[SciPy-User] How to estimate error in polynomial coefficients from scipy.polyfit?

[PHobson at Geosyntec.com]

I'm no expert, but the power required to overcome aerodynamic drag varies with the cube of speed -- though the physics behind that is pretty well understood.

I guess if you were doing a bulk estimate of all of the other factors (fluid density & viscosity, drag coeff, etc) this would be an applicable use case.

Like I said, I'm hardly an expert...
-paul h.

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From: scipy-user-bounces at scipy.org [mailto:scipy-user-bounces at scipy.org] On Behalf Of David Goldsmith
Sent: Thursday, March 25, 2010 8:41 PM
To: SciPy Users List
Subject: Re: [SciPy-User] How to estimate error in polynomial coefficients from scipy.polyfit?

[snip]

On this note, perhaps some of our experts might care to comment: what "physics" (in a generalized sense) gives rise to a polynomial dependency of degree higher than two?  The only generic thing I can think of is something where third or higher order derivatives proportional to the independent variable are important, and those are pretty uncommon.