What is curve fitting?
Q: What is curve fitting?
A: Curve fitting is the process of creating a mathematical function that best fits a set of data points.
Q: What are the two types of curve fitting?
A: The two types of curve fitting are interpolation and smoothing.
Q: What is interpolation?
A: Interpolation is a type of curve fitting that requires an exact fit to the data.
Q: What is smoothing?
A: Smoothing is a type of curve fitting that constructs a "smooth" function that fits the data approximately.
Q: What is regression analysis?
A: Regression analysis is a related topic that focuses on questions of statistical inference, such as how much uncertainty is present in a curve that is fit to data observed with random errors.
Q: What are some uses of fitted curves?
A: Fitted curves can be used to help visualize data, guess values of a function where no data is available, and summarize relationships among two or more variables.
Q: What is extrapolation?
A: Extrapolation is the use of a fitted curve beyond the range of the observed data. However, this is subject to a degree of uncertainty as it may reflect the method used to construct the curve as much as it reflects the observed data.
