Uniform and Pointwise Shape Preserving Approximation by Algebraic Polynomials

We survey developments, over the last thirty years, in the theory of Shape Preserving Approximation (SPA) by algebraic polynomials on a finite interval. In this article, "shape" refers to (finitely many changes of) monotonicity, convexity, or q-monotonicity of a function (for definition, see Section 4). It is rather well known that it is possible to approximate a function by algebraic polynomials that preserve its shape (i.e., the Weierstrass approximation theorem is valid for SPA). At the same time, the degree of SPA is much worse than the degree of best unconstrained approximation in some cases, and it is "about the same" in others. Numerous results quantifying this difference in degrees of SPA and unconstrained approximation have been obtained in recent years, and the main purpose of this article is to provide a "bird's-eye view" on this area, and discuss various approaches used. In particular, we present results on the validity and invalidity of uniform and pointwise estimates in terms of various moduli of smoothness. We compare various constrained and unconstrained approximation spaces as well as orders of unconstrained and shape preserving approximation of particular functions, etc. There are quite a few interesting phenomena and several open questions.Comment: 51 pages, 49 tables, survey, published in Surveys in Approximation Theory, 6 (2011), 24-7

Moduli of Smoothness and Approximation on the Unit Sphere and the Unit Ball

A new modulus of smoothness based on the Euler angles is introduced on the unit sphere and is shown to satisfy all the usual characteristic properties of moduli of smoothness, including direct and inverse theorem for the best approximation by polynomials and its equivalence to a $K$-functional, defined via partial derivatives in Euler angles. The set of results on the moduli on the sphere serves as a basis for defining new moduli of smoothness and their corresponding $K$-functionals on the unit ball, which are used to characterize the best approximation by polynomials on the ball.Comment: 63 pages, to appear in Advances in Mat

The Lower Estimate for Bernstein Operator

MSC 2010: 41A10, 41A15, 41A25, 41A36For functions belonging to the classes C2[0; 1] and C3[0; 1], we establish the lower estimate with an explicit constant in approximation by Bernstein polynomials in terms of the second order Ditzian-Totik modulus of smoothness. Several applications to some concrete examples of functions are presented