Compact stencil

The two point stencil for the first derivative of a function is given by:

${\displaystyle f'(x_{0})={\frac {f\left(x_{0}+h\right)-f\left(x_{0}-h\right)}{2h}}+O\left(h^{2}\right)}$.

This is obtained from the Taylor series expansion of the first derivative of the function given by:

${\displaystyle {\begin{array}{l}f'(x_{0})={\frac {f\left(x_{0}+h\right)-f(x_{0})}{h}}-{\frac {f^{(2)}(x_{0})}{2!}}h-{\frac {f^{(3)}(x_{0})}{3!}}h^{2}-{\frac {f^{(4)}(x_{0})}{4!}}h^{3}+\cdots \end{array}}}$.

Replacing ${\displaystyle h}$ with ${\displaystyle -h}$, we have:

${\displaystyle {\begin{array}{l}f'(x_{0})=-{\frac {f\left(x_{0}-h\right)-f(x_{0})}{h}}+{\frac {f^{(2)}(x_{0})}{2!}}h-{\frac {f^{(3)}(x_{0})}{3!}}h^{2}+{\frac {f^{(4)}(x_{0})}{4!}}h^{3}+\cdots \end{array}}}$.

Addition of the above two equations together results in the cancellation of the terms in odd powers of ${\displaystyle h}$:

${\displaystyle {\begin{array}{l}2f'(x_{0})={\frac {f\left(x_{0}+h\right)-f(x_{0})}{h}}-{\frac {f\left(x_{0}-h\right)-f(x_{0})}{h}}-2{\frac {f^{(3)}(x_{0})}{3!}}h^{2}+\cdots \end{array}}}$.

${\displaystyle {\begin{array}{l}f'(x_{0})={\frac {f\left(x_{0}+h\right)-f\left(x_{0}-h\right)}{2h}}-{\frac {f^{(3)}(x_{0})}{3!}}h^{2}+\cdots \end{array}}}$.

${\displaystyle {\begin{array}{l}f'(x_{0})={\frac {f\left(x_{0}+h\right)-f\left(x_{0}-h\right)}{2h}}+O\left(h^{2}\right)\end{array}}}$.

For example, the three point stencil for the second derivative of a function is given by:

${\displaystyle {\begin{array}{l}f^{(2)}(x_{0})={\frac {f\left(x_{0}+h\right)+f\left(x_{0}-h\right)-2f(x_{0})}{h^{2}}}+O\left(h^{2}\right)\end{array}}}$.

This is obtained from the Taylor series expansion of the first derivative of the function given by:

${\displaystyle {\begin{array}{l}f'(x_{0})={\frac {f\left(x_{0}+h\right)-f(x_{0})}{h}}-{\frac {f^{(2)}(x_{0})}{2!}}h-{\frac {f^{(3)}(x_{0})}{3!}}h^{2}-{\frac {f^{(4)}(x_{0})}{4!}}h^{3}+\cdots \end{array}}}$.

Replacing ${\displaystyle h}$ with ${\displaystyle -h}$, we have:

${\displaystyle {\begin{array}{l}f'(x_{0})=-{\frac {f\left(x_{0}-h\right)-f(x_{0})}{h}}+{\frac {f^{(2)}(x_{0})}{2!}}h-{\frac {f^{(3)}(x_{0})}{3!}}h^{2}+{\frac {f^{(4)}(x_{0})}{4!}}h^{3}+\cdots \end{array}}}$.

Subtraction of the above two equations results in the cancellation of the terms in even powers of ${\displaystyle h}$: ${\displaystyle {\begin{array}{l}0={\frac {f\left(x_{0}+h\right)-f(x_{0})}{h}}+{\frac {f\left(x_{0}-h\right)-f(x_{0})}{h}}-2{\frac {f^{(2)}(x_{0})}{2!}}h-2{\frac {f^{(4)}(x_{0})}{4!}}h^{3}+\cdots \end{array}}}$.

${\displaystyle {\begin{array}{l}f^{(2)}(x_{0})={\frac {f\left(x_{0}+h\right)+f\left(x_{0}-h\right)-2f(x_{0})}{h^{2}}}-2{\frac {f^{(4)}(x_{0})}{4!}}h^{2}+\cdots \end{array}}}$.

${\displaystyle {\begin{array}{l}f^{(2)}(x_{0})={\frac {f\left(x_{0}+h\right)+f\left(x_{0}-h\right)-2f(x_{0})}{h^{2}}}+O\left(h^{2}\right)\end{array}}}$.

• Stencil (numerical analysis)
• Non-compact stencil
• Five-point stencil