Cubic splines
Cubic splines are a type of piecewise polynomial function used to create smooth curves through a set of data points. They consist of multiple cubic polynomial segments, each defined between two adjacent data points, ensuring that the overall curve is continuous and has continuous first and second derivatives. This smoothness makes cubic splines ideal for interpolation and approximation tasks in various fields, including computer graphics and data visualization.
The construction of cubic splines involves solving a system of equations to determine the coefficients of each polynomial segment. This process ensures that the curve not only passes through the given points but also maintains a natural and visually appealing shape. Applications of cubic splines can be found in areas such as engineering, statistics, and animation.