1. A computer-implemented method for generating a succession of approximations of a result R obtained in response to a query on a plurality of data elements D, the method comprising the steps of: a) utilizing at least one workstation in communication with at least one server to access data elements D stored in at least one database; b) utilizing the at least one server to compute a result A i of a query on a sample S i of D; c) computing an approximation B i of the result R based upon at least the result A i ; and d) generating a succession of approximations of the result R by performing steps (b) and (c) multiple times i with a sample S i of data elements D different from the data elements D of each prior sample, wherein, after step (b) and prior to step (c), the result A i is updated by computing A i as a function of A i−1 and S i ; and e) displaying at least one of the succession of approximations generated in step (d) on a display device coupled to the workstation.