Which curve type in 3D modeling is defined by control points forming a smooth path through them?

Which curve type in 3D modeling is defined by control points forming a smooth path through them?

• A. Bezier Curve
• B. NURBS Curve
• C. Spline
• D. Line

Answer: (C)

The idea being tested is interpolation: a curve that follows a smooth path exactly through a given set of points. Splines are built to pass through their control points, creating a continuous, smooth line that goes through each point in order. This is what gives splines their characteristic “through the points” behavior, which is often used in modeling to define a precise path. Beziers, NURBS, and lines are shaped by control points too, but they don’t necessarily pass through all the control points. Bezier curves are guided by control points to shape the curve, with only the endpoints guaranteed to lie on the curve; NURBS rely on weights and knots to influence the form and typically don’t force the curve to go through every control point. A line is simply a straight segment between two points. So, the curve type described as forming a smooth path that goes through its control points is a spline.

The idea being tested is interpolation: a curve that follows a smooth path exactly through a given set of points. Splines are built to pass through their control points, creating a continuous, smooth line that goes through each point in order. This is what gives splines their characteristic “through the points” behavior, which is often used in modeling to define a precise path.

Beziers, NURBS, and lines are shaped by control points too, but they don’t necessarily pass through all the control points. Bezier curves are guided by control points to shape the curve, with only the endpoints guaranteed to lie on the curve; NURBS rely on weights and knots to influence the form and typically don’t force the curve to go through every control point. A line is simply a straight segment between two points. So, the curve type described as forming a smooth path that goes through its control points is a spline.