Best and random approximation of a convex body by a polytope (Q2136855)

This is a survey on selected aspects of best and random approximation of convex bodies by polytopes. The overview is restricted to polytopes generated as convex hulls of finite point sets and to measuring the degree of approximation by the volume of the symmetric difference. Therefore, the affine surface area and floating bodies play an important role. After an interesting introduction (which is only loosely related to the rest of the paper), the survey first deals with optimal approximation of convex bodies by polytopes. Then it turns to random approximation, by convex hulls of stochastically independent random points either in the interior or on the boundary of the given convex body. Best approximation by polytopes not necessarily contained in the body is briefly considered. The final part of the survey is devoted to best approximation of polytopes by polytopes with fewer vertices and to random approximation of polytopes by polytopes.