<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><!DOCTYPE article  PUBLIC "-//NLM//DTD Journal Publishing DTD v3.0 20080202//EN" "http://dtd.nlm.nih.gov/publishing/3.0/journalpublishing3.dtd"><article xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" dtd-version="3.0" xml:lang="en" article-type="research article"><front><journal-meta><journal-id journal-id-type="publisher-id">AM</journal-id><journal-title-group><journal-title>Applied Mathematics</journal-title></journal-title-group><issn pub-type="epub">2152-7385</issn><publisher><publisher-name>Scientific Research Publishing</publisher-name></publisher></journal-meta><article-meta><article-id pub-id-type="doi">10.4236/am.2014.520305</article-id><article-id pub-id-type="publisher-id">AM-51587</article-id><article-categories><subj-group subj-group-type="heading"><subject>Articles</subject></subj-group><subj-group subj-group-type="Discipline-v2"><subject>Computer Science&amp;Communications</subject><subject> Engineering</subject><subject> Physics&amp;Mathematics</subject></subj-group></article-categories><title-group><article-title>
 
 
  The Best Piecewise Linearization of Nonlinear Functions
 
</article-title></title-group><contrib-group><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>ohammad</surname><given-names>Mehdi Mazarei</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref><xref ref-type="corresp" rid="cor1"><sup>*</sup></xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Ali</surname><given-names>Asghar Behroozpoor</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref></contrib><contrib contrib-type="author" xlink:type="simple"><name name-style="western"><surname>Ali</surname><given-names>Vahidian Kamyad</given-names></name><xref ref-type="aff" rid="aff1"><sup>1</sup></xref></contrib></contrib-group><aff id="aff1"><addr-line>Department of Applied Mathematics, School of Mathematical Sciences, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, 
International Campus, Mashhad, Iran</addr-line></aff><author-notes><corresp id="cor1">* E-mail:<email>mm.mazarei@pgstp.ir(OMM)</email>;</corresp></author-notes><pub-date pub-type="epub"><day>20</day><month>11</month><year>2014</year></pub-date><volume>05</volume><issue>20</issue><fpage>3270</fpage><lpage>3276</lpage><history><date date-type="received"><day>11</day>	<month>August</month>	<year>2014</year></date><date date-type="rev-recd"><day>12</day>	<month>September</month>	<year>2014</year>	</date><date date-type="accepted"><day>8</day>	<month>October</month>	<year>2014</year></date></history><permissions><copyright-statement>&#169; Copyright  2014 by authors and Scientific Research Publishing Inc. </copyright-statement><copyright-year>2014</copyright-year><license><license-p>This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution International License (CC BY). http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/</license-p></license></permissions><abstract><p>
 
 
  In this paper, we propose a method for finding the best piecewise linearization of nonlinear functions. For this aim, we try to obtain the best approximation of a nonlinear function as a piecewise linear function. Our method is based on an optimization problem. The optimal solution of this optimization problem is the best piecewise linear approximation of nonlinear function. Finally, we examine our method to some examples.
 
</p></abstract><kwd-group><kwd>Nonlinear Systems</kwd><kwd> Piecewise Linearization</kwd><kwd> Optimization Problem</kwd><kwd> Linear Programming</kwd></kwd-group></article-meta></front><body><sec id="s1"><title>1. Introduction</title><p>The linearization of nonlinear systems is an efficient tool for finding approximate solutions and treatment analysis of these systems, especially in application [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.51587-ref1">1</xref>] -[<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.51587-ref3">3</xref>] . Some researchers have used some methods based on the optimization problem [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.51587-ref4">4</xref>] . But in many applications for nonlinear and nonsmooth functions, we are faced to some problems. In fact, piecewise linearization is a more efficient tool for finding approximate solutions. Some researchers have used piecewise linearization in applications [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.51587-ref5">5</xref>] [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.51587-ref6">6</xref>] . Also, some researchers have used piecewise linearization to solve ODEs and PDEs [<xref ref-type="bibr" rid="scirp.51587-ref7">7</xref>] .</p><p>First, we consider a nonlinear function. Let <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x5.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> be a nonlinear function. We suppose that</p><p><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x6.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>varies in a subset of <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x7.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> as <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x8.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> and this subset is compact. Our aim is to approximate the</p><p>nonlinear function <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x9.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> by a piecewise linear function as follows:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1159"><label>(1)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x11.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>where <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x12.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> is <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x13.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>th subset in partitioning of <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x14.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> as<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x15.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. As we know, this partitioning has bel-</p><p>low properties:</p><p>1) <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x16.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula></p><p>2) <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x17.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula></p><p>Also, <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x18.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>is a characteristic function on <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x19.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> such that:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1160"><label>(2)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x20.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>Now, let<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x21.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. As we know <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x21.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x22.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> is a Hilbert space of <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x21.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x22.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x23.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> with the follow-</p><p>ing inner product:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1161"><label>(3)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x24.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>and</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1162"><label>(4)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x25.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>Definition 1. We define <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x26.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x26.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x27.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> be the set of all <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x26.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x27.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x28.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> of the form (1).</p><p>Definition 2. If <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x29.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> is a nonlinear function and<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x29.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x30.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>, we define <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x29.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x30.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x31.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> as follows:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1163"><label>(5)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x32.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>Theorem. The subset <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x33.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> is dens on<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x33.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x34.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>.</p><p>Proof. Suppose that <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x35.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> be a nonlinear function that<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x35.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x36.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>.</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1164"><graphic  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x37.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>Definition 3. We call <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x38.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> the best piecewise linear approximation of <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x38.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x39.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> if for any <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x38.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x39.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x40.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula></p><p>we have</p><p><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x41.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>.</p><p>In fact, by above definition <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x42.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> is optimal solution of the following optimization problem:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1165"><label>(6)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x43.