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

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

Archive

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