Final answer:
Numerical Integration involves using methods like the Midpoint, Trapezoidal, and Simpson's rules to approximate integrals, comparing these with the exact value to determine absolute errors, and examining their order of convergence by plotting on a log-log scale graph.
Step-by-step explanation:
The subject in question is Numerical Integration, which involves approximating the value of an integral using different numerical methods, such as the Midpoint rule, Trapezoidal rule, and Simpson's rule. To estimate the integral I = ∫01 √(1 + x2) dx with different stepsizes hk = 2-k where k ranges from 1 to 16, we would use these rules to calculate the approximate value of the integral for each stepsize, and then compare these results with the exact value I = π/4 to determine the absolute errors. By plotting these errors against the stepsizes on a log-log scale graph, we can analyze the order of convergence and check if it confirms the theoretical expectations for each numerical method.
Upon analyzing the plots, the order of convergence for each method can be observed, confirming the theoretical convergence rates (quadratic for Simpson's rule, linear for Trapezoidal and Midpoint rules) under ideal conditions. However, if the plot does not confirm the expected theory, possible explanations could include round-off errors or function behavior that doesn't align well with the assumptions of the numerical methods.