Limits of Taylor Series: Is $\sin x=x+O(x^2)$ Correct?

In summary, a Taylor series is an infinite sum of terms used to approximate a function by evaluating its derivatives at a specific point. They are commonly used in mathematics to approximate complex functions and find the value of a function at a point without using the original function. However, the accuracy of a Taylor series is limited by its radius of convergence, which varies depending on the function being approximated. The approximation $\sin x=x+O(x^2)$ is only accurate when x is close to 0, and its accuracy can be improved by including more terms or using a different center point. Techniques such as interval arithmetic and error bounds can also be used to estimate the error in the approximation.
  • #1
LagrangeEuler
717
22
We sometimes write that
[tex]\sin x=x+O(x^3)[/tex]
that is correct if
[tex]\lim_{x \to 0}\frac{\sin x-x}{x^3}[/tex]
is bounded. However is it fine that to write
[tex]\sin x=x+O(x^2)[/tex]?
 
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  • #2
Yes, but you give away information. You could even say ##\sin x = O(x).##
 
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  • #3
Writing ##O(x^3)## says there is no ##x^2## term.
 
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