Ball convergence theorems for unified three step Newton-like methods of high convergence order.

We present a local convergence analysis for eighth-order variants of Newton's method in order to approximate a solution of a nonlinear equation. We use hypotheses up to the first derivative in contrast to earlier studies such as [7]-[11], [20] using hypotheses up to the seventh derivative. This way the applicability of these methods is extended under weaker hypotheses. Moreover the radius of convergence and computable error bounds on the distances involved are also given in this study. Numerical examples are also presented in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]