Chebyshev polynomials in the 16th century

TL;DR

This paper explores historical instances of Chebyshev polynomials in 16th and 17th-century mathematics, highlighting their early appearances in notable problems like Romanus's degree 45 polynomial.

Contribution

It provides historical examples of Chebyshev polynomials, emphasizing their early use and significance in mathematical problems from the 16th and 17th centuries.

Findings

Identification of early Chebyshev polynomial examples

Analysis of Romanus's degree 45 polynomial problem

Historical context of Chebyshev polynomials' development

Abstract

We give a few examples of Chebyshev polynomials that appeared in mathematical problems from the 16th and 17th century. The main example is the famous equation of Adrianus Romanus (Adriaan van Roomen) containing a polynomial of degree $45$.