Polynomials

Polynomials are probably the most usual types of functions out there, because they do not need any heavy machinery to be introduced: all one needs to know is how to add and multiply numbers. This alone justifies a discussion of polynomials. However, seeing polynomials as merely "simple functions" is reductive, and indeed, a more abstract … Continue reading Polynomials →

Asymptotic comparison – II

This is the second post regarding the notion of asymptotic comparison. The first one dealt with equivalents, the rigorous way of saying "these two things look alike". This post is about little o, which describes what we mean by "this thing is much smaller than this other one". Yes, the "o" is the letter o, … Continue reading Asymptotic comparison – II →

Functions

What is a function? It would be tempting to answer this question by writing a function. It probably involves a variable, a couple exponents, some additions and products; maybe, to make the heart content, top this up with a bevy of trigonometric functions, logarithms, and other exponentials. What do we get? Well, some kind of … Continue reading Functions →