Browsing by Author "Ault, David A."

Now showing 1 - 5 of 5
  • Thumbnail Image
    Charcoal Iron Industry Analysis: Data Preparation and Computer Program Design
    Ault, David A.; Schallenberg, Richard H. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1975)
    A report of the use of the computer to analyze historical data on the charcoal iron industry is presented. It includes a discussion of the problem of analyzing historical data by computer and the use of the computer to locate errors or inconsistencies in the reporting of the original data and in the transcription process from document to punched card. The type of analysis applied to the data is described and the methods of program construction and verification are explained. The results of this analysis are reported in a separate paper.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Introduction to Pest Control Using the Watfiv Compiler
    Ault, David A. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1974)
    The purpose of this paper is to consolidate into a brief guide procedures to aid in debugging FORTRAN programs which are being executed under the control of a WATFIV compiler.
  • Thumbnail Image
    On Making Bairstow's Method Work
    Ault, David A. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1974)
    No abstract available.
  • Thumbnail Image
    On the Minimal Total Path Length of a Spanning Tree
    Kang, Andy N. C.; Ault, David A. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1974)
    The notions of a balance node and the total path length with respect to a node u of a spanning tree are defined. We show that the total path length of a spanning tree with respect to u is minimal if and only if u is a balance node. An algorithm is also given to locate a balance node. A proof of the correctness of the algorithm is given and the complexity of the algorithm is analyzed.
  • Thumbnail Image
    A Total Algorithm for Polynomial Roots Based Upon Bairstow's Method
    Ault, David A. (Department of Computer Science, Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University, 1974)
    This program uses Bairstow's method to find the real and complex roots of a polynomial with real coefficients. There are several reasons for developing a routine based upon Bairstow's method. It is sometimes the case that all of the roots of a polynomial with real coefficients are desired. Bairstow's method provitles an iterative process for finding both the real and complex roots using only real arithmetic. Further, since it is based on Newton's method for a system of two nonlinear equations in two unknowns, it has the rapid convergence property of Newton's method for systems of equations. The major drawback of this method is that it sometimes fails to converge [11, p. 110]. This is because it is difficult to find an initial starting guess which satisfies the strict conditions necessary to assure convergence. When these conditions are not satisfied, the sequence of approximations may jump away from the desired roots or may iterate away from the roots indefinitely.