Evaluating a mathematical function in a computational environment

A computer-implemented method of evaluating a predetermined mathematical function for a received input value at an apparatus comprising a polynomial hardware block and a CORDIC hardware block, the method comprising:

• at the polynomial hardware block:
• identifying a domain interval containing the received input value over which the predetermined mathematical function can be evaluated, the predetermined mathematical function over the identified interval being approximated by a polynomial function;
• evaluating the polynomial function for the received input value using values representing the polynomial function over the identified interval to calculate a first evaluation of the predetermined mathematical function for the received input value;
• at the CORDIC hardware block:
• initialising a CORDIC algorithm using the first evaluation of the predetermined mathematical function for the received input value;
• and
• implementing the CORDIC algorithm to perform a plurality of iterative calculations to calculate a refined evaluation of the predetermined mathematical function for the received input value.

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having stored thereon computer readable instructions that, when executed at a computer system, cause the computer system to perform a method of evaluating a predetermined mathematical function for a received input value, the method comprising:

• identifying a domain interval containing the received input value over which the predetermined mathematical function can be evaluated, the predetermined mathematical function over the identified interval being approximated by a polynomial function;
• evaluating the polynomial function for the received input value using values representing the polynomial function over the identified interval to calculate a first evaluation of the predetermined mathematical function for the received input value;
• initialising a CORDIC algorithm using the first evaluation of the predetermined mathematical function for the received input value;
• and
• implementing the CORDIC algorithm to perform a plurality of iterative calculations to calculate a refined evaluation of the predetermined mathematical function for the received input value.