Sharp van der Corput estimates and minimal divided differences

We find the sharp constant in a sublevel set estimate which arises in connection with van der Corput's lemma. In order to do this, we find the nodes that minimise divided differences. We go on to find the sharp constant in the first instance of the van der Corput lemma. With these bounds we improve the constant in the general van der Corput lemma, so that it is asymptotically sharp.