A short proof that every weak Tchebycheff system may be transformed into a weak Markov system (Q1174315)

Let \(A\) be a set of real numbers containing the least \((n+2)\) elements. A linearly independent sequence \(\{y_ 0,y_ 1,\dots,y_ n\}\) of real valued functions on \(A\) is called a weak Chebyshev system (\(WT\)-system) provided that for any \(z_ 0<z_ 1<z_ 2<\dots<z_ n\) in \(A\) \(\det[y_ i(z_ j),\;i,j=0,1,\dots,n]\geq 0\). For \(i=0,1,2,\dots,n\), \(\{y_ 0,y_ 1,\dots,y_ i\}\) is a \(WT\)-system we say that \(\{y_ 0,y_ 1,\dots,y_ n\}\) is a weak Markov system. In this paper the author provides a short and simple proof of a theorem of \textit{B. Stockenberg} [Manuscr. Math. 20, 401-407 (1977; Zbl 0356.41017)] that every \(WT\)-system may be transformed into a weak Markov system.