Bairstow’s Method: Worked Example
Problem
Apply Bairstow’s method to
f (x) = 9.34 − 21.97x + 16.3x2 − 3.704x3
with initial guesses r0 = 2 and s0 = −0.5, using the quadratic divisor
x2 − rx − s.
Write the polynomial in descending powers:
f (x) = a3 x3 + a2 x2 + a1 x + a0 , (a3 , a2 , a1 , a0 ) = (−3.704, 16.3, −21.97, 9.34).
Formulas Used
1) Synthetic division coefficients bi
For division by x2 − rx − s:
b3 = a3 ,
b2 = a2 + r b3 ,
b1 = a1 + r b2 + s b3 ,
b0 = a0 + r b1 + s b2 .
Convergence requires the remainder (b1 , b0 ) → (0, 0).
2) Auxiliary coefficients ci
c3 = b3 ,
c2 = b2 + r c3 ,
c1 = b1 + r c2 + s c3 .
3) Linear system for ∆r, ∆s
(
c2 ∆r + c3 ∆s = −b1 ,
rnew = r + ∆r, snew = s + ∆s.
c1 ∆r + c2 ∆s = −b0 ,
4) Approximate relative errors
∆r ∆s
|εa,r | = × 100%, |εa,s | = × 100%.
rnew snew
1
5) Roots from the quadratic factor
Once r, s converge, the quadratic roots are
√
r± r2 + 4s
x= .
2
For a cubic, the quotient after division is linear: Q(x) = b3 x + b2 , so the remaining root is
b2
x=− .
b3
Iteration 1
Given r = 2.000 000, s = −0.500 000.
(a) Compute bi
b3 = a3 = −3.704 000,
b2 = a2 + rb3 = 16.300 000 + (2.000 000)(−3.704 000) = 8.892 000,
b1 = a1 + rb2 + sb3 = −21.970 000 + (2.000 000)(8.892 000) + (−0.500 000)(−3.704 000) = −2.334 000,
b0 = a0 + rb1 + sb2 = 9.340 000 + (2.000 000)(−2.334 000) + (−0.500 000)(8.892 000) = 0.226 000.
(b) Compute ci
c3 = b3 = −3.704 000,
c2 = b2 + rc3 = 8.892 000 + (2.000 000)(−3.704 000) = 1.484 000,
c1 = b1 + rc2 + sc3 = −2.334 000 + (2.000 000)(1.484 000) + (−0.500 000)(−3.704 000) = 2.486 000.
(c) Solve for ∆r, ∆s, update, errors
(
(1.484 000)∆r + (−3.704 000)∆s = 2.334 000,
⇒ ∆r = 0.230 189, ∆s = −0.537 905.
(2.486 000)∆r + (1.484 000)∆s = −0.226 000,
rnew = 2.230 189, snew = −1.037 905.
|εa,r | = 10.321 500%, |εa,s | = 51.826 000%.
Iteration 2
Given r = 2.230 189, s = −1.037 905.
(a) Compute bi
b3 = −3.704 000,
b2 = 16.300 000 + (2.230 189)(−3.704 000) = 8.039 559,
b1 = −21.970 000 + (2.230 189)(8.039 559) + (−1.037 905)(−3.704 000) = −0.196 264,
b0 = 9.340 000 + (2.230 189)(−0.196 264) + (−1.037 905)(8.039 559) = 0.558 184.
(b) Compute ci
c3 = −3.704 000,
c2 = 8.039 559 + (2.230 189)(−3.704 000) = −0.220 882,
c1 = −0.196 264 + (2.230 189)(−0.220 882) + (−1.037 905)(−3.704 000) = 3.154 055.
2
(c) Solve, update, errors
∆r = −0.179 899, ∆s = −0.042 242,
rnew = 2.050 291, snew = −1.080 146,
|εa,r | = 8.774 290%, |εa,s | = 3.910 730%.
Iteration 3
Given r = 2.050 291, s = −1.080 146.
(a) Compute bi
b3 = −3.704 000,
b2 = 16.300 000 + (2.050 291)(−3.704 000) = 8.707 923,
b1 = −21.970 000 + (2.050 291)(8.707 923) + (−1.080 146)(−3.704 000) = −0.119 874,
b0 = 9.340 000 + (2.050 291)(−0.119 874) + (−1.080 146)(8.707 923) = −0.309 232.
(b) Compute ci
c3 = −3.704 000,
c2 = 8.707 923 + (2.050 291)(−3.704 000) = 1.115 846,
c1 = −0.119 874 + (2.050 291)(1.115 846) + (−1.080 146)(−3.704 000) = 6.201 815.
(c) Solve, update, errors
∆r = 0.053 163, ∆s = −0.016 411,
rnew = 2.103 454, snew = −1.096 557,
|εa,r | = 2.527 420%, |εa,s | = 1.496 600%.
Iteration 4
Given r = 2.103 454, s = −1.096 557.
(a) Compute bi
b3 = −3.704 000,
b2 = 16.300 000 + (2.103 454)(−3.704 000) = 8.511 612,
b1 = −21.970 000 + (2.103 454)(8.511 612) + (−1.096 557)(−3.704 000) = −0.010 469,
b0 = 9.340 000 + (2.103 454)(−0.010 469) + (−1.096 557)(8.511 612) = −0.012 416.
(b) Compute ci
c3 = −3.704 000,
c2 = 8.511 612 + (2.103 454)(−3.704 000) = 0.723 535,
c1 = −0.010 469 + (2.103 454)(0.723 535) + (−1.096 557)(−3.704 000) = 5.586 857.
3
(c) Solve, update, errors
∆r = 0.002 534, ∆s = −0.002 335,
rnew = 2.105 988, snew = −1.098 893,
|εa,r | = 0.120 332%, |εa,s | = 0.212 517%.
Roots
(a) Quadratic roots
Using r = 2.105 989, s = −1.098 899:
√
r ± r2 + 4s
x= ⇒ x1 ≈ 0.953 503, x2 ≈ 1.152 486.
2
(b) Linear quotient root
For a cubic, Q(x) = b3 x + b2 with b3 = a3 = −3.704 000 and
b2 = a2 + rb3 = 16.300 000 + (2.105 989)(−3.704 000) ≈ 8.499 420.
Hence,
b2 8.499 420
x3 = − ≈− = 2.294 659.
b3 −3.704 000
Final Answer
x ≈ 0.953 503, 1.152 486, 2.294 659.