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INTRODUCTION
There was a time in the past, when nature and mathematics were considered
two entirely separate entities. Beyond societys manmade infrastructure, there was
very little mathematics could represent in our natural organically arranged world. That
is, until, the concept of fractal geometry came to light.
As it is relatively a new form of mathematics, fractal geometry is of course, not
as widely recognized as Euclidian geometry. Therefore, throughout the study of this
mesmerizing topic, it is essential to understand first the history of mathematics that
eventually led to the discovery of fractals, what fractals are, and what key features
they portray. As a supplement to aid in the understanding of fractals and their
importance, certain notable examples and modern day applications will also be
covered.
HISTORICAL BACKROUND
Since the beginning of mankind our ancestors have been using mathematics to
help track, understand, and observe patterns. Numerous artifacts dated as early as
prehistoric times confirm that hunter-gatherer societies comprehended extremely
primitive mathematical concepts such as counting, magnitude, and forms. As mankind
evolved, and more complex civilized societies emerged, symbols and similar
primitive mathematics proved to be insufficient in satisfying the increasing needs of
society. The introduction of societys new demands of agricultural trade, taxation, and
architectural structures like temples and pyramids initiated the start of traditional
mathematics and arithmetic. Math continued to evolve during the 17th-century
scientific revolution led by Galileo, Newton, Desecrates; which undoubtedly propelled
mathematics as an indispensable tool for understanding scientific theorems and the
world around us. Eventually, between the 18th-century to 20th-century mathematics
moved into an even more exciting era as mathematicians began to entertain more
abstract and theoretical mathematics.
However, one fundamental key connection was not fully understood until
recently: the link between math and natural, irregular shaped forms. Organic entities,
such as cloud formations, the human body, and weather systems were thought to be
incomprehensible and in no way mathematically representable. The problem was that
mathematicians at that timerelying solely on classical mathematicscould only
explain smooth, regular geometric shapes and lines (all that mankind has created);
certainly not all the complex, erratic, natural shapes such as those found in nature.
Although there were many mathematicians that described and developed fractal-like
theories as early as the 17th century, such as; Gottfried Lebinz, Karl Weierstrass,
Pierre Fatou, Gaston Julia, Helge Von Koch, and George Cantor; due to the complex
calculations that fractal-like theories required, and the fact that computing was done all
by hand, their research ability remained limited. Without the invention of computers,
which did not occur until the mid to late 1900s, their obscure theories and research
could never be investigated and elaborated upon.
That is, until, a French mathematician named Benoit Mandelbrot (1885-2010)
decided he would revisit the work of some of historys most notable mathematicians in
an effort to complete the framework of their
theories of irregular, rough shapes.
Mandelbrots interest in their work was first
manifested in 1977 when he was consulted to
investigate a wide known issue that was
occurring with computer to phone line data
transmission at IBMs research laboratory.
The issue was that occasionally the data would
not go through, and that was particularly when the
transmission was exceptionally noisy. In an effort to
made a shocking discovery. He observed that regardless of the scale of time (second,
minute, or hour) the data looked almost exactly alike. It had repeating self-similar,
self-iterating characteristics - characteristics that immediately reminded him of the
research and concepts developed by various mathematics centuries prior (Specifically
the work of Gaston Julia whose work had intrigued him as a young child). The striking
similarities were impossible to ignoreMandelbrot knew he was on to something
great. He decided right then and there that he would investigate further and initiated a
project backed by IBM.
This time around, unlike the mathematicians of his past, Mandelbrot had
numerous technological advantages right at his fingertips to assist in further exploring
the unknown mathematical dimensions of rough and irregular shapes. Throughout his
years of exploration, Benoit found and proved that it is indeed possible to assign an
order to the seemingly chaotic patterns and structures such as those found in nature.
