Transformation methods for finding multiple roots of nonlinear equations

In this paper, to estimate a multiple root p of an equation f(x) = 0, we transform the function f(x) to a hyper tangent function combined with a simple difference formula whose value changes from −1 to 1 as x passes through the root p. Then we apply the so-called numerical integration method to the transformed equation, which may result in a specious approximate root. Furthermore, in order to enhance the accuracy of the approximation we propose a Steffensen-type iterative method, which does not require any derivatives of f(x) nor is quite affected by an initial approximation. It is shown that the convergence order of the proposed method becomes cubic by simultaneous approximation to the root and its multiplicity. Results for some numerical examples show the efficiency of the new method.     

Solving second order initial value problems by a hybrid multistep method without predictors

A three-step seventh order hybrid linear multistep method (HLMM) with three non-step points is proposed for the direct solution of the special second order initial value problems (IVPs) of the form y″ = f(x, y) with an extension to y″ = f(x, y, y′). The main method and additional methods are obtained from the same continuous scheme derived via interpolation and collocation procedures.The stability properties of the methods are discussed by expressing them as a one-step method in higher dimension. The methods are then applied in block form as simultaneous numerical integrators over non-overlapping intervals. Numerical results obtained using the proposed block form reveal that it is highly competitive with existing methods in the literature.     

A non-separable solution of the diffusion equation based on the Galerkin’s method using cubic splines

The two dimensional diffusion equation of the form is considered in this paper. We try a bi-cubic spline function of the form as its solution. The initial coefficients C_i,j(0) are computed simply by applying a collocation method; C_i,j = f(x_i, y_j) where f(x, y) = u(x, y, 0) is the given initial condition. Then the coefficients C_i,j(t) are computed by X(t) = e^tQX(0) where X(t) = (C_0,1, C_0,1, C_0,2, … , C_0,N, C_1,0, … , C_N,N) is a one dimensional array and the square matrix Q is derived from applying the Galerkin’s method to the diffusion equation. Note that this expression provides a solution that is not necessarily separable in space coordinates x, y. The results of sample calculations for a few example problems along with the calculation results of approximation errors for a problem with known analytical solution are included.     

On the rates of convergence of BBH-Kantorovich operators and their Bézier variant

In the present paper we consider the Bézier variant of BBH-Kantorovich operators J_n,αf for functions f measurable and locally bounded on the interval [0, ∞) with α ? 1. By using the Chanturiya modulus of variation we estimate the rate of pointwise convergence of J_n,αf(x) at those x > 0 at which the one-sided limits f(x+), f(x−) exist. The very recent result of Chen and Zeng (2009) [L. Chen, X.M. Zeng, Rate of convergence of a new type Kantorovich variant of Bleimann-Butzer-Hahn Operators, J. Inequal. Appl. 2009 (2009) 10. Article ID 852897] is extended to more general classes of functions.     

Hoffman polynomials of nonnegative irreducible matrices and strongly connected digraphs

For a nonnegative n × n matrix A, we find that there is a polynomial f(x)∈R[x] such that f(A) is a positive matrix of rank one if and only if A is irreducible. Furthermore, we show that the lowest degree such polynomial f(x) with tr f(A) = n is unique. Thus, generalizing the well-known definition of the Hoffman polynomial of a strongly connected regular digraph, for any irreducible nonnegative n × n matrix A, we are led to define its Hoffman polynomial to be the polynomial f(x) of minimum degree satisfying that f(A) is positive and has rank 1 and trace n. The Hoffman polynomial of a strongly connected digraph is defined to be the Hoffman polynomial of its adjacency matrix. We collect in this paper some basic results and open problems related to the concept of Hoffman polynomials.     

Efficient Chebyshev spectral methods for solving multi-term fractional orders differential equations

In this paper, we state and prove a new formula expressing explicitly the derivatives of shifted Chebyshev polynomials of any degree and for any fractional-order in terms of shifted Chebyshev polynomials themselves. We develop also a direct solution technique for solving the linear multi-order fractional differential equations (FDEs) with constant coefficients using a spectral tau method. The spatial approximation with its fractional-order derivatives (described in the Caputo sense) are based on shifted Chebyshev polynomials T_L,n(x) with x ∈ (0, L), L > 0 and n is the polynomial degree. We presented a shifted Chebyshev collocation method with shifted Chebyshev–Gauss points used as collocation nodes for solving nonlinear multi-order fractional initial value problems. Several numerical examples are considered aiming to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the proposed techniques and to compare with the existing results.     

