Approximation by means of piecewise linear functions (Q1290392)

Let \(\Delta_n: a=x_0<x_1 \dots<x_n=b\) be a partition of \([a,b]\). If \(f\) is a real valued function defined on \([a,b]\) then \(S_{\Delta_n}f\) is the continuous piecewise linear function, linear on each \([x_k,x_{k+1}]\), which interpolates \(f\) at the points of \(\Delta_n\). The paper is concerned with operators of the form \(HS_{\Delta_n}\) where \(H:C([a,b])\to C([a,b])\) is a positive linear operator. Representations and estimates, in terms of the moduli of continuity of \(f\in C([a,b])\), of \(HS_{\Delta_n}f-f\) are obtained. The results are applied to the Bernstein polynomials \(B_nf\) of a function \(f\in C([0,1])\), and to the general Stancu operators [\textit{D. D. Stancu}, Numerische Methoden Approximationstheorie, Oberwolfach 1, ISNM 16(1971) 187-203 (1972; Zbl 0255.41016)]. The final section considers the problem of the best constant (conjectured by Gonska and Zhou to be 1) in the estimate \[ \|B_nf- f\|\leq C\omega_2 \left(f; {1\over n^{1/2}} \right). \] It is shown, for example, that if \(f\) is a convex function on \([0,1]\) then, for \(x={k\over[n^{1/2}]}\) and \(k=0, \dots, [n^{1/2}]\), \[ (B_nf)(x)-f(x)\leq {1\over 4}\omega_2 \left(f; {1\over [n^{1/2}]} \right). \]