Paper 1, Section I, 2F2 F

Topics in Analysis | Part II, 2009

(i) Let n1n \geqslant 1 and let x1,,xnx_{1}, \ldots, x_{n} be distinct points in [1,1][-1,1]. Show that there exist numbers A1,,AnA_{1}, \ldots, A_{n} such that

11P(x)dx=j=1nAjP(xj)\int_{-1}^{1} P(x) d x=\sum_{j=1}^{n} A_{j} P\left(x_{j}\right)

for every polynomial PP of degree n1\leqslant n-1.

(ii) Explain, without proof, how one can choose the points x1,,xnx_{1}, \ldots, x_{n} and the numbers A1,,AnA_{1}, \ldots, A_{n} such that ()(*) holds for all polynomials PP of degree 2n1\leqslant 2 n-1.

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