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>Obviously, because<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x44.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>, the optimization problem has optimal solution.</p></sec><sec id="s2"><title>2. Approach</title><p>At first, we consider a nonlinear function<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x45.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. Secondly, we explain this approach for a nonlinear function<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x45.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x46.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. Then, we explain this approach for a nonlinear function<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x45.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x46.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x47.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>.</p><p>1) Let to consider the bellow optimization problem</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1166"><graphic  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x48.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>where, <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x49.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>is a nonlinear function and<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x49.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x50.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. As we know <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x49.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x50.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x51.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> can be replaced by<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x49.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x50.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x51.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x52.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>.</p><p>Now, we decompose interval <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x53.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> to <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x53.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x54.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> subintervals <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x53.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x54.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x55.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> (See <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig1">Figure 1</xref>).</p><p>Since, <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x56.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>, we have</p><fig id="fig1"  position="float"><label><xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig1">Figure 1</xref></label><caption><title> Partitioning <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x58.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> to subintervals<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x58.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x59.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula></title></caption><graphic mimetype="image"   position="float"  xlink:type="simple"  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x57.png"/></fig><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1167"><label>(7)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x60.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>Our objective function is a functional. Now, we reduce this functional to a summation as follows:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1168"><label>(8)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x61.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>So, the optimization problem (8) is as follows:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1169"><label>(9)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x62.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>But, the optimization problem (9) is a nonlinear programming problem. We reduce this problem to a linear programming problem by relation <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x63.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> such that<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x63.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x64.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. So, our optimization problem will be as follows:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1170"><label>(10)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x65.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>2) Second, we consider a nonlinear function<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x66.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. So, we have the optimization problem as follows:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1171"><label>(11)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x67.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>where <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x68.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> is the ith partition in partitioning of <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x68.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x69.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> and<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x68.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x69.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x70.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. Also we can replace <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x68.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x69.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x70.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x71.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> by<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x68.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x69.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x70.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x71.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x72.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. As, we explained in 1) the optimization problem (11) will be reduced to a linear programming problem as follows:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1172"><label>(12)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x73.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>where <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x74.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x74.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x75.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> are numbers of subintervals on axises <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x74.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x75.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x76.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> and<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x74.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x75.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x76.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x77.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>, respectively (See <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig2">Figure 2</xref>).</p><p>3) Third, we consider a nonlinear function<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x78.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. So, we have the optimization problem as fol-</p><fig id="fig2"  position="float"><label><xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig2">Figure 2</xref></label><caption><title> Partitioning <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x80.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> to subintervals<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x80.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x81.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula></title></caption><graphic mimetype="image"   position="float"  xlink:type="simple"  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x79.png"/></fig><p>lows:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1173"><label>(13)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x82.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>As, we explained in sections 1) and 2) this optimization problem will be reduced to a linear programming problem as follows:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1174"><label>(14)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x83.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>where <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x84.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> are numbers of subintervals on axises <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x84.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x85.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> respectively.</p></sec><sec id="s3"><title>3. Examples</title><p>In this section, we show efficiency of our approach by several examples. Also, we define the root mean squared error by follow relation:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1175"><label>(15)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x86.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>Example 1. We consider nonlinear nonsmooth function <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x87.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> on interval<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x87.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x88.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>.</p><p>As we explained in section 1), the linear programming corresponding to this function is as follows:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1176"><label>(16)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x89.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>The optimal solution of linear programming problem (16) is the best piecewise linearization of the function <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x90.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> on<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x90.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x91.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. We let <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x90.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x91.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x92.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> and<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x90.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x91.