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Fix an explicit stationary-grid convention. For subdivision arity $m>1$, write the univariate rule asA column of the subdivision matrix is one translated subdivision mask; the next column is translated by $m$ fine-grid rows. Thus the column displacement is the arity. If $a_k$ is active from $k=\alpha$ to $k=\beta$, the subdivision mask width is $w=\beta -\alpha +1$ fine-grid positions, after removing zero padding. Equivalently the mask span is $\beta -\alpha$ fine intervals. This is different from counting old control points in a row stencil: that count measures how many controls influence one newly created point. Stating the convention avoids confusing these two widths.

For a convergent subdivision curve scheme, its support is the influence region of one original control point, equivalently the support of a function of the basic limit $\varphi$ obtained from data $p_j={\delta }_{j0}$. Translation gives the representation $P(t)={\sum }_j{p}_j\varphi (t-j)$. Descendant indices of index zero have parameter positionsThus the limiting support enclosure is $[\alpha /(m-1),\beta /(m-1)]$, as in the support of a stationary subdivision scheme. Endpoint activity gives equality for the ordinary positive convergent masks under discussion.

The functional precision set of a subdivision scheme consists of functions exactly recovered from their uniformly sampled data using the scheme's consistent parameter placement. Polynomial precision records the exactly reproduced polynomial space. Sampling-grid spacing and origin must be specified; the usual arbitrary-grid precision requirement uses every spacing and shift, rather than merely membership in the fixed-grid reconstruction space.

Center the given mask at indices $-1,0,1$. Its binary linear interpolatory subdivision rule isEach new control point is either an old point or an edge midpoint. Hence every refined control polygon is the same curve with extra vertices. Starting from scalar impulse data, the limit is explicitlyThe mask width is three positions, its mask span is two, its largest row stencil uses two old control points, and its subdivision arity is two. Translating the mask indexing to $0,1,2$ translates the basic support to $[0,2]$; the support width remains two original grid intervals.

On $[j,j+1]$, reconstruction is $(j+1-t)p_j+(t-j)p_{j+1}$. Constant and affine samples are therefore recovered exactly. A non-affine polynomial cannot agree with a linear expression on a whole open interval. Thus its polynomial functional precision set of a subdivision scheme isFor continuous functions reproduced at every translated sampling grid, the same conclusion holds: agreement with all chord interpolants forces the affine interpolation identity, hence affinity. At one fixed grid, the larger exactly representable class is the space of linear splines with those spline knots; this is not a higher polynomial precision claim.

For arbitrary data, the one-sided derivatives at $j$ are $p_j-p_{j-1}$ and $p_{j+1}-p_j$. They need not coincide. Therefore the generic limit is $C^0$, not $C^1$. Its first derivative is piecewise constant; exceptional affine data, or individual matching neighboring slopes, can be smoother. This conclusion follows directly from the limit formula, not just from a heuristic mask-width test.

A subdivision curve is the limit of repeated refinement of a control polygon, when that limit exists. Each finite stage still consists of line segments; the limiting curve can have a continuous derivative. Linear stationary rules, which use the same fixed weighted averages at every stage, can be studied through their subdivision masks and often represent splines. An interpolation rule retains the old control points, as in binary linear interpolatory subdivision; an approximating rule such as Chaikin subdivision generally moves away from them. Increasing the number of control points alone does not prove convergence or smoothness.

// Target: analysis.bigb