convex hulls

A convex hull is the smallest shape that completely encloses a set of points on a plane, like stretching a rubber band around them. Imagine placing pins on a table, then stretching a rubber band around the outermost pins; once released, the band forms the convex hull, encompassing all points inside. It’s used in computational geometry to simplify complex shapes, detect outliers, or analyze spatial data, ensuring the shape is "bulging outward" without indentations. This concept helps in understanding the overall boundary or extent of a set of points.