Numerical Analysis, 1/e

4

Polynomial Interpolation

4.0 INTRODUCTION

Let be a function of x. Suppose we are given a set of value of y, say corresponding to given values of x, say x₀, x₁, x₂, …, x_i, …, x_n. The values of x are called arguments and values of y are called entries.

Interpolation may be defined as the process of finding the values of a function f(x) for any intermediate value of the argument x between x₀ and x_n. This process has been described by Thiele as “the art of reading between the lines of a table”.

In the broader sense interpolation is the process ...