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Overview of this lesson

Ready to dive into some math?

In this lesson, we're going to develop a powerful formula that will allow us to easily calculate points along a parabolic arc.
To get there, we first need to develop our understanding of weighted averages. This is really important concept to understand since several other lessons will build on it—you can do this step without finishing the entire lesson.
Next we'll discover de Casteljau's algorithm, which will allow us to calculate points on any parabolic curve. This results in a really simple set of equations computers can use to draw parabolic arcs.

What do I need to know before starting?

  • You should be able to calculate midpoints using this exercise from the first lesson.
  • You should also be familiar with basic ratios and proportions, which you can review in this exercise.

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