Particular rules for the \(\Theta\)-algorithm (Q688135)

Convergence acceleration methods are very useful tools which make it often possible to use sequences and series that converge slowly. The \(\Theta\)-algorithm is an extrapolation algorithm which can be very useful in accelerating some slowly convergent sequences. Like the other acceleration algorithms, the \(\Theta\)-algorithm is quite sensitive to the propagation of rounding errors due to cancellation in the difference between two almost equal quantities. In order to avoid partially this drawback, particular rules are given. They have to be used, instead of the usual of the algorithm, when two adjacent quantities in a column are nearly equal. Numerical examples show that these rules can improve the numerical stability of the algorithm in some cases while, in other cases, the improvement is non-existent.