Suppose ff has derivatives through order kk at aa. Its of degree at most kk about aa is

Tkf(x;a)=j=0kf(j)(a)j!(xa)j.T_kf(x;a)=\sum_{j=0}^k\frac{f^{(j)}(a)}{j!}(x-a)^j.

The remainder term of order kk is

Rk(x;a)=f(x)Tkf(x;a)R_k(x;a)=f(x)-T_kf(x;a)

at every xx where f(x)f(x) is defined.

Taylor's theorem supplies additional hypotheses under which Rk(x;a)R_k(x;a) has a Lagrange or integral representation, and hence can be estimated.

Examples
  • If ff is a polynomial of degree k\le k, then Rk(x;a)0R_k(x;a)\equiv 0 for all xx.
  • For f(x)=exf(x)=e^x about a=0a=0, R1(x;0)=ex(1+x)R_1(x;0)=e^x-(1+x).
  • For f(x)=sinxf(x)=\sin x about a=0a=0, R3(x;0)=sinx(xx36)R_3(x;0)=\sin x-\left(x-\frac{x^3}{6}\right).