Definition:Spline Function/Degree

Definition
Let $\closedint a b$ be a closed real interval.

Let $T := \set {a = t_0, t_1, t_2, \ldots, t_{n - 1}, t_n = b}$ form a subdivision of $\closedint a b$.

Let $S: \closedint a b \to \R$ be a spline function on $\closedint a b$ on $T$.

The degree of $S$ is the maximum degree of the polynomials $P_k$ fitted between $t_k$ and $t_{k + 1}$.