For more details on this topic, see Finite difference.
When the data points are equidistantly distributed we get the special case called forward differences. They are easier to calculate than the more general divided differences.
Read more about this topic: Divided Differences
Famous quotes containing the word differences:
“Generally there is no consistent evidence of significant differences in school achievement between children of working and nonworking mothers, but differences that do appear are often related to maternal satisfaction with her chosen role, and the quality of substitute care.”
—Ruth E. Zambrana, U.S. researcher, M. Hurst, and R.L. Hite. “The Working Mother in Contemporary Perspectives: A Review of Literature,” Pediatrics (December 1979)