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x92.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x93.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>, respectively (See <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig3">Figure 3</xref>, <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig4">Figure 4</xref>). In this example, we have <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x90.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x91.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x92.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x93.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x94.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> for<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x90.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x91.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x92.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x93.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x94.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x95.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. As we can see the approximate piecewise linearization of this function is high accurate.</p><p>Example 2. We consider nonlinear function <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x96.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> on interval<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x96.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x97.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. We have obtained the piecewise approximation of this nonlinear function using two other methods. These methods are Splines Piecewise Approximation (SPA) and Mixture of Polynomials (MOP). Then we have compared these with our method.</p><p>As we explained in section 1), the linear programming corresponding to this function is as follows:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1177"><label>(17)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x98.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><fig id="fig3"  position="float"><label><xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig3">Figure 3</xref></label><caption><title> The figure of piecewise function approximation of nonlinear function <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x100.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> for<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x100.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x101.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula></title></caption><graphic mimetype="image"   position="float"  xlink:type="simple"  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x99.png"/></fig><fig id="fig4"  position="float"><label><xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig4">Figure 4</xref></label><caption><title> The figure of piecewise function approximation of nonlinear function <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x103.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> for<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x103.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x104.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula></title></caption><graphic mimetype="image"   position="float"  xlink:type="simple"  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x102.png"/></fig><p>The optimal solution of linear programming problem (17) is the best piecewise linearization of the function <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x105.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> on<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x105.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x106.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. We let <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x105.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x106.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x107.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> (See <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig5">Figure 5</xref>). In this example, we have <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x105.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x106.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x107.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x108.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> while <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x105.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x106.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x107.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x108.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x109.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> for Splines Piecewise Approximation and<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x105.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x106.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x107.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x108.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x109.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x110.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. As we can see the approxi- mate piecewise linearization of this function using our method is more accurate in compared with two other methods.</p><p>Example 3. We consider nonlinear non smooth function <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x111.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> on<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x111.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x112.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>.</p><p>As we explained in section 2), the linear programming corresponding to this function is as follows:</p><disp-formula id="scirp.51587-formula1178"><label>(18)</label><graphic position="anchor" xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x113.png"  xlink:type="simple"/></disp-formula><p>The optimal solution of linear programming problem (18) is the best piecewise linearization of the function</p><p><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x114.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>on<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x114.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x115.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. We let <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x114.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x115.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x116.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> and <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x114.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x115.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x116.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x117.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> (See <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig6">Figure 6</xref>, <xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig7">Figure 7</xref>). In this example,</p><fig id="fig5"  position="float"><label><xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig5">Figure 5</xref></label><caption><title> The figure of piecewise function approximation of nonlinear function <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x119.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> for<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x119.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x120.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula></title></caption><graphic mimetype="image"   position="float"  xlink:type="simple"  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x118.png"/></fig><fig id="fig6"  position="float"><label><xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig6">Figure 6</xref></label><caption><title> The figure of piecewise function approximation of nonlinear function <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x122.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> for<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x122.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x123.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula></title></caption><graphic mimetype="image"   position="float"  xlink:type="simple"  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x121.png"/></fig><fig id="fig7"  position="float"><label><xref ref-type="fig" rid="fig7">Figure 7</xref></label><caption><title> The figure of piecewise function approximation of nonlinear function <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x125.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> for<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x125.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x126.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula></title></caption><graphic mimetype="image"   position="float"  xlink:type="simple"  xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x124.png"/></fig><p>we have <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x127.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> and<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x127.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x128.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>, respectively. As we can see the approximate piecewise linearization of this function is high accurate.</p></sec><sec id="s4"><title>4. Conclusion</title><p>Our method for piecewise linearization of nonlinear functions is extensible to <inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x129.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula> by the function<inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x129.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula><inline-formula><inline-graphic xlink:href="http://html.scirp.org/file/4-7402402x130.png" xlink:type="simple"/></inline-formula>. As we can see, this approximation is high accurate in comparison of other methods and this method is very simple for achieving this optimal solution. Also, this piecewise linearization form of nonlinear functions is useful for many applications, especially for nonlinear nonsmooth optimization, nonlinear differential equations, fuzzy ODE and PDE differential equations and so on.</p></sec><sec id="s5"><title>NOTES</title></sec></body><back><ref-list><title>References</title><ref id="scirp.51587-ref1"><label>1</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Aranda-Bricaire, E., Kotta, U. and Moog, C. (1996) Linearization of Discrete-Time Systems. SIAM Journal on Control and Optimization, 34, 1999-2023. http://dx.doi.org/10.1137/S0363012994267315</mixed-citation></ref><ref id="scirp.51587-ref2"><label>2</label><mixed-citation publication-type="other" xlink:type="simple">Jouan, P. (2003) Immersion of Nonlinear Systems into Linear Systems Modulo Output Injection. 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