Computing slope enclosures by exploiting a unique point of inflection (Q2378918)

In interval analysis slope enclosures are used for enclosing the range of functions \(\varphi: D\subseteq\mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\), \(\varphi\in C^n(D)\) (\(n\) chosen appropriately). By virtue of this capability they can be applied in existence tests or in global optimization. The paper introduces into the subject by recalling slopes of \(\varphi\) of the \(n\)th order in the classical sense and defines slope functions and slope enclosures of the first and second-order. Furthermore, it provides inequalities with slopes by exploiting convexity and concavity of \(\varphi\) and its first derivative \(\varphi'\), respectively. As a main result it derives formulae for the bounds of slope enclosures if \(\varphi\) has a unique point of inflection or if an analogous property holds for \(\varphi'\). It is shown that these bounds are semi-optimal, i.e., they represent slopes themselves at least for one of the two interval bounds which form a slope enclosure. The theorems in the paper can be applied to elementary functions such as \(\exp x\), \(\ln x\), \(x^n\), \(\sinh x\), \(\tan x\), \(\arctan x\). This is illustrated by examples. Slope enclosures can be computed in an automatic way, similar to automatic differentiation. Therefore, the results of the paper can help to improve enclosures for slopes of functions which are given by programmable expressions.