[sci.math] Best fit parabolas

mark@geovision.gvc.com (Mark Baker) (06/04/91)

As part of a project I'm currently working on, we are building
a series of utility routines that will give a 'best fit' conic
given a set of input points.  Currently we have algorithms that
produce good quality cirles, cirular arcs, ellipses and elliptical
arcs.  However, we're having a terrible time producing good quality
'best fit' parabolas.

For all of these conics we're using a least squares approach that
is able to give us nice 'average' curves given a set of input points.

Does anyone know of any non-proprietary algorithms that would be
able to produce the desired result?

Please respond by e-mail as I don't scan these groups on a regular
basis.  If we achieve a solution with acceptable results, I'll post it
to these groups.

Thanks,
Mark.

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