Stage 1 Mathematics Specialist VECTORS APPLICATION – BÉZIER CURVES Yolanda Sitepu

In mathematical Field of numerical analysis, a Bezier Curve is a parametric curve

that important in computer graphic and other related fields. Bezier curve was
invented by two French engineering Pierre Étienne Bezier (1910–1999) and Paul de
Casteljau (1930 –present) to manipulate and enriching the design’s characteristics
and knowledge. This functional curve model was created to manage the preciseness
of the designer in such specific field of product design, biomedical, architecture and
engineering which require a high demand of the accuracy.
Bezier curve was recognised as an innovation in the 20thcentury since one of the
inventor Pierre Étienne Bezier applied this mathematical ideology into one of his
design of car brand Renault. The idea of Bezier curve not only contributes the beauty
of mathematics into real-life scenarios, but it is also effectively contributing to the
ecological conservation, since better accuracy of design will reduce an excessive
amount of value materials, thus the global warming will be also lessened.
Bezier curves have some interesting properties, unlike other types pf curves, these
curves can be fold over themselves, and they can also be joined together to form
smooth, continuous shapes. The equations for Bezier curves are parametric
equations. The Bezier curves functions’ order has an intimate relationship with the
amount of control points. For example, linear Bezier curve has none control point,
quadratic Bezier curves has 1 control points and cubic Bezier curves has 2 control
points.
The simplest Bezier curve is the straight line from
one-point P0 to another point P1, and called Linear
Bezier curve with the
B(t) = P0 + t (P1 - P0)
parametric equation: 1
= (1-t) P0 + t P1

For quadratic Bezier curves may be used to model

the path of three points. There are there control
points. The first two control points are the starting
points (P0) and endpoints (P1). The last control point is
an intermediate point (Q) which control the direction
of the tangents of the curves at both ends. It has a
form of a
parametric B(t) = (𝑃2 − 2𝑃1 + 𝑃0) 𝑇2 + (2𝑃1 − 2𝑃0) 𝑡 + 𝑃0
equation2: = (1-t)2 P0 + 2t(1-t) tP1 + t2 P2

1
Spaceroots.org. (2018). linear Bezier curves. [online] Available at:
https://www.spaceroots.org/documents/ellipse/node10.html [Accessed 6 Sep. 2018].
2
Spaceroots.org. (2018). quadratic Bezier curves. [online] Available at:
https://www.spaceroots.org/documents/ellipse/node11.html [Accessed 6 Sep. 2018].

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Stage 1 Mathematics Specialist VECTORS APPLICATION – BÉZIER CURVES Yolanda Sitepu

The last one is cubic Bezier curves are the classical

Bezier curves. For cubic Bezier curves, there are
four control points. The first two points are the two
end points of the curve, P1 and P2. The two
remaining ones are the intermediate points Q1 and
Q2. These intermediate points control the tangent
and the curvature at both ends. It has the form of parametric equation:3
B(t) = 𝑃(𝑡) = 𝑡3(𝑃3 − 3𝑃2 + 3𝑃1 −𝑃0) + (3𝑃2 −6𝑃1 + 𝑃0)𝑡2 + (3𝑃1 −3𝑃0)𝑡 + 𝑃0
= (1-t)3P0 + 3(1-t)2tP1+ 3(1-t) t2P2 + t3P3

The Bezier curves could be used in vector graphic to model a smooth curve that can
be scaled indefinitely, Bezier curves also used in animation, user interface design
and smoothing cursor trajectory in eye gaze-controlled interface.
Throughout the benefits of the following Bezier curve, this investigation was required
to determine, and remodel chosen illustration by using this method to produce Bezier
curve’s functions. Especially, each order of Bezier curve (linear, quadratic, cubic,
quartic and quintic) were established with conjectures to acknowledge the
relationship between these functions. Specifically, the chosen illustration was applied
with Bezier Curve as well as parametric equations, thus the curves could be
described easily. The aim of the investigation was to figure out the Bezier curve
usage and applied it efficiently in the real-life scenarios.
the illustration was chosen, in this investigation I want to
make letter ‘C’. Therefore, Bezier curves were applied to
recreate the better image of this letter using
mathematical method. As investigation, the logo
required the variety of Bezier curves.
To create this letter, firstly the image of this letter was
inserted into GeoGebra, which is a website application
to make a graph.
Figure 1: Letter C
Since the image was inserted to GeoGebra and recreated with the Bezier curve
function, each of the point then transferred into a spreadsheet for the faster of
calculating process.

3
Spaceroots.org. (2018). cubic Bezier curves. [online] Available at:
https://www.spaceroots.org/documents/ellipse/node12.html [Accessed 6 Sep. 2018].

