This paper begins with the optimisation of three test functions using a genetic algorithm and describes a statistical analysis on the effects of the choice of crossover technique, parent selection strategy and mutation. The paper then examines the use of a genetic algorithm to optimize the functional form of a polynomial fit to experimental data; the aim being to locate the global optimum of the data. Genetic programming has already been used to locate the functional form of a good fit to sets of data, but genetic programming is more complex than a genetic algorithm. This paper compares the genetic algorithm method with a particular genetic programming approach and shows that equally good results can be achieved using this simpler technique.