Abstract
In this paper, we propose a general class of fourth-order optimal multi-point methods without memory for obtaining simple roots. This class requires only three functional evaluations (viz. two evaluations of function f(x(n)),f(y(n)) and one of its first-order derivative f '(x(n))) per iteration. Further, we show that the well-known Ostrowski's method and King's family of fourth-order procedures are special cases of our proposed schemes. One of the new particular subclasses is a biparametric family of iterative methods. By using complex dynamics tools, its stability is analyzed, showing stable members of the family. Further on, one of the parameters is fixed and the stability of the resulting class is studied. On the other hand, the accuracy and validity of new schemes is tested by a number of numerical examples by comparing them with recent and classical optimal fourth-order methods available in the literature. It is found that they are very useful in high precision computations. (C) 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.