Institute of Technology of Cambodia Semester I, 2022-2023

Department Applied Mathematics and Statistics Date: 21 December,2022

Chapter 4 Experimental Modeling (TD4)

4.2. High-Order Polynomial Models

4.3. Smoothing: Low-Order Polynomial Models
Exercise in Class
1. In the following data, X is the Fahrenheit temperature and Y is the number of times a cricket
chirps in 1 minute (see Problem 7, Section 4.1). Make a scatterplot of the data and discuss the
appropriateness of using an 18th-degree polynomial that passes through the data points as an
empirical model. If you have a computer available, fit a polynomial to the data and plot the
results.

x 46 49 51 52 54 56 57 58 59 60
y 40 50 55 63 72 70 77 73 90 93

x 61 62 63 64 66 67 68 71 72
Y 96 88 99 110 113 120 127 137 132

2. In the following data, X represents the diameter of a ponderosa pine measured at breast height,
and Y is a measure of volume-number of board feet divided by 10. Make a scatterplot of the data.
Discuss the appropriateness of using a 13th-degree polynomial that passes through the data points
as an empirical model. If you have a computer available,fit a polynomial to the data and graph the
results.
x 17 19 20 22 23 25 31 32 33 36 37 38 39 41
y 19 25 32 51 57 71 141 123 187 192 205 252 248 294

3. For the data sets in Problems, construct a divided difference table. What conclusions can you
make about the data? Would you use a low-order polynomial as an empirical model? If so, what
order?
X 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
y 2 8 24 56 110 192 308 464
4. In the following data, X is the Fahrenheit temperature and Y is the number of times a cricket
chirps in 1 min (see Problem 3, Section 4.2).
X 46 49 51 52 54 56 57 58 59 60
Y 40 50 55 63 72 70 77 73 90 93

X 61 62 63 64 66 67 68 71 72
Y 96 88 99 110 113 120 127 137 132

Dr. SIM Tepmony & Dr. LUEY Sokea Mathematical Modeling 1

Institute of Technology of Cambodia Semester I, 2022-2023
Department Applied Mathematics and Statistics Date: 21 December,2022
Assignment Deadline: 28 December 2022
1. In the following data, X is the Fahrenheit temperature and Y is the number of times a cricket
chirps in 1 minute (see Problem 7, Section 4.1). Make a scatterplot of the data and discuss the
appropriateness of using an 18th-degree polynomial that passes through the data points as an
empirical model. If you have a computer available, fit a polynomial to the data and plot the
results.
X 46 49 51 52 54 56 57 58 59 60
Y 40 50 55 63 72 70 77 73 90 93

X 61 62 63 64 66 67 68 71 72
Y 96 88 99 110 113 120 127 137 132
2. For the data sets in Problems, construct a divided difference table. What conclusions can you
make about the data? Would you use a low order polynomial as an empirical model? If so, what
order?
X 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Y 23 48 73 98 123 148 173 198

3. In the following data, X represents the diameter of a ponderosa pine measured at breast height,
and Y is a measure of volume-number of board feet divided by 10 (see Problem 4, Section 4.2)
X 17 19 20 22 23 25 31 32 33 36 37 38 39 41
Y 19 25 32 51 57 71 141 123 187 192 205 252 248 294
4.4. Cubic Spline Models

1. For each of the following data sets, write a system of equations to determine the coefficients of
the natural cubic splines passing through the given points. If a computer program is available,
solve the system of equations and graph the splines.
a.
x 2 4 7
y 2 8 13
b.
x 3 4 6
y 10 15 35

2. Find the natural cubic splines that pass through the given data points. Use the splines to answer
the requirements.

x 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9
y 20.08 22.20 24.53 27.12 29.96 33.11 36.60 40.45 44.70 49.40

Dr. SIM Tepmony & Dr. LUEY Sokea Mathematical Modeling 2

Institute of Technology of Cambodia Semester I, 2022-2023
Department Applied Mathematics and Statistics Date: 21 December,2022
a. Estimate the derivative evaluated at 𝑥 = 3.4. Compare your estimate with the derivative of 𝑒 𝑥
evaluated at at 𝑥 = 3.45.
b. Estimate the area under the curve from 3.3 to 3.6. Compare with
3.6
∫ 𝑒 𝑥 𝑑𝑥
3.3
3. The Cost of a Postage Stamp—Consider the following data. Use the procedures in this chapter to
capture the trend of the data if one exists. Would you eliminate any data points? Why? Would you
be willing to use your model to predict the price of a postage stamp on January 1, 2010? What do
the various models you construct predict about the price on January 1, 2010? When will the price
reach $1? You might enjoy reading the article on which this problem is based: Donald R. Byrkit
and Robert E. Lee, ‘‘The Cost of a Postage Stamp, or Up, Up, and Away,’’ Mathematics and
Computer Education 17, no. 3 (Summer 1983): 184–190.

Date First-class stam

1885–1917 $0.02
1917–1919 0.03 (Wartime increase)
1919 0.02 (Restored by Congress)
July 6, 1932 0.03
August 1, 1958 0.04
January 7, 1963 0.05
January 7, 1968 0.06
May 16, 1971 0.08
March 2, 1974 0.10 (Temporary)
December 31, 1975 0.13
July 18, 1976 0.13
May 15, 1978 0.15
March 22, 1981 0.18
November 1, 1981 0.20
February 17, 1985 0.22
April 3, 1988 0.25
February 3, 1991 0.29
January 1, 1995 0.32
January 10, 1999 0.33
January 7, 2001 0.34
June 30, 2002 0.37
January 8, 2006 0.39
May 14, 2007 0.41
May 12, 2008 0.42
May 11, 2009 0.44
January 22, 2012 0.45

Dr. SIM Tepmony & Dr. LUEY Sokea Mathematical Modeling 3

Institute of Technology of Cambodia Semester I, 2022-2023
Department Applied Mathematics and Statistics Date: 21 December,2022
Assignment Deadline: January 05, 2023

1. For each of the following data sets, write a system of equations to determine the coefficients of
the natural cubic splines passing through the given points. If a computer program is available,
solve the system of equations and graph the splines.
a.
x 0 1 2
y 0 10 30
b.
x 0 2 4
y 5 10 40

2. find the natural cubic splines that pass through the given data points. Use the splines to answer the
requirements.

x 𝜋 𝜋 𝜋 2𝜋 5𝜋
0 𝜋
6 3 2 3 6

y 0.0 0.50 0.87 1.00 0.87 0.50 0.00

3. Construct a computer code for determining the coefficients of the natural splines that pass-
through a given set of data points. See Burden and Fairs, cited earlier in this chapter, for an
efficient algorithm.
4. The following data were obtained for the growth of a sheep population introduced into a new
environment on the island of Tasmania (adapted from J. Davidson, ‘‘On the Growth of the Sheep
Population in Tasmania,’’ Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Australia 62(1938): 342–346). t (year) 1814 1824
1834 1844 1854 1864 P .t / 125 275 830 1200 1750 1650

x 1814 1824 1834 1844 1854 1864

y 125 275 830 1200 1750 1650

Dr. SIM Tepmony & Dr. LUEY Sokea Mathematical Modeling 4