44 --> 00:38:50 Hey, but you didn't tell me, or I didn't tell you what Bn 581 00:38:48 --> 00:38:54 was. So, you now must tell the 582 00:38:50 --> 00:38:56 computer, oh yes, by the way, you remember that 583 00:38:54 --> 00:39:00 An was what it always was. The interesting thing is, 584 00:38:58 --> 00:39:04 what is Bn? Well, to get Bn, 585 00:39:01 --> 00:39:07 Bn is the slope of the line element at this new point. 586 00:39:05 --> 00:39:11 Now, what am I going to call that new point? 587 00:39:08 --> 00:39:14 I don't want to call this y value, y n plus one, 588 00:39:12 --> 00:39:18 because that's, it's this up here that's going 589 00:39:16 --> 00:39:22 to be the y n plus one. All this is, 590 00:39:18 --> 00:39:24 is a temporary value used to make another calculation, 591 00:39:22 --> 00:39:28 which will then be combined with the previous calculations 592 00:39:27 --> 00:39:33 to get the right value. Therefore, give it a temporary 593 00:39:31 --> 00:39:37 name. That point, we'll call it, 594 00:39:34 --> 00:39:40 it's not going to be the final, the real y n plus one. 595 00:39:38 --> 00:39:44 We'll call it y n plus one 596 00:39:40 --> 00:39:46 twiddle, y n plus one temporary. And, what's the formula for it? 597 00:39:44 --> 00:39:50 Well, it's just going to be what the original Euler formula; 598 00:39:48 --> 00:39:54 it's going to be y n plus what you would have gotten if you had 599 00:39:52 --> 00:39:58 calculated, in other words, it's the point that the Euler 600 00:39:56 --> 00:40:02 method produced, but it's not, 601 00:39:57 --> 00:40:03 finally, the point that we want. 602 00:40:01 --> 00:40:07 Now, do I have to say anything else? 603 00:40:04 --> 00:40:10 Yeah, I didn't tell the computer what Bn was. 604 00:40:08 --> 00:40:14 Okay, Bn is the slope of the direction field at the point n 605 00:40:14 --> 00:40:20 plus one. And the computer knows what 606 00:40:19 --> 00:40:25 that is. And, this point, 607 00:40:21 --> 00:40:27 y n plus one temporary. 608 00:40:24 --> 00:40:30 So, you make a temporary choice of this, calculate that number, 609 00:40:31 --> 00:40:37 and then go back, and as it were, 610 00:40:34 --> 00:40:40 correct that value to this value by using this better 611 00:40:39 --> 00:40:45 slope. Now, that's all there is to the 612 00:40:44 --> 00:40:50 method, except I didn't give you its name. 613 00:40:48 --> 00:40:54 Well, it has three names, four names in fact. 614 00:40:52 --> 00:40:58 Which one shall I give you? I don't care. 615 00:40:56 --> 00:41:02 Okay, the shortest name is Heun's method. 616 00:41:00 --> 00:41:06 But nobody pronounces that correctly. 617 00:41:05 --> 00:41:11 So, it's Heun's method. It's called, 618 00:41:09 --> 00:41:15 also, the Improved Euler method. 619 00:41:13 --> 00:41:19 It's called Modified Euler, very expressive word, 620 00:41:19 --> 00:41:25 Modified Euler's method. And, it's also called RK2. 621 00:41:25 --> 00:41:31 I'm sure you'll like that name best. 622 00:41:31 --> 00:41:37 It has a Star Wars sort of sound. 623 00:41:33 --> 00:41:39 RK stands for Runge-Kutta, and the reason for the two is 624 00:41:38 --> 00:41:44 not that it uses, well, it is that it uses two 625 00:41:42 --> 00:41:48 slopes, but the real reason for the two is that it is a 626 00:41:46 --> 00:41:52 second-order method. So, that's the most important 627 00:41:50 --> 00:41:56 thing to put down about it. It's a second-order method, 628 00:41:55 --> 00:42:01 whereas Euler's was only a first-order method. 629 00:42:00 --> 00:42:06 So, Heun's method, or RK2, let's write it, 630 00:42:03 --> 00:42:09 is the shortest thing to write, is a second-order method, 631 00:42:08 --> 00:42:14 meaning that the error varies with the step size like some 632 00:42:13 --> 00:42:19 constant, it will not be the same as the constant for Euler's 633 00:42:19 --> 00:42:25 method, times h squared. 634 00:42:22 --> 00:42:28 That's a big saving because it now means that if you have the 635 00:42:28 --> 00:42:34 step size, you're going to decrease the error by a factor 636 00:42:33 --> 00:42:39 of one quarter. You will quarter the error. 637 00:42:38 --> 00:42:44 Now, you say, hey, why should anyone use 638 00:42:40 --> 00:42:46 anything else? Well, think a little second. 