mscroggs.co.uk
mscroggs.co.uk

subscribe

Puzzles

Bézier curve

A Bézier curve is created as follows:
1) A set of points \(P_0\), ..., \(P_n\) are chosen (in the example \(n=4\)).
2) A set of points \(Q_0\), ..., \(Q_{n-1}\) are defined by \(Q_i=t P_{i+1}+(1-t) P_i\) (shown in green).
3) A set of points \(R_0\), ..., \(R_{n-2}\) are defined by \(R_i=t Q_{i+1}+(1-t) Q_i\) (shown in blue).
.
.
.
\(n\)) After repeating the process \(n\) times, there will be one point. The Bézier curve is the path traced by this point at \(t\) varies between 0 and 1.

What is the Cartesian equation of the curve formed when:
$$P_0=\left(0,1\right)$$ $$P_1=\left(0,0\right)$$ $$P_2=\left(1,0\right)$$

Show answer & extension

If you enjoyed this puzzle, check out Sunday Afternoon Maths XX,
puzzles about graphs, or a random puzzle.

Archive

Show me a random puzzle
 Most recent collections 

Advent calendar 2025

Advent calendar 2024

Advent calendar 2023

Advent calendar 2022


List of all puzzles

Tags

perimeter odd numbers cryptic crossnumbers polygons cubics people maths dates time powers squares range sequences advent menace integers surds coordinates ave prime factors chess sums folding tube maps addition volume games ellipses geometric mean 2d shapes cube numbers neighbours chalkdust crossnumber consecutive numbers balancing probabilty digital clocks dominos multiplication gerrymandering irreducible numbers square grids colouring quadrilaterals pentagons polynomials sum to infinity triangles regular shapes complex numbers tournaments geometric means graphs means multiplaction squares money products logic averages scales probability rugby wordplay sets median christmas grids numbers xor differentiation tangents taxicab geometry multiples percentages bases expansions 3d shapes floors square roots speed angles lists even numbers albgebra doubling proportion functions arrows geometry cards integration prime numbers elections digital products perfect numbers consecutive integers fractions cryptic clues circles binary parabolas chocolate lines star numbers division sport algebra triangle numbers medians clocks routes combinatorics square numbers axes pascal's triangle dice determinants the only crossnumber mean unit fractions dodecagons spheres rectangles factors decahedra quadratics symmetry partitions indices books crosswords trigonometry palindromes tiling matrices planes shapes shape hexagons area crossnumbers calculus remainders digits factorials number coins

Archive

Show me a random puzzle
▼ show ▼
© Matthew Scroggs 2012–2026