Mathematics Student Work

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Date

2012

Disciplines

Mathematics

Abstract

An important piece of information when dealing with a polynomial in the complex plane is its roots, the value or values of x for a given function f such that f(x)=0. Iterative root finding methods, such as Newton’s method, are utilized to discover an approximate value when these values cannot be explicitly solved. This process can be graphically represented for complex-valued functions and has been achieved with relative ease on a 2-Dimensional plane. However, this process can also be embodied on a sphere through the method of stereographic projection, which has not been attempted. In this research, I worked with iterative root finding methods, such as Newton’s and other higher order methods, on the complex plane. Upon mapping out their iterations on the 2-D plane, I wrote a program to stereographically project them upon a sphere in order to be able to analyze their complete dynamics.

Comments

Project advisor: Robert Hesse, Department readers: Mike Heroux, Thomas Sibley,

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