A winding number algorithm for closed polygonal paths
J. V. Petty · Mathematics of Computation · 1973
A winding number algorithm for closed polygonal paths (not necessarily simple) is derived using classical complex analysis results and techniques. The algorithm is designed specifically to handle large cases efficiently. The performance of a computer program based on the algorithm is discussed and compared with the performance of a computer program which obtains the winding number directly by antidifferentiation.