His research completely revamped the misconception that only our man-made world
of smooth, regular shapes could be mathematically represented and understood. His
progressive study of fractal properties eventually led to the compilation of his research
and theory in fractals: form, chance, and dimension. (Mandelbrot 1975) This
publication was later revised and published as The Fractal Geometry of Nature.
(Mandelbrot 1982) Yes, these publications were certainly notable crossroads as they
proved to be a formal introduction of a new form of geometry. It held the key for the
rest of the world to, for the first time, fully understand and discover our natures
organic framework in the mathematical sense.
FRACTALS-THE BASICS
Clouds are not spheres, mountains are not cones, and lightening does not travel
in a straight line. The complexity of nature's shapes differs in kind, not merely
degree, from that of the shapes of ordinary geometry, the geometry of fractal
shapes. - Mandelbrot The Fractal Geometry of Nature
The father of fractals, Benoit Mandelbrot, coined the term fractal back in 1975
based on the Latin term fractious, meaning broken, or fragmented. He defined them
as a rough or fragmented geometric shape that can be split into part, each of which is
(at least approximately) a reduced-size copy of the whole. In layman terms, fractals
can be considered as complex geometrical figures or patterns that are formed by
endless repetition of a simple rule or formula. It is a structure that can be magnified
infinitely and within each level of magnification, each small portion of it resembles its
entirety in some way - whether perfect or approximate.
FRACTALS PROPERTIES
ITERATIVE FORMATION
As mentioned in the explanation above, we know that a fractal is a complex
geometrical figure, structure, or pattern that endlessly repeats itself at different scales.
Although fractals as a whole are infinitely complex, its formation is quite a
simple concept. It boils down to: starting with a very basic shape or object, applying a
rule or formula, and then repeating that transformative step an infinite amount of times
at different scales. This process of repetition is known as iteration. Let's take a closer
look with some definitions and an example of fractal generation to better comprehend
how iteration plays a role.
-Every fractal is composed of an initiator and a generatorInitiator: An extremely basic shape or form that is the initial step in
fractal generation. It is the skeleton form of a fractal, before any iterative
or recursive process have been initiated and applied.
Generator: The scaled, possibly rearranged version of the initiator that
generates is used to produce a fractal. It is a rule that is repetitively
applied to each iteration.
Process of Fractal Generation: Take the generator and apply it to the
initiator by replacing EACH copy of the initiator with the generator. Repeat
over and over again. (Can technically be repeated an infinite amount of
times) Each step of applying the generator is known as an iteration.
INITIATOR
GENERATOR
SELF-SIMILARITY
In geometry, figures that are proportional but that differ in scale or perhaps
degree of rotation are known to be called similar. Furthermore, a figure is said to be
self-similar if the form as a whole, is made up of smaller scaled copies of itself.
EXACT SELF-SIMILARITY
Some fractals are exactly the same at every scale. For example, the Koch Snowflake,
depicted in figure 7, displays exact self-similarity throughout all levels of magnification or
iteration.
APPROXIMATE SELF-SIMILARITY
While some fractals are identical at every level, others, such as the famous Mandelbrot Set [Figure
8/9], display self-similarity at an approximate level. Both examples are made of up an infinite amount
of approximately self-similar copies. The deeper the magnification, the more and more replicas or
miniature sets of the entire structure can be seen.
FRACTAL DIMENSION
Fractal dimensions are found between the standard integer dimensions, and are
in a decimal format. They allow for a roughness factor that classical dimensions
cannot represent. This measure of roughness enables us to measure the previously
Figure 12
Figure 12 & 13: The rough or irregular
dimension this crinkled paper occupies
displays the same type of dimension that
geometric fractals and natural fractal forms
such as mountain terrains also exhibit
fractal dimension.
Figure 13
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Self-Similar Pieces = 3
Magnification Factor = 2
Self-Similar Pieces = Count number of self-similar pieces, depicted in red. For this iteration, the
spierspki triange has three minature copies of its original self. Value of N will be three.
