Computer Curve Fitting of Polynomials,
Abstract
One of the most frequent mathematical routines encountered in experimental work is the fitting of observations to an equation, empirical or otherwise. The techniques for doing this are by now standard and a number of computer programs are available for this task. Generally these are not adapted for use on a time-sharing system, or do not allow extensive testing of the statistical significance of the results. In order to establish the significance of experiments on field evaporation as well as on field emission of electrons, the author has developed LEASTB, a flexible program in BASIC, designed to curve fitting of polynomials on a time-shared computer. This is adapted to general use in analyzing experimental parameters, and has proved very statisfactory for testing statistical significance. This report provides an elementary outline, based largely on the monograph by Guest, of the theory underlying the least-squares analysis of polynomials and the statistical testing of the resulting parameters, as it relates to the program LEASTB currently in use. (Author Modified Abstract)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1972
- Accession Number
- AD0758312
Entities
People
- Marian Vesely
Organizations
- University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign