Rational approximation with real, negative zeros and poles (Q1120084)

The author studies the approximation of cosh\(\sqrt{x}\) on [0,1] by polynomials having only real negative zeros and by rational functions having only real negative zeros and poles. He proves that cos\(\sqrt{x}\) can be approximated on [0,1] by polynomials of degree n having only real negative zeros with an error \(\leq 4n^{-1}\) but not better than \(c_ 1n^{-1}\) \((c_ 1\) some positive constant). Further he shows that cos\(\sqrt{x}\) cannot be approximated on [0,1] by rational functions of total degree n having only real negative zeros and poles with an error better than \(c_ 2n^{-4.5}\).