Magnification Factor = Ask yourself, how many times does the smallest replica of the fractal need
to be magnified in order to produce the original copy? You could also take the length of smallest
copy and divide from the length of the whole fractal to find this value. For this specific iteration
of the sierpinski triangle, let us say the minature triangles have a length of one and a half inches
and that the original fractal has a length of three inches. Divide three by one and a half and you get
two. Therefore, the magnification factor, or S value for this iteration is two!
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APPLICATIONS OF FRACTALS
NATURAL APPLICATIONS
If geometry and straight lines are what we used as humans to design our world,
then fractals are what Mother Nature has used to design hers. From trees, to coral, to
the hunting pattern of sharks, fractals can be found virtually everywhere in nature.
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CONCLUSION
It is without question that one may conclude that fractals are an indispensable
part of modern mathematics. We now live in a world where nature can be understood
from a century ago, when such organic forms were categorized as unexplainable!
With this newfound understanding of physical entities and biological
processes, society not only has been able to represent and study these natural organic
forms, but also, unlock limitless potential for technological advancement. Already,
thousands of unbelievable, even life-changing, applications have been made and to
think we have barely even scratched the surface!
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PHOTOS CITED
Cover Page Photo: http://www.wired.com/2010/09/fractal-patterns-in-nature/
Salt Field Photo: http://www.wired.com/2010/09/fractal-patterns-in-nature/?viewall=true
Mandelbrot Photo: http://www.oxfordstrat.com/resources/ideas/mandelbrot-benoit/
Figure 3: Computer Generated
Figure 4: http://www.mathsisfun.com/sierpinski-triangle.html
Figures 5&6: Computer Generated
Figure 7: http://imgkid.com/koch-snowflake.shtml
Figures 8&9: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/set.html
Figure 10: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimension
Figure 11: http://math.bu.edu/DYSYS/chaos-game/node6.html
Figure 12: http://whippys.deviantart.com/art/Crinkled-Paper-79779014
Figure 13: http://www.microfilmmaker.com/reviews/Issue63/Vue9Inf.html
Figure 14: http://alg.umbc.edu/usaq/archives/004802.html
Figure 15: http://phys.org/news164866159.html
Figure 16: http://fractalfoundation.org/OFC/OFC-12-2.html
Figure 17: Image courtesy of Edwin L. Steele Laboratory, Harvard.
WORKS CITED
fractalfoundation.org
http://www.wired.com/2010/09/fractal-patterns-in-nature/?viewall=true
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/fractals/set.html
http://www.slideshare.net/MILANJOSHIJI/fractal-geometry-and-its-applications-by-milan-a-joshi
http://math.bu.edu/DYSYS/chaos-game/node6.html
http://discovermagazine.com/2011/jan-feb/92
http://fractalfoundation.org/OFC/OFC-12-4.html
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http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/cogsci/chaos/workshop/Fractals.html
http://www.icd.com/tsd/fractals/beginner6.htm
http://people.cst.cmich.edu/piate1kl/MTH_553_F07/Fractals.pdf
http://fractalfoundation.org/resources/fractivities/
http://fractalfoundation.org/resources/lessons/
http://fractalfoundation.org/resources/what-are-fractals
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/AnS/psychology/cogsci/chaos/workshop/Fractals.html
http://www.icd.com/tsd/fractals/beginner6.htm
http://fractalfoundation.org/fractivities/FractalPacks-EducatorsGuide.pdf
http://www.fractal.org/Bewustzijns-Besturings-Model/Fractals-Useful-Beauty.htm
http://www.shodor.org/interactivate/lessons/PropertiesOfFractals/
http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/fractals/pasc.html
http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/fractals/self.html
http://math.rice.edu/~lanius/fractals/iter.html
http://math.bu.edu/DYSYS/chaos-game/node6.html
http://math.bu.edu/DYSYS/chaosgame/node5.html#SECTION00050000000000000000
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