Curve Fitting

Curving with with

Fitting
6-9
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Polynomial Functions

Warm Up
Lesson Presentation
Lesson Quiz

Holt
Holt
Holt McDougal
Algebra 2Algebra
McDougal Algebra22
 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions

Warm Up
Find a line of best fit for the data.

1. x 2 8 15 21 24
y 70 62 80 190 160
y = 5.45x + 36.12

2. x 38 42 44 35 49
y 92 80 75 81 68
y = –1.28x + 132.66

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions

Objectives
Use finite differences to determine the
degree of a polynomial that will fit a
given set of data.
Use technology to find polynomial
models for a given set of data.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
The table shows the closing value of a stock
index on the first day of trading for various
years.

To create a mathematical model for the data,

you will need to determine what type of
function is most appropriate. In Lesson 5-8, you
learned that a set of data that has constant
second differences can be modeled by a
quadratic function. Finite difference can be
used to identify the degree of any polynomial
data.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Example 1A: Using Finite Differences to Determine
Degree
Use finite differences to determine the degree
of the polynomial that best describes the data.
x 4 6 8 10 12 14
y –2 4.3 8.3 10.5 11.4 11.5
The x-values increase by a constant 2. Find the
differences of the y-values.
y –2 4.3 8.3 10.5 11.4 11.5
First differences: 6.3 4 2.2 0.9 0.1 Not constant
Second differences: –2.3 –1.8 –1.3 –0.8 Not constant
Third differences: 0.5 0.5 0.5 Constant
The third differences are constant. A cubic polynomial
best describes the data.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Example 1B: Using Finite Differences to Determine
Degree
Use finite differences to determine the degree
of the polynomial that best describes the data.
x –6 –3 0 3 6 9
y –9 16 26 41 78 151
The x-values increase by a constant 3. Find the
differences of the y-values.
y –9 16 26 41 78 151
First differences: 25 10 15 37 73 Not constant
Second differences: –15 5 22 36 Not constant
Third differences: 20 17 14 Not constant
Fourth differences: –3 –3 Constant
The fourth differences are constant. A quartic polynomial
best describes the data.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Check It Out! Example 1

Use finite differences to determine the degree

of the polynomial that best describes the data.
x 12 15 18 21 24 27
y 3 23 29 29 31 43
The x-values increase by a constant 3. Find the
differences of the y-values.
y 3 23 29 29 31 43
First differences: 20 6 0 2 12 Not constant
Second differences: –14 –6 2 10 Not constant
Third differences: 8 8 8 Constant
The third differences are constant. A cubic polynomial
best describes the data.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions

Once you have determined the degree of the

polynomial that best describes the data, you can
use your calculator to create the function.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Example 2: Using Finite Differences to Write a Function

The table below shows the population of a

city from 1960 to 2000. Write a polynomial
function for the data.

Year 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000

Population
4,267 5,185 6,166 7,830 10,812
(thousands)
Step 1 Find the finite differences of the y-values.

First differences: 918 981 1664 2982

Second differences: 63 683 1318
Third differences: 620 635 Close
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Example 2 Continued

Step 2 Determine the degree of the polynomial.

Because the third differences are relatively close, a
cubic function should be a good model.

Step 3 Use the cubic

regression feature on your
calculator.

f(x) ≈ 0.10x3 – 2.84x2 + 109.84x + 4266.79

Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Check It Out! Example 2

The table below shows the gas consumption

of a compact car driven a constant distance
at various speed. Write a polynomial
function for the data.
Speed 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60
Gas (gal) 23.8 25 25.2 25 25.4 27 30.6 37

Step 1 Find the finite differences of the y-values.

First differences: 1.2 0.2 –0.2 0.4 1.6 3.6 6.4

Second differences: –1 –0.4 0.6 1.2 2 2.8
Third differences: 0.6 1 0.6 0.8 0.8Close
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Check It Out! Example 2 Continued

Step 2 Determine the degree of the polynomial.

Because the third differences are relatively close, a
cubic function should be a good model.

Step 3 Use the cubic

regression feature on your
calculator.

f(x) ≈ 0.001x3 – 0.113x2 + 4.134x + 24.867

Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions

Often, real-world data can be too irregular for you

to use finite differences or find a polynomial
function that fits perfectly. In these situations, you
can use the regression feature of your graphing
calculator. Remember that the closer the R2-value
is to 1, the better the function fits the data.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Example 3: Curve Fitting Polynomial Models
The table below shows the opening value of a stock index
on the first day of trading in various years. Use a
polynomial model to estimate the value on the first day of
trading in 2000.
Year 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999
Price ($) 683 652 948 1306 863 901
Step 1 Choose the degree of the polynomial
model.
Let x represent the number of years since
1994. Make a scatter plot of the data.
The function appears to be cubic or quartic.
Use the regression feature to check the R2-
values.
cubic: R2 ≈ 0.5833 quartic: R2 ≈ 0.8921
The quartic function is more appropriate choice.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Example 3 Continued

Step 2 Write the polynomial model. The data can be

modeled by
f(x) = 32.23x4 – 339.13x3 + 1069.59x2 – 858.99x + 693.88

Step 3 Find the value of the model corresponding to

2000.
2000 is 6 years after 1994. Substitute 6 for x in
the quartic model.
f(6) = 32.23(6)4 – 339.13(6)3 + 1069.59(6)2 –
858.99(6) + 693.88
Based on the model, the opening value was
about $2563.18 in 2000.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Check It Out! Example 3
The table below shows the opening value of a stock index
on the first day of trading in various years. Use a
polynomial model to estimate the value on the first day of
trading in 1999.
Year 1994 1995 1996 2000 2003 2004
Price ($) 3754 3835 5117 11,497 8342 10,454
Step 1 Choose the degree of the polynomial
model.
Let x represent the number of years since
1994. Make a scatter plot of the data.
The function appears to be cubic or quartic.
Use the regression feature to check the R2-
values.
cubic: R2 ≈ 0.8624 quartic: R2 ≈ 0.9959
The quartic function is more appropriate choice.
Holt McDougal Algebra 2
 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Check It Out! Example 3 Continued

Step 2 Write the polynomial model. The data can be

modeled by
f(x) = 19.09x4 – 377.90x3 + 2153.24x2 – 2183.29x + 3871.46

Step 3 Find the value of the model corresponding to

1999.
1999 is 5 years after 1994. Substitute 5 for x in
the quartic model.
f(5) = 19.09(5)4 – 377.90(5)3 + 2153.24(5)2 –
2183.29(5) + 3871.46
Based on the model, the opening value was
about $11,479.76 in 1999.

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Lesson Quiz: Part I

1. Use finite differences to determine the degree of

the polynomial that best describes the data.

x 8 10 12 14 16 18
y 7.2 1.2 –8.3 –19.1 –29 –35.8
cubic

Holt McDougal Algebra 2

 Curve Fitting with
6-9 Polynomial Functions
Lesson Quiz: Part II

2. The table shows the opening value of a stock index

on the first day of trading in various years. Write a
polynomial model for the data and use the model
to estimate the value on the first day of trading in
2002.

Year 1994 1996 1998 2000 2001 2004

Price ($) 2814 3603 5429 3962 4117 3840
f(x) = 7.08x4 – 126.92x3 + 595.95x2 – 241.81x +
2780.54; about $3003.50

Holt McDougal Algebra 2