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Mathematical Approximation s
Approximatio n Theory

Mathematical Approximations, otherwise known as Approximation theory, is mainly concerned with the simplification of more complex functions into simpler functions which maintain the general character of the original function. The approximation must be as close as possible to the original function, and the purpose of an approximation is usually to represent a hard to obtain real number by a simpler real number or by that of a rational number.

Mathematical Approximations
Mathematical approximation is essentially one of the most utile mathematical mechanisms available to mathematicians, where there are several forms of mathematical approximation available for use.

Basis of Approximations
Approximations are modeled on the fact such function F(x) which must be approximated by another simplified function, G(x), then, the goal of the best fit for the approximation is to ensure that: l G(x) F(x)l Is minimized between the two participating functions, such that for a well optimized approximated function the error curve created will oscillate only between a set difference, that is and . Hence, such a polynomial is always optimal. In the graph of error curves drawn, as the blue curve thus has smaller maximum and minimum values, it shows more suitability as an approximation as it thus is closer to the real values exhibited by the real function F(x). that if there is a

Formulation of an Approximation, The Remez Algorithim

The Remez algorithm is based on the Chebyshev approximation, it is iterative in nature where it converges to a unique, optimal function with maximal error value of N+2 extrema only. Hence, if N+2 test points are tested within the following formula to find and , an error curve and hence the function for the approximation can be thusly derived. Therefore, if N+2 test points, x1, x2,x3xn+2 are placed within: G(x1) F(x1) = +e G(x2)- F(x2) =-e G(x3) F(x3)= +e G(xn+2)-F(xn+2)= + e

Hence, if the graph is plotted, and either if the two terminal test points are on the extrema, or the four interior points lie on the extrema, then the polynomial formed is optimal.

Iteration
In order to find the solution of f(x)=0 through iteration, then it must be rearranged to the form x=g(x), where xn+1=g(xn). This is repeated for several times, and if the formula produces converging values, then iteration can be used to find an approximate solution to the formula, f(x)=0. Hence, in the following iteration for x2 -4x+1=0, the first step, rearranging to xn+1=g(xn), it is rewritten to x= 4-1/x, and then iterated in a process such that Xn+1= 4-1/(xn). Values for x1, x2, and xn are then generated until for a particular value xn, the iteration for xn and xn+1 approach the same value, and this is known as the root. For this case, x4 and x5 both are tending towards the root, which is then approximated to 3.73. Hence, as one iterates more,(provided it is a convergent iteration), each iteration becomes closer to the root and at a particular value for xn the iteration values generated converge at a particular root, which approximates the exact root.

Approximation of Statistical Distributions:

In some cases, it becomes extremely difficult to calculate the probabilities of certain quantities of a select distribution, and hence a statistical approximation is done to find an approximated value for certain cases. Approximating a Binomial Distribution with Poisson As a Binomial Distribution is X~B(n,p), For circumstances where n is large and p is small, then the distribution is then approximated by that of a Poisson Distribution, where X~Po(np).

As a result, for values where n is greater and p is smaller, the greater the accuracy of the approximation converging to the actual value. This approximation holds well mainly for n 20 and p 0.05, or n 100 and np 10

The de Moivre-Laplace Theorem As n approaches infinity, and p remains fixed, then this approaches the normal distribution function having E(x)=0 and variance of 1..

Approximating a Binomial Distribution with a Normal Distribution

Similarly, on another condition for X~(n,p), If n is large, and p is near 0.5, then the Binomial Distribution converges with that of a Normal Distribution, where X is now approximated by Y~N(np,np(1-p))

Approximating a Poisson Distribution by a Normal Distribution If the overall mean, lambda, is large, then the Poisson distribution converges with that of a normal distribution , and X~Po() thus may be approximated by Y~N(, ). However, when approximating from a discrete distribution like Binomial and Poisson, a continuity check must be applied to ensure that it is converted/approximated from Discrete to Continuous Distributions.

Relaxation Relaxation is yet another type of approximation, but not used to approximate the answer, but rather t (Edexcel, 2008)he overall problem. Relaxation is a modeling strategy used in linear

programming to make a complex problem problem which is more easy to solve.

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Bibliography
Edexcel. (2008). Edexcel Statistics 2. London: Pearson. Mathematical Approximations. (2014, February 28). Retrieved March 6, 2014, from Wikipedia.