Chebyshev Polynomials

Chebyshev polynomials crop up in virtually every area of numerical analysis, and they hold particular importance in recent advances in subjects such as orthogonal polynomials, polynomial approximation, numerical integration, and spectral methods. Yet no book dedicated to Chebyshev polynomials has been published since 1990, and even that work focused primarily on the theoretical aspects. A broad, up-to-date treatment is long overdue. Providing highly readable exposition on the subject's state of the art, Chebyshev Polynomials is just such a treatment. It includes rigorous yet down-to-earth coverage of the theory along with an in-depth look at the properties of all four kinds of Chebyshev polynomials-properties that lead to a range of results in areas such as approximation, series expansions, interpolation, quadrature, and integral equations. Problems in each chapter, ranging in difficulty from elementary to quite advanced, reinforce the concepts and methods presented. Far from being an esoteric subject, Chebyshev polynomials lead one on a journey through all areas of numerical analysis. This book is the ideal vehicle with which to begin this journey and one that will also serve as a standard reference for many years to come.

This survey of the most important properties of Chebyshev polynomials encompasses several areas of mathematical analysis: • Interpolation theory • Orthogonal polynomials • Approximation theory • Numerical integration • Numerical analysis • Ergodic theory Starting with some definitions and descriptions of elementary properties, the treatment advances to examinations of extremal properties, the expansion of functions in a series of Chebyshev polynomials, and iterative properties. The final chapter explores selected algebraic and number theoretic properties of the Chebyshev polynomials. For advanced undergraduates and graduate students in mathematics Originally published in 1974, the text was updated in 1990; this reprint of the second edition corrects various errors and features new material.

Completely revised text focuses on use of spectral methods to solve boundary value, eigenvalue, and time-dependent problems, but also covers Hermite, Laguerre, rational Chebyshev, sinc, and spherical harmonic functions, as well as cardinal functions, linear eigenvalue problems, matrix-solving methods, coordinate transformations, methods for unbounded intervals, spherical and cylindrical geometry, and much more. 7 Appendices. Glossary. Bibliography. Index. Over 160 text figures.

This report discusses the use of Chebyshev polynomials in the problem of interpolation and curve fitting and in the very important problem of obtaining "economized expansions" of differential equations, either in the form of polynomials in x or in the form of polynomials in 1/x.