639 00:42:44 --> 00:42:50 The real thing which determines how slowly one of these methods 640 00:42:48 --> 00:42:54 run is you look at the hardest step of the method and ask how 641 00:42:53 --> 00:42:59 long does the computer take, how many of those hardest steps 642 00:42:57 --> 00:43:03 are there? Now, the answer is, 643 00:42:59 --> 00:43:05 the hardest step is always the evaluation of the function 644 00:43:04 --> 00:43:10 because the functions that are common use are not x squared 645 00:43:08 --> 00:43:14 minus y squared. They take half a page and have, 646 00:43:14 --> 00:43:20 as coefficients, you know, ten decimal place 647 00:43:17 --> 00:43:23 numbers, whatever the engineers doing it, whatever their 648 00:43:22 --> 00:43:28 accuracy was. So, the thing that controls how 649 00:43:25 --> 00:43:31 long a method runs is how many times the slope, 650 00:43:29 --> 00:43:35 the function, must be evaluated. 651 00:43:33 --> 00:43:39 For Euler, I only have to evaluate it once. 652 00:43:37 --> 00:43:43 Here, I have to evaluate it twice. 653 00:43:40 --> 00:43:46 Now, roughly speaking, the number of function 654 00:43:44 --> 00:43:50 evaluations will each give you the exponent. 655 00:43:48 --> 00:43:54 The method that's called Runge-Kutta fourth order will 656 00:43:53 --> 00:43:59 require four evaluations of slope, but the accuracy will be 657 00:43:59 --> 00:44:05 like h to the fourth: very accurate. 658 00:44:05 --> 00:44:11 You have the step size, and it goes down by a factor of 659 00:44:10 --> 00:44:16 16. Great. 660 00:44:10 --> 00:44:16 But you had to evaluate the slope four times. 661 00:44:14 --> 00:44:20 Suppose, instead, you have four times this thing. 662 00:44:19 --> 00:44:25 And, what would you have done? You would have decreased it to 663 00:44:24 --> 00:44:30 1/16th to what it was. You still would increase the 664 00:44:29 --> 00:44:35 number of function evaluations you needed by four, 665 00:44:34 --> 00:44:40 and you would have decreased the error by a 16th. 666 00:44:40 --> 00:44:46 So, in some sense, it really doesn't matter 667 00:44:43 --> 00:44:49 whether you use a very fancy method, which requires more 668 00:44:47 --> 00:44:53 function evaluations. That's true. 669 00:44:50 --> 00:44:56 The error goes down faster, but you are having to more work 670 00:44:54 --> 00:45:00 to get it. So, anyway, nothing is free. 671 00:44:57 --> 00:45:03 Now, there is an RK4. I think I'll skip that, 672 00:45:01 --> 00:45:07 since I wouldn't dare to ask you any questions about it. 673 00:45:06 --> 00:45:12 But, let me just mention it, at least, because it's the 674 00:45:10 --> 00:45:16 standard. It uses four evaluations. 675 00:45:13 --> 00:45:19 It's the standard method, if you don't want to do 676 00:45:17 --> 00:45:23 anything fancier. It's rather inefficient, 677 00:45:20 --> 00:45:26 but it's very accurate, standard method, 678 00:45:23 --> 00:45:29 accurate, and you'll see when you use the programs, 679 00:45:27 --> 00:45:33 it's, in fact, a program which is drawing 680 00:45:30 --> 00:45:36 those curves, the numerical method which 681 00:45:33 --> 00:45:39 draws all those curves that you believe in on the computer 682 00:45:38 --> 00:45:44 screen is the RK4 method. The Runge-Kutta, 683 00:45:43 --> 00:45:49 I should give them their names. Runge-Kutta, 684 00:45:47 --> 00:45:53 fourth-order method. Two mathematicians, 685 00:45:51 --> 00:45:57 I believe both German mathematicians around the turn 686 00:45:55 --> 00:46:01 of the last century, Runge-Kutta fourth-order method 687 00:46:00 --> 00:46:06 requires four slopes, requires you to calculate four 688 00:46:05 --> 00:46:11 slopes. I won't bother telling you what 689 00:46:09 --> 00:46:15 you do, but it's a procedure like that. 690 00:46:11 --> 00:46:17 It's just a little bit more elaborate. 691 00:46:14 --> 00:46:20 And you take two of these, you make up a weighted average 692 00:46:17 --> 00:46:23 for the super slope. You use weighted average. 693 00:46:20 --> 00:46:26 What should I divide that by to get the right...? 694 00:46:23 --> 00:46:29 Six. 695 00:46:24 --> 00:46:30 Why six? Well, because if all these 696 00:46:26 --> 00:46:32 numbers were the same, I'd want it to come out to be 697 00:46:29 --> 00:46:35 whatever that common value was. Therefore, in a weighted 698 00:46:35 --> 00:46:41 average, you must always divide by the sum of the coefficients. 699 00:46:40 --> 00:46:46 So, this is the super-slope. And, if you plug that 700 00:46:44 --> 00:46:50 super-slope into here, you will be using the 701 00:46:47 --> 00:46:53 Runge-Kutta method, and get the best possible 702 00:46:51 --> 00:46:57 results. Now, I wanted to spend the last 703 00:46:54 --> 00:47:00 three minutes talking about pitfalls of numerical 704 00:46:58 --> 00:47:04 computation in general. One pitfall I am leaving you on 705 00:47:04 --> 00:47:10 the homework to discover for yourself. 