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A Fermi problem (or Fermi question, Fermi quiz), also known as an order-of-magnitude problem, is an estimation problem in physics or engineering education, designed to teach dimensional analysis or approximation of extreme scientific calculations. Fermi problems are usually back-of-the-envelope calculations.
In mathematics, approximation theory is concerned with how functions can best be approximated with simpler functions, and with quantitatively characterizing the errors introduced thereby. What is meant by best and simpler will depend on the application.
When using approximation equations or algorithms, especially when using finitely many digits to represent real numbers (which in theory have infinitely many digits), one of the goals of numerical analysis is to estimate computation errors. [5] Computation errors, also called numerical errors, include both truncation errors and roundoff errors.
However, in numerical analysis, double false position became a root-finding algorithm used in iterative numerical approximation techniques. Many equations, including most of the more complicated ones, can be solved only by iterative numerical approximation. This consists of trial and error, in which various values of the unknown quantity are tried.
Suppose we have a continuous differential equation ′ = (,), =, and we wish to compute an approximation of the true solution () at discrete time steps ,, …,.For simplicity, assume the time steps are equally spaced:
The analysis of errors computed using the global positioning system is important for understanding how GPS works, and for knowing what magnitude errors should be expected. The Global Positioning System makes corrections for receiver clock errors and other effects but there are still residual errors which are not corrected.
First-order approximation is the term scientists use for a slightly better answer. [3] Some simplifying assumptions are made, and when a number is needed, an answer with only one significant figure is often given ("the town has 4 × 10 3, or four thousand, residents"). In the case of a first-order approximation, at least one number given is exact.