The Bernstein polynomial is
It has degree at most , since cancellation can lower the degree. For , the Bernstein basis weights are nonnegative and their sum is by the binomial theorem. Consequently
Thus the Bernstein polynomial defines a positive linear operator on continuous functions satisfying . Since , its operator norm in the supremum norm is exactly one.
The Bernstein polynomial is the positive weighted average
For , the Bernstein basis weights are nonnegative and the binomial theorem gives . Hence . In particular,
This is the contraction property of the positive linear operator on continuous functions defined by the Bernstein polynomial.
Let . For , express in the Bernstein basis as , where . Its precomputed coefficients are
with the ratio for interpreted as one. The identity follows from , obtained by the binomial theorem.
At this level solve the linear program
There are exactly inequalities. Equivalently, must have nonnegative coefficients in the unnormalized basis; its coefficients are . Since the basis functions are nonnegative and sum to one, every feasible satisfies for all , so .
Degree elevation of Bernstein coefficients gives, for ,
with endpoint coefficients unchanged. These convex combinations imply .
To cover every positive index even when , put . For , use the one-inequality LP , giving . This is a lower bound on ; moreover the explicit coefficient formula has all its factorial ratios in , so . Thus the transition to level is also monotone and every level respects the requested bound of at most inequalities. Constants are handled by the main formula at all positive indices.
Finally, for every , is strictly positive on the interval. Part (c) supplies a nonnegative-coefficient representation at some degree, and degree elevation preserves it at every higher degree. Hence eventually . Combining with the upper bound proves the Bernstein linear programming hierarchy for polynomial minimization:
Triangular Bézier patch 2026-10-14
For nonnegative barycentric parameters, these total-degree Bernstein basis functions define a surface over a triangle. The triangular control net has points. Its index constraint couples the three exponents, so it is not a tensor product of two independent univariate bases. The multinomial theorem gives nonnegativity and partition of unity.