An inverse problem for computing a leading coefficient in the Sturm-Liouville operator by using the boundary data

We consider an inverse problem for identifying a leading coefficient α(x) in −(α(x)y′(x))′ + q(x)y(x) = H(x), which is known as an inverse coefficient problem for the Sturm-Liouville operator. We transform y(x) to u(x, t) =  (1 + t)y(x) and derive a parabolic type PDE in a fictitious time domain of t. Then we develop a Lie-group adaptive method (LGAM) to find the coefficient function α(x). When α(x) is a continuous function of x, we can identify it very well, by giving boundary data of y, y′ and α. The efficiency of LGAM is confirmed by comparing the numerical results with exact solutions. Although the data used in the identification are limited, we can provide a rather accurate solution of α(x).     

Nonsingularity of matrices associated with classes of arithmetical functions on lcm-closed sets

Let S = {x₁, … , x_n} be a set of n distinct positive integers and f be an arithmetical function. Let [f(x_i, x_j)] denote the n × n matrix having f evaluated at the greatest common divisor (x_i, x_j) of x_i and x_j as its i, j-entry and (f[x_i, x_j]) denote the n × n matrix having f evaluated at the least common multiple [x_i, x_j] of x_i and x_j as its i, j-entry. The set S is said to be lcm-closed if [x_i, x_j] ∈ S for all 1 ? i, j ? n. For an integer x > 1, let ω(x) denote the number of distinct prime factors of x. Define ω(1) = 0. In this paper, we show that if S = {x₁, … , x_n} is an lcm-closed set satisfying , and if f is a strictly increasing (resp. decreasing) completely multiplicative function, or if f is a strictly decreasing (resp. increasing) completely multiplicative function satisfying (resp. f(p) ? p) for any prime p, then the matrix [f(x_i, x_j)] (resp. (f[x_i, x_j])) defined on S is nonsingular. By using the concept of least-type multiple introduced in [S. Hong, J. Algebra 281 (2004) 1-14], we also obtain reduced formulas for det(f(x_i, x_j)) and det(f[x_i, x_j]) when f is completely multiplicative and S is lcm-closed. We also establish several results about the nonsingularity of LCM matrices and reciprocal GCD matrices.     

A note on positive evanescent solutions for a certain class of elliptic problems

This paper is devoted to the existence and properties of solutions of the following class of nonlinear elliptic differential equations Δu(x)+f(x,u(x))+g(‖x‖)x⋅∇u(x)=0, x∈Rn, ‖x‖>R. We prove existence of positive solutions vanishing at positive infinity. Our approach is based on the subsolution and supersolution method. The nonlinearity f covers both sublinear and superlinear cases and does not necessarily satisfy f(x,0)≡0. The asymptotic behavior of solutions is also described.     

Generalized Gaussian quadrature rules over two-dimensional regions with linear sides

This paper presents a generalized Gaussian quadrature method for numerical integration over triangular, parallelogram and quadrilateral elements with linear sides. In order to derive the quadrature rule, a general transformation of the regions, R₁ = {(x, y)∣a ? x ? b, g(x) ? y ? h(x)} and R₂ = {(x, y)∣a ? y ? b, g(y) ? x ? h(y)}, where g(x), h(x), g(y) and h(y) are linear functions, is given from (x, y) space to a square in (ξ, η) space, S: {(ξ, η)∣0 ? ξ ? 1, 0 ? η ? 1}. Generlized Gaussian quadrature nodes and weights introduced by Ma et.al. in 1997 are used in the product formula presented in this paper to evaluate the integral over S, as it is proved to give more accurate results than the classical Gauss Legendre nodes and weights. The method can be used to integrate a wide class of functions including smooth functions and functions with end-point singularities, over any two-dimensional region, bounded by linear sides. The performance of the method is illustrated for different functions over different two-dimensional regions with numerical examples.     

Eigenvalue inequalities for convex and log-convex functions

We give a matrix version of the scalar inequality f(a + b) ? f(a) + f(b) for positive concave functions f on [0, ∞). We show that Choi’s inequality for positive unital maps and operator convex functions remains valid for monotone convex functions at the cost of unitary congruences. Some inequalities for log-convex functions are presented and a new arithmetic-geometric mean inequality for positive matrices is given. We also point out a simple proof of the Bhatia-Kittaneh arithmetic-geometric mean inequality.     

Prospective teachers’ reactions to Right-or-Wrong tasks: The case of derivatives of absolute value functions

This paper illustrates the role of a Thinking-about-Derivatives task in identifying learners’ derivative conceptions and for promoting their critical thinking about derivatives of absolute value functions. The task included three parts: Define the derivative of a function f(x) at x = x_0,Solve-if-Possible the derivative of f(x) = |x| at x = 2 and at x = 0, and evaluate the correctness of suggested solutions in a Right-or-Wrong part. Three prospective teachers, Noa, Anat and Daniel were individually interviewed when solving the task. We found that while the participants correctly solved the Define part, they exhibited some erroneous images in the Solve-if-Possible part, and their work on the Right-or-Wrong part contributed to their critical thinking about functions and derivatives. All three participants expressed their appreciation of their work on the Right-or-Wrong part of the task.     

Krull’s theory for the double gamma function

The Barnes’ G-function G(x) = 1/Γ₂, satisfies the functional equation logG(x + 1) − logG(x) = logΓ(x). We complement W. Krull’s work in Bemerkungen zur Differenzengleichung g(x + 1) − g(x) = φ(x), Math. Nachrichten 1 (1948), 365-376 with additional results that yield a different characterization of the function G, new expansions and sharp bounds for G on x > 0 in terms of Gamma and Digamma functions, a new expansion for the Gamma function and summation formulae with Polygamma functions.     

Recurrent points and non-wandering points of graph maps

Let G be a graph and f:G→G be a continuous map. Denote by P(f), R(f) and Ω(f) the sets of periodic points, recurrent points and non-wandering points of f, respectively. In this paper we show that: (1) If L=(x,y) is an open arc contained in an edge of G such that {fm(x),fk(y)}⊂(x,y) for some m,k∈N, then R(f)∩(x,y)≠∅; (2) Any isolated point of P(f) is also an isolated point of Ω(f); (3) If x∈Ω(f)−Ω(fn) for some n∈N, then x is an eventually periodic point. These generalize the corresponding results in W. Huang and X. Ye (2001) [9] and J. Xiong (1983, 1986) [17] and [19] on interval maps or tree maps.     

Kolmogorov Vector Fields with Robustly Permanent Subsystems

The following results are proven. All subsystems of a dissipative Kolmogorov vector field ?_i = x_if_i(x) are robustly permanent if and only if the external Lyapunov exponents are positive for every ergodic probability measure μ with support in the boundary of the nonnegative orthant. If the vector field is also totally competitive, its carrying simplex is C¹. Applying these results to dissipative Lotka-Volterra systems, robust permanence of all subsystems is equivalent to every equilibrium x* satisfying f_i(x* > 0 whenever x_i^* = 0. If in addition the Lotka-Volterra system is totally competitive, then its carrying simplex is C¹.     

Automatic Controls for Nonlinear Dynamical Systems with Lipschitzian Trajectories

We would like to investigate on the solution to the automatic control problem given by the differential equation y′(t) = f(t, y(t), w(t)) for a given initial function x in the initial domain D(x, ω, Y) for almost all t in the interval I, with controls given by w(t) = g(t, y(t), T(y)(t)), where T is a nonanticipating and Lipschitzian operator. The result will be generalized for a dynamical system y′(t) = f(t, y(t), T(y), u(t)).     

On singular integrals depending on three parameters

In this paper we will prove the pointwise convergence of L(f; x, y, λ) to f(x₀, y₀), as (x, y, λ) tends to (x₀, y₀, λ₀) in the space L_2π, by the three parameter family of singular operators. In contrast to previous works, the kernel function is radial.