Runge's Phenomenon

In the mathematical field of numerical analysis, Runge's phenomenon is a problem of oscillation at the edges of an interval that occurs when using polynomial interpolation with polynomials of high degree. It was discovered by Carl David Tolmé Runge when exploring the behavior of errors when using polynomial interpolation to approximate certain functions. The discovery was important because it shows that going to higher degrees does not always improve accuracy. The phenomenon is similar to the Gibbs phenomenon in Fourier series approximations.

Read more about Runge's Phenomenon:  Introduction, Problem, Related Statements From The Approximation Theory

Famous quotes containing the word phenomenon:

    What a phenomenon it has been—science fiction, space fiction—exploding out of nowhere, unexpectedly of course, as always happens when the human mind is being forced to expand; this time starwards, galaxy-wise, and who knows where next.
    Doris Lessing (b. 1919)