Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2013 / ib / Paper 2 / 19C / Solution

Convergence of a numerical method on $[0,T]$ means that its grid error obeys ${\max }_{0\le nh\le T}|y_n-y(nh)|\to 0$ as $h\to 0$, with consistent initial values.

First, the implicit step of Backward Euler method is well-defined for $hL<1$: the map $z\mapsto y_n+hf(t_{n+1},z)$ is a contraction mapping on $\mathbb{R}$, so the Banach fixed-point theorem gives a unique solution. Let $M={\max }_{[0,T]}|y^{\prime \prime }|$, finite under the stated smoothness. The exact solution's step defect isso $|d_n|\le M{h}^2/2$. Subtract the exact and numerical step equations. The Lipschitz condition givesWith exact initial data, sum this geometric progression to obtainFor $hL\le 1/2$ and $nh\le T$, $-\log (1-hL)\le 2hL$, so the bracket is at most $e^{2LT}-1$. Thus the global error is $O(h)$, uniformly on $[0,T]$, and Backward Euler method converges with order one. A vanishing initial error adds only $(1-hL{)}^{-n}|e_0|$.

Order one is sharp: for $y^{\prime }=y$, $y(0)=1$ and $nh=T$, $y_n=(1-h{)}^{-n}=e^T(1+Th/2+O(h^2))$.

For the Dahlquist test equation $y^{\prime }=\lambda y$, the stability function is $R(z)=1/(1-z)$, $z=h\lambda$. Therefore its linear stability domain isThe strict inequality gives decay; equality gives bounded amplification. The whole closed left half-plane lies in this region, so Backward Euler method is A-stable.