[Spline interpolation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spline_interpolation) requires the definition of boundary condition because the smoothness requirements do not yield enough conditions for a unique solution. >**Question:** > >which kind of boundary conditions guarantee that the interpolating spline reproduces a sampled polynomial if its degree isn't higher than that of the interpolating spline, i.e. yield the algebraically simplest interpolating spline functions? Natural Cubic Splines are a counter example, because a cubic polynomial has exactly one inflection point, whereas a cubic natural spline has at least two.