Absolute monotonicity of polynomials occuring in the numerical solution of initial value problems (Q2266574)

The paper deals with polynomial approximations \(\Phi\) (x) to the exponential function exp(x) related to numerical procedures for solving initial value problems. Motivated by positivity and contractivity requirements imposed on these numerical procedures we study the smallest negative argument, denoted by -R(\(\Phi)\), at which \(\Phi\) is absolutely monotonic. For given integers \(p\geq 1\), \(m\geq 1\) we determine the maximum of R(\(\Phi)\) when \(\Phi\) varies through the class of all polynomials of a degree \(\leq m\) with \(\Phi (x)=\exp (x)+O(x^{p+1})\) (for \(x\to 0)\).