Methods of evaluating polynomial approximations in function evaluation routines

Abstract

The method of nested multiplication is commonly used in function evaluation routines to evaluate approximation polynomials. New polynomial evaluation methods have been developed in recent years which require fewer multiplications than nested multiplication and may therefore be preferable for use in function evaluation routines. Although some of these methods do not appear to be practically useful because of rounding-error difficulties, several methods of evaluating low-degree polynomials have been found to be satisfactory. Three such methods are described and illustrated.