This book presents an in-depth study on advances in constructive approximation theory with recent problems on linear positive operators. State-of-the-art research in constructive approximation is treated with extensions to approximation results on linear positive operators in a post quantum and bivariate setting. Methods, techniques, and problems in approximation theory are demonstrated with applications to optimization, physics, and biology. Graduate students, research scientists and engineers working in mathematics, physics, and industry will broaden their understanding of operators essential to pure and applied mathematics. Topics discussed include: discrete operators, quantitative estimates, post-quantum calculus, integral operators, univariate Gruss-type inequalities for positive linear operators, bivariate operators of discrete and integral type, convergence of GBS operators.

In the last 30 years, Approximation Theory has undergone wonderful develop ment, with many new theories appearing in this short interval. This book has its origin in the wish to adequately describe this development, in particular, to rewrite the short 1966 book of G. G. Lorentz, "Approximation of Functions." Soon after 1980, R. A. DeVore and Lorentz joined forces for this purpose. The outcome has been their "Constructive Approximation" (1993), volume 303 of this series. References to this book are given as, for example rCA, p.201]. Later, M. v. Golitschek and Y. Makovoz joined Lorentz to produce the present book, as a continuation of the first. Completeness has not been our goal. In some of the theories, our exposition offers a selection of important, representative theorems, some other cases are treated more systematically. As in the first book, we treat only approximation of functions of one real variable. Thus, functions of several variables, complex approximation or interpolation are not treated, although complex variable methods appear often.

This book presents an in-depth study on advances in constructive approximation theory with recent problems on linear positive operators. State-of-the-art research in constructive approximation is treated with extensions to approximation results on linear positive operators in a post quantum and bivariate setting. Methods, techniques, and problems in approximation theory are demonstrated with applications to optimization, physics, and biology. Graduate students, research scientists and engineers working in mathematics, physics, and industry will broaden their understanding of operators essential to pure and applied mathematics. Topics discussed include: discrete operators, quantitative estimates, post-quantum calculus, integral operators, univariate Gruss-type inequalities for positive linear operators, bivariate operators of discrete and integral type convergence of GBS operators.

Coupled with its sequel, this book gives a connected, unified exposition of Approximation Theory for functions of one real variable. It describes spaces of functions such as Sobolev, Lipschitz, Besov rearrangement-invariant function spaces and interpolation of operators. Other topics include Weierstrauss and best approximation theorems, properties of polynomials and splines. It contains history and proofs with an emphasis on principal results.

This textbook offers an accessible introduction to the theory and numerics of approximation methods, combining classical topics of approximation with recent advances in mathematical signal processing, and adopting a constructive approach, in which the development of numerical algorithms for data analysis plays an important role. The following topics are covered: * least-squares approximation and regularization methods * interpolation by algebraic and trigonometric polynomials * basic results on best approximations * Euclidean approximation * Chebyshev approximation * asymptotic concepts: error estimates and convergence rates * signal approximation by Fourier and wavelet methods * kernel-based multivariate approximation * approximation methods in computerized tomography Providing numerous supporting examples, graphical illustrations, and carefully selected exercises, this textbook is suitable for introductory courses, seminars, and distance learning programs on approximation for undergraduate students.

The current form of modern approximation theory is shaped by many new de velopments which are the subject of this series of conferences. The International Meetings on Approximation Theory attempt to keep track in particular of fun damental advances in the theory of function approximation, for example by (or thogonal) polynomials, (weighted) interpolation, multivariate quasi-interpolation, splines, radial basis functions and several others. This includes both approxima tion order and error estimates, as well as constructions of function systems for approximation of functions on Euclidean spaces and spheres. It is a piece of very good fortune that at all of the IDoMAT meetings, col leagues and friends from all over Europe, and indeed some count ries outside Europe and as far away as China, New Zealand, South Africa and U.S.A. came and dis cussed mathematics at IDoMAT conference facility in Witten-Bommerholz. The conference was, as always, held in a friendly and congenial atmosphere. After each meeting, the delegat es were invited to contribute to the proceed ing's volume, the previous one being published in the same Birkhäuser series as this one. The editors were pleased about the quality of the contributions which could be solicited for the book. They are refereed and we should mention our gratitude to the referees and their work.

The book incorporates research papers and surveys written by participants ofan International Scientific Programme on Approximation Theory jointly supervised by Institute for Constructive Mathematics of University of South Florida at Tampa, USA and the Euler International Mathematical Instituteat St. Petersburg, Russia. The aim of the Programme was to present new developments in Constructive Approximation Theory. The topics of the papers are: asymptotic behaviour of orthogonal polynomials, rational approximation of classical functions, quadrature formulas, theory of n-widths, nonlinear approximation in Hardy algebras,numerical results on best polynomial approximations, wavelet analysis. FROM THE CONTENTS: E.A. Rakhmanov: Strong asymptotics for orthogonal polynomials associated with exponential weights on R.- A.L. Levin, E.B. Saff: Exact Convergence Rates for Best Lp Rational Approximation to the Signum Function and for Optimal Quadrature in Hp.- H. Stahl: Uniform Rational Approximation of x .- M. Rahman, S.K. Suslov: Classical Biorthogonal Rational Functions.- V.P. Havin, A. Presa Sague: Approximation properties of harmonic vector fields and differential forms.- O.G. Parfenov: Extremal problems for Blaschke products and N-widths.- A.J. Carpenter, R.S. Varga: Some Numerical Results on Best Uniform Polynomial Approximation of x on 0,1 .- J.S. Geronimo: Polynomials Orthogonal on the Unit Circle with Random Recurrence Coefficients.- S. Khrushchev: Parameters of orthogonal polynomials.- V.N. Temlyakov: The universality of the Fibonacci cubature formulas.