The trade-offs between the number of system modes and the magnitude of tracking error spikes during mode switches are crucial considerations in the design of a control system. Increasing the number of system modes can potentially reduce the magnitude of tracking error spikes during mode switches by providing more flexibility in the control strategy. However, this comes at the cost of increased computational complexity and memory requirements. On the other hand, reducing the number of system modes simplifies the control algorithm but may lead to larger tracking error spikes during mode switches. Therefore, the optimal balance between the number of system modes and tracking error spikes needs to be carefully evaluated based on the specific requirements of the application.