706 00:47:08 --> 00:47:14 Don't worry, it won't cause you any grief. 707 00:47:12 --> 00:47:18 It'll just destroy your faith in these things for the rest of 708 00:47:18 --> 00:47:24 your life, which is probably a good thing. 709 00:47:22 --> 00:47:28 So, pitfalls, number one, you find, 710 00:47:25 --> 00:47:31 you'll find. Let me talk, 711 00:47:27 --> 00:47:33 instead, briefly about number two, which I am not giving you 712 00:47:33 --> 00:47:39 an exercise in. Number two is illustrated by 713 00:47:37 --> 00:47:43 the following equation. What could be simpler? 714 00:47:40 --> 00:47:46 This is a very bad equation to try to solve numerically. 715 00:47:44 --> 00:47:50 Now, why? Well, because if I separate 716 00:47:47 --> 00:47:53 variables, why don't I save a little time? 717 00:47:49 --> 00:47:55 I'll just tell you what the solution is, okay? 718 00:47:53 --> 00:47:59 You obviously separate variables. 719 00:47:55 --> 00:48:01 Maybe you can do it in your head. 720 00:47:57 --> 00:48:03 The solution will be, the solutions will have an 721 00:48:00 --> 00:48:06 arbitrary constant in them, and they won't be very 722 00:48:03 --> 00:48:09 complicated. They will be one over c minus x. 723 00:48:08 --> 00:48:14 C is an arbitrary constant, 724 00:48:10 --> 00:48:16 and as you give different values, you get, 725 00:48:13 --> 00:48:19 now, what do those guys look like? 726 00:48:15 --> 00:48:21 Okay, so here I am. I start out at the point, 727 00:48:18 --> 00:48:24 one. And, I start out, 728 00:48:19 --> 00:48:25 I tell the computer, compute for me the value of the 729 00:48:23 --> 00:48:29 solution at one starting out at one. 730 00:48:25 --> 00:48:31 And, it computes and computes a little while. 731 00:48:28 --> 00:48:34 But the solution, how does this curve actually 732 00:48:31 --> 00:48:37 look? So, in other words, 733 00:48:34 --> 00:48:40 suppose I say that y of zero equals one. 734 00:48:38 --> 00:48:44 Find me y of two. In other words, 735 00:48:41 --> 00:48:47 take a nice small step size. Use the Runge-Kutta 736 00:48:44 --> 00:48:50 fourth-order method. Calculate a little bit, 737 00:48:48 --> 00:48:54 and tell me, I just want to know what y of 738 00:48:51 --> 00:48:57 two is. Well, what is y of two? 739 00:48:53 --> 00:48:59 Well, unfortunately, how does that curve look? 740 00:48:56 --> 00:49:02 The curve looks like this. At that point, 741 00:49:01 --> 00:49:07 it drops to infinity in a manner of speaking, 742 00:49:04 --> 00:49:10 and then sort of comes back up again like that. 743 00:49:07 --> 00:49:13 What is the value of y? This is the point, 744 00:49:11 --> 00:49:17 one. What is the value of y of two? 745 00:49:13 --> 00:49:19 Is it here? 746 00:49:15 --> 00:49:21 Is it this? Well, I don't know, 747 00:49:17 --> 00:49:23 but I do know that the computer will not find it. 748 00:49:20 --> 00:49:26 The computer will follow this along, and get lost in eternity, 749 00:49:25 --> 00:49:31 in infinity, and see no reason whatever why 750 00:49:28 --> 00:49:34 it should start again on this branch of the curve. 751 00:49:34 --> 00:49:40 Okay, well, can't we predict that that's going to happen 752 00:49:38 --> 00:49:44 somehow, avoid what I should have. 753 00:49:40 --> 00:49:46 The whole difficulty is, this is called a singular 754 00:49:44 --> 00:49:50 point. The solution has a singularity, 755 00:49:47 --> 00:49:53 in other words, a single place where it goes to 756 00:49:51 --> 00:49:57 infinity or becomes discontinuous, 757 00:49:53 --> 00:49:59 maybe as a jump discontinuity. It has a singularity at x 758 00:49:57 --> 00:50:03 equals c. This, in particular, 759 00:50:00 --> 00:50:06 at x equals one here, but from the differential 760 00:50:04 --> 00:50:10 equation, where is that c? There is no way of predicting 761 00:50:10 --> 00:50:16 it. Each solution, 762 00:50:11 --> 00:50:17 in other words, to this differential equation, 763 00:50:15 --> 00:50:21 has its own, private singularity, 764 00:50:17 --> 00:50:23 which only it knows about, and where it's going to blow 765 00:50:21 --> 00:50:27 up, and there's no way of telling from the differential 766 00:50:25 --> 00:50:31 equation where that's going to be. 767 00:50:28 --> 00:50:34 That's one of the things that makes numerical calculation 768 00:50:32 --> 00:50:38 difficult, when you cannot predict where things are going 769 00:50:37 --> 00:50:43 to go bad in advance.