Polynomials close to 0 resp. 1 on disjoint sets (Q2011255)

Let \(I\) and \(J\) be disjoint compact subsets of the real interval \([A,B]\). The following main result is proved in an elementary manner: there exist polynomials \(P_{n}\) of degree \(n\) (\(n=1,2,\ldots\)) that approximate \(0\) on \(I\) and \(1\) on \(J\) with geometric rate, vanish at finitely many given points of \(I\) (these points are in a given order), take the value \(1\) at finitely many given points of \(J\) (these points are in a given order), and otherwise lie in between \(0\) and \(1\) on \([A,B]\). Moreover, if \(I\) and \(J\) consist of finitely many intervals and the intervals in \(I\) and \(J\) alternate, then \(P_{n}\) can also be monotone on each subinterval of \([A,B] \setminus (I \cup J)\). As consequences of the main result, the approximation of piecewise constant functions and the trigonometric case are also studied.