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Stage 1 Mathematics Specialist VECTORS APPLICATION – BÉZIER CURVES Yolanda Sitepu

Figure 2: Inserted Letter C image to GeoGebra

Generally, more Bezier curves were created to fit this specific letter, however the
pattern of each type Bezier Curve or the relationship between the curves’ complexity
were considered as the main task in this section.
For the linear Bezier curve, the points were recorded into the excel spreadsheet so
that it was more efficiency for the calculation process, however, it was extremely
limited if there were no parametric equations. The parametric equation for the linear
Bezier curve is B(t) = P0 + t (P1 - P0). It was given that P0(X0, Y0) and P1(X1, Y1), then
substitute P0(X0, Y0) and P1(X1, Y1) into B(t) = P0 + t (P1 - P0)

X(t) = X0 + t (X1 - X0) these equations could be leaded to X(t) = axt + bx

the coefficient of parametric
Y(t) = Y0 + t (Y1 - Y0) calculation and minimize the Y(t) = ayt + by
complexity for the further calculation.
Then equating these 2 equations, to find the coefficient calculation formula:
𝑎𝑥 = 𝑥1 −𝑥0 For example:

𝑏𝑥 = 𝑥0 the start point is (3,4) and the end point is (5,7)

𝑎𝑦 = 𝑦1 − 𝑦0 ∴ 𝑎𝑥 = 5 −3 = 2

𝑏𝑦 = 𝑦0 𝑏𝑥 = 3 𝑎𝑦 = 7− 4 = 3
𝑏𝑦 = 4
∴ 𝑥(𝑡) = 2𝑡 + 3
∴ 𝑦(𝑡) = 3𝑡 +4
According to the example above, it was clear that the parametric equation of the
linear Bezier curve could be calculated by such specifically procedure. However, the
process could be improved to the higher level by applied this into excel spreadsheet,
so this process would be more efficient.

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Stage 1 Mathematics Specialist VECTORS APPLICATION – BÉZIER CURVES Yolanda Sitepu

start point End

ax y ax y
up 7.585 6.635 7.594 7.302
down 7.583 2.07 7.592 2.687
parametric equation
ax bx ay by
up 0.009 7.585 0.667 6.635
down 0.009 7.583 0.617 2.07
Table 1: The plotted coordinate of Linear Bezier curve and the Parametric calculation

Figure 3: Linear Bezier curve of Letter C

Figure 3 shows that the letter C has been successfully recreated using Linear Bezier
curve, then this will be leading to the second step of this section which is Quadratic
Bezier curve.
The quadratic Bezier curves were conducted by applied the same procedure as the
Linear Bezier curve because they were related to each other. However, it was
different from the linear Bezier curve where in this Bezier curve there’s one control
point was constructed to control the Bezier curve. the parametric equation of
quadratic Bezier curves is B(t) = (𝑃2 − 2𝑃1 + 𝑃0) 𝑇2 + (2𝑃1 − 2𝑃0) 𝑡 + 𝑃0. It was given
𝑃0(𝑥0, 𝑦0), 𝑃1(𝑥1, 𝑦1) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑃2(𝑥2, 𝑦2), then substitute 𝑃0(𝑥0, 𝑦0), 𝑃1(𝑥1, 𝑦1) 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑃2(𝑥2, 𝑦2)
into B(t) = (𝑃2 − 2𝑃1 + 𝑃0) 𝑇2 + (2𝑃1 − 2𝑃0) 𝑡 + 𝑃0

𝑥(𝑡) = (𝑥2 − 2𝑥1 +𝑥0) 𝑡2 + (2𝑥1 − 2𝑥0) 𝑡 +𝑥0these equations could be leaded to the
coefficient
𝑥(𝑡) = 𝑎𝑥𝑡2 +𝑏𝑥𝑡 + 𝑐𝑥
𝑦(𝑡) = (𝑦2 −2𝑦1 +𝑦0) 𝑡2 + (2𝑦1 − 2𝑦0) 𝑡 + 𝑦0 of
parametric 𝑦(𝑡) = 𝑎𝑦𝑡2 + 𝑏𝑦𝑡 +
calculation and minimize the complexity for the further 𝑐yc
calculation

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Stage 1 Mathematics Specialist VECTORS APPLICATION – BÉZIER CURVES Yolanda Sitepu

Then equating these 2 equations, and therefore the 𝑎𝑥 = 𝑥2 − 2𝑥1 +𝑥0

coefficient could be resolved:
𝑏𝑥 = 2𝑥1 −2𝑥0
start control end
x y x y x y 𝑐𝑥 = 𝑥0
1st 6.923 7.61 6.272 7.605 4.888 7.594 𝑎𝑦 = 𝑦2 − 2𝑦1 + 𝑦0
2nd 3.222 5.167 3.264 4.364 3.307 3.581
3rd 4.479 2.009 5.498 1.787 6.439 1.581 𝑏𝑦 = 2𝑦1 −2𝑦0
𝑐𝑦 = 𝑦0
Parametric
Equation
ax bx cx ay by cy
- -
1st 0.733 0.084 6.923 0.006 -15.22 7.61
-
2nd 0.001 2.038 3.222 0.02 10.334 5.167
-
3rd 0.078 0 4.479 0.016 -4.018 2.009
Table 2: the plotted coordinate of Quadratic Bezier curve and the parametric
equation

Figure 4: The Quadratic Bezier curve of letter C

Figure 4 have demonstrated the success of the quadratic Bezier curves, then this will
be leading to the last step of this section which is Cubic Bezier curve.
The cubic Bezier curves would be demonstrated similar as previous procedure. The
parametric equation of cubic Bezier curve is B(t) = 𝑃(𝑡) = 𝑡3(𝑃3 − 3𝑃2 + 3𝑃1 −𝑃0) +
(3𝑃2 −6𝑃1 + 𝑃0) 𝑡2 + (3𝑃1 −3𝑃0) 𝑡 + 𝑃0. It was given 𝑃0(𝑥0, 𝑦0), 𝑃1(𝑥1, 𝑦1), 𝑃2(𝑥2, 𝑦2)

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Stage 1 Mathematics Specialist VECTORS APPLICATION – BÉZIER CURVES Yolanda Sitepu

and 𝑃2(𝑥2, 𝑦2), then substitute 𝑃0(𝑥0, 𝑦0), 𝑃1(𝑥1, 𝑦1), 𝑃2(𝑥2, 𝑦2) and 𝑃2(𝑥2, 𝑦2) into B(t) =
𝑃(𝑡) = 𝑡3(𝑃3 − 3𝑃2 + 3𝑃1 −𝑃0) + (3𝑃2 −6𝑃1 + 𝑃0) 𝑡2 + (3𝑃1 −3𝑃0) 𝑡 + 𝑃0.

𝑥(𝑡) = (𝑥3 − 3𝑥2 + 3𝑥1 − 𝑥0) 𝑡3 +(3𝑥2 − 6𝑥1 + 3𝑥0) 𝑡2 + (3𝑥1 − 3𝑥0) 𝑡 + 𝑥0
y(𝑡) = (y3 – 3y2 + 3y1 − y0) 𝑡3 +(3y2 – 6y1 + 3y0) 𝑡2 + (3y1 – 3y0) 𝑡 + y0

these equations could be leaded to the 𝑥(𝑡) = 𝑎𝑥𝑡 3 +𝑏𝑥𝑡 2 + 𝑐𝑥𝑡 + 𝑑𝑥

coefficient of parametric calculation and minimize
the complexity for the further calculation: 𝑦(𝑡) = 𝑎𝑦𝑡 3 + 𝑏𝑦𝑡 2 + 𝑐𝑦 + 𝑑y

then equating these 2 equations to form the

coefficient of the parametric equation: 𝑎𝑥 = 𝑥3 − 3𝑥2 + 3𝑥1 − 𝑥0
𝑏𝑥 = 3𝑥2 − 6𝑥1 +3𝑥0
𝑐𝑥 = 3𝑥1 −3𝑥0
𝑑𝑥 = 𝑥0
𝑎𝑦 = 𝑦3 − 3𝑦2 +3𝑦1 −𝑦0
𝑏𝑦 = 3𝑦2 − 6𝑦1 + 3𝑦0
𝑐𝑦 = 3𝑦1 −3𝑦0
𝑑𝑦 = 𝑦0

Figure 5: the cubic Bezier curve of letter C

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Stage 1 Mathematics Specialist VECTORS APPLICATION – BÉZIER CURVES Yolanda Sitepu

Once again figure 5 has shown the success of cubic Bezier curve, however the
demonstration of this letter were slightly different to the original letter because the
original was smoother than this one.

Figure 6: the Final design of the letter C

In figure 6, the prominent statement has been indicated on the final design. The
Letter C was a successful letter recreation project where all of the curves of the logo
connected perfectly using each order of Bezier curve with the expeted size compare
to the origin letter. In this letter the Red line represent the Linear bezier curve, the
blue curves represent the quadratic bezier curve, and the green curves represent the
cubic bezier curve
In conclusion the investigation of Bezier curve was instructionally operated with the
high level of illustrative amount, where image of the letter C was demonstrated
detailed in every section. This suggested the investigation would be easier for
reading the process. At the end, the order of the functions and the total number of
the control points were also increases. Even though there were limitations of
significance figures, but the recreated letter still established by the perfectly
connected lines and connected curves.

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