In mathematical analysis, particularly numerical analysis, the rate of convergence and order of convergence of a sequence that converges to a limit are any of several characterizations of how quickly that sequence approaches its limit. These are broadly divided into rates and orders of convergence that describe how quickly a sequence further approaches its limit once it is already close to it, called asymptotic rates and orders of convergence, and those that describe how quickly sequences approach their limits from starting points that are not necessarily close to their limits, called non-asymptotic rates and orders of convergence.
Asymptotic behavior is particularly useful for deciding when to stop a sequence of numerical computations, for instance once a target precision has been reached with an iterative root-finding algorithm, but pre-asymptotic behavior is often crucial for determining whether to begin a sequence of computations at all, since it may be impossible or impractical to ever reach a target precision with a poorly chosen approach. Asymptotic rates and orders of convergence are the focus of this article.