ABSTRACT
Linear interpolation is discussed in the preceding chapter as a method for finding a particular root of a polynomial, or, transcendental equation when the upper and lower bounds of the interval for search are provided. To continue the discussion of the general topic of interpolations which not necessarily linear could be quadratic (parabolic, cubic, quartic, and so on, we in this chapter present methods for this general need of interpolation in engineering analyses by treating not only equations but also a set of Ν tabulated data, (xi,yi) for i = 1−N. Finite difference table will be introduced and constructed for the equally-spaced data, that is x2−x1 = x3−x2 = … = xN−xN−1. This table can be utilized as a forward-difference, backward- difference, or, central-difference table depending on how its is applied for the interpolation use.
