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In Mathematics / High School | 2025-07-03

Polynomial fitting involves finding a polynomial of degree n that best fits a set of data points. What is n in this context?

A. Order of the polynomial
B. Number of data points
C. Slope of the polynomial
D. Intercept of the polynomial

Asked by rondo6210

Answer (2)

In polynomial fitting, 'n' is the order of the polynomial, which refers to the highest degree of the variable in the polynomial equation. It is essential for determining how well the polynomial can model data points. Thus, the correct answer is option A.
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Answered by Anonymous | 2025-07-04

In the context of polynomial fitting, the term 'n' refers to the degree of the polynomial. Therefore, the correct answer is option (A) Order of the polynomial.
Polynomial fitting is a process used in mathematics to find a polynomial of a specified degree that best approximates a given set of data points. The degree of the polynomial, represented by 'n,' determines the highest power of the variable in the polynomial equation. For example, a polynomial of degree 2 is known as a quadratic polynomial and is typically represented as a x 2 + b x + c , where a , b , and c are coefficients.
The process of polynomial fitting aims to minimize the discrepancy between the actual data points and the values predicted by the polynomial. This can be done using various methods such as least squares fitting, which calculates the coefficients of the polynomial to minimize the sum of the squares of the differences between the data points and the polynomial values.
Choosing the correct degree for the polynomial is crucial. A degree that is too low may not capture the underlying trend of the data effectively, while a degree that is too high can lead to overfitting, where the polynomial is too closely tailored to the sample data and may not perform well on new data.
In summary, for polynomial fitting, 'n' is the degree of the polynomial, indicating the highest power to which the variable is raised in the equation.

Answered by RyanHarmon181 | 2025-07-06