  A general framework is presented to discuss the approximate solutions of an
evolution equation in a Banach space, with a linear part generating a semigroup
and a sufficiently smooth nonlinear part. A theorem is presented, allowing to
infer from an approximate solution the existence of an exact solution.
According to this theorem, the interval of existence of the exact solution and
the distance of the latter from the approximate solution can be evaluated
solving a one-dimensional "control" integral equation, where the unknown gives
a bound on the previous distance as a function of time. For example, the
control equation can be applied to the approximation methods based on the
reduction of the evolution equation to finite-dimensional manifolds: among
them, the Galerkin method is discussed in detail. To illustrate this framework,
the nonlinear heat equation is considered. In this case the control equation is
used to evaluate the error of the Galerkin approximation; depending on the
initial datum, this approach either grants global existence of the solution or
gives fairly accurate bounds on the blow up time.
