Maria Hernandez
hernandez@[Link]
Teaching Contemporary Mathematics
January 2013
• Advanced Algebra 2, Math III or IV,
Advanced Functions & Modeling,
Precalculus Students
• Prior knowledge includes matrix operations
and trigonometry.
• Can be used as a project or shorter writing
assignment.
“A fractal is an object or quantity that displays
self-similarity, in a somewhat technical sense,
on all scales. The object need not exhibit
exactly the same structure at all scales, but the
same "type" of structures must appear on all
scales.
“An object is said to be self-similar if it looks
"roughly" the same on any scale.”
- Wolfram MathWorld
Consider an initial image
We want to produce a new
image that looks like
Translations
Dilations
Rotations
Consider the point ( x0 , y0 ) represented as a column vector
or a 2 x 1 matrix.
x0
y
0
We want to create matrices that will transform the point
through matrix operations.
x0 or x0 e
a b
c d y y f
0 0
Shift right 2 and up 3 x0 2
y 3
0
Shrink x by 2 and y by 3
0.5 0 x0 0.5 x0
0 0.3 y0 0.3 y0
About the x-axis 1 0 x0 x0
0 1 y y
0 0
About the y-axis
1 0 x0 x0
0 1 y y
0 0
Consider a rotation through an angle of B in the counter-
clockwise direction. We will write the point using polar
notation as follows:
x r cos( A)
y r sin( A)
We want to find the l, m, n and p so that
x l m x
y n p y
x r cos( A B )
y r sin( A B)
Using the angle-addition formulas:
x r cos( A B ) r cos( A) cos( B) sin( A) sin( B)
y r sin( A B) r sin( A) cos( B) cos( A) sin( B)
x r cos( A) cos( B) r sin( A) sin( B)
y r sin( A) cos( B) r cos( A) sin( B)
x r cos( A) cos( B) r sin( A)sin( B)
y r sin( A) cos( B) r cos( A)sin( B)
x x cos( B) y sin( B)
y y cos( B) x sin( B)
Or in written as a matrix equation
x cos( B) sin( B) x
y sin( B) cos( B) y
cos( B) sin( B)
sin( B) cos( B)
So if we want to rotate the point (x,y) through
an angle of 45 degrees, we have a rotation
matrix equal to
cos( B) sin( B)
sin( B) cos( B)
S = Stretch matrix
R = Rotational matrix
Matrix for CBoN code = RS or SR?
One line of code for each “new” figure:
a b c d e f
Where
x a b x e
y c d y f
Note: a, b, c, and d will contain both dilations
and rotations.
For each sub-figure in your fractal image, you will need a line
of code: a b c d e f
Choose Multiple Reduction Copy Machine from the drop down
menