math::polynomials(n)						 Tcl Math Library					      math::polynomials(n)

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NAME

       math::polynomials - Polynomial functions

SYNOPSIS

       package require Tcl  ?8.3?

       package require math::polynomials  ?1.0.1?

       ::math::polynomials::polynomial coeffs

       ::math::polynomials::polynCmd coeffs

       ::math::polynomials::evalPolyn polynomial x

       ::math::polynomials::addPolyn polyn1 polyn2

       ::math::polynomials::subPolyn polyn1 polyn2

       ::math::polynomials::multPolyn polyn1 polyn2

       ::math::polynomials::divPolyn polyn1 polyn2

       ::math::polynomials::remainderPolyn polyn1 polyn2

       ::math::polynomials::derivPolyn polyn

       ::math::polynomials::primitivePolyn polyn

       ::math::polynomials::degreePolyn polyn

       ::math::polynomials::coeffPolyn polyn index

       ::math::polynomials::allCoeffsPolyn polyn

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DESCRIPTION

       This package deals with polynomial functions of one variable:

       o      the basic arithmetic operations are extended to polynomials

       o      computing the derivatives and primitives of these functions

       o      evaluation through a general procedure or via specific procedures)

PROCEDURES

       The package defines the following public procedures:

       ::math::polynomials::polynomial coeffs
	      Return an (encoded) list that defines the polynomial. A polynomial

		 f(x) = a + b.x + c.x**2 + d.x**3

	      can be defined via:

		 set f [::math::polynomials::polynomial [list $a $b $c $d]

	      list coeffs
		     Coefficients of the polynomial (in ascending order)

       ::math::polynomials::polynCmd coeffs
	      Create  a  new procedure that evaluates the polynomial. The name of the polynomial is automatically generated. Useful if you need to
	      evualuate the polynomial many times, as the procedure consists of a single [expr] command.

	      list coeffs
		     Coefficients of the polynomial (in ascending order) or the polynomial definition returned by the polynomial command.

       ::math::polynomials::evalPolyn polynomial x
	      Evaluate the polynomial at x.

	      list polynomial
		     The polynomial's definition (as returned by the polynomial command).  order)

	      float x
		     The coordinate at which to evaluate the polynomial

       ::math::polynomials::addPolyn polyn1 polyn2
	      Return a new polynomial which is the sum of the two others.

	      list polyn1
		     The first polynomial operand

	      list polyn2
		     The second polynomial operand

       ::math::polynomials::subPolyn polyn1 polyn2
	      Return a new polynomial which is the difference of the two others.

	      list polyn1
		     The first polynomial operand

	      list polyn2
		     The second polynomial operand

       ::math::polynomials::multPolyn polyn1 polyn2
	      Return a new polynomial which is the product of the two others. If one of the arguments is a scalar value, the other  polynomial	is
	      simply scaled.

	      list polyn1
		     The first polynomial operand or a scalar

	      list polyn2
		     The second polynomial operand or a scalar

       ::math::polynomials::divPolyn polyn1 polyn2
	      Divide the first polynomial by the second polynomial and return the result. The remainder is dropped

	      list polyn1
		     The first polynomial operand

	      list polyn2
		     The second polynomial operand

       ::math::polynomials::remainderPolyn polyn1 polyn2
	      Divide the first polynomial by the second polynomial and return the remainder.

	      list polyn1
		     The first polynomial operand

	      list polyn2
		     The second polynomial operand

       ::math::polynomials::derivPolyn polyn
	      Differentiate the polynomial and return the result.

	      list polyn
		     The polynomial to be differentiated

       ::math::polynomials::primitivePolyn polyn
	      Integrate the polynomial and return the result. The integration constant is set to zero.

	      list polyn
		     The polynomial to be integrated

       ::math::polynomials::degreePolyn polyn
	      Return the degree of the polynomial.

	      list polyn
		     The polynomial to be examined

       ::math::polynomials::coeffPolyn polyn index
	      Return the coefficient of the term of the index'th degree of the polynomial.

	      list polyn
		     The polynomial to be examined

	      int index
		     The degree of the term

       ::math::polynomials::allCoeffsPolyn polyn
	      Return the coefficients of the polynomial (in ascending order).

	      list polyn
		     The polynomial in question

REMARKS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION

       The  implementation  for  evaluating  the polynomials at some point uses Horn's rule, which guarantees numerical stability and a minimum of
       arithmetic operations.  To recognise that a polynomial definition is indeed a correct definition, it consists of a list	of  two  elements:
       the keyword "POLYNOMIAL" and the list of coefficients in descending order. The latter makes it easier to implement Horner's rule.

BUGS, IDEAS, FEEDBACK
       This  document, and the package it describes, will undoubtedly contain bugs and other problems.	Please report such in the category math ::
       polynomials of the Tcllib SF Trackers [http://sourceforge.net/tracker/?group_id=12883].	Please also report any ideas for enhancements  you
       may have for either package and/or documentation.

KEYWORDS

       math, polynomial functions

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright (c) 2004 Arjen Markus <arjenmarkus@users.sourceforge.net>

math								       1.0.1						      math::polynomials(n)