Decomposition theorems and approximation by a ``floating" system of exponentials

The main problem considered in this paper is the approximation of a trigonometric polynomial by a trigonometric polynomial with a prescribed number of harmonics. The method proposed here gives an opportunity to consider approximation in different spaces, among them the space of continuous functions, the space of functions with uniformly convergent Fourier series, and the space of continuous analytic functions. Applications are given to approximation of the Sobolev classes by trigonometric polynomials with prescribed number of harmonics, and to the widths of the Sobolev classes. This work supplements investigations by Maiorov, Makovoz and the author where similar results were given in the integral metric.