An Introduction to Polynomial Interpolation : The Possibilities and Applications

In the mathematical field of numerical analysis, interpolation is a method of constructing new data points within the range of a discrete set of known data points. In engineering and science, one often has a number of data points, obtained by sampling or experimentation, which represent the values of a function for a limited number of values of the independent variable. It is often required to interpolate (i.e. estimate) the value of that function for an intermediate value of the independent variable. This may be achieved by curve fitting or regression analysis. This book covers the main topics concerned with interpolation by polynomials. This subject can be traced back to the precalculus era but has enjoyed most of its growth and development since the end of the nineteenth century and is still a lively and flourishing part of mathematics. In addition to coverage of univariate interpolation, the text includes material on multivariate interpolation , a generalization of the Bernstein polynomials, a coverage of Peano kernel theory. Different types of polynomials and interpolating methods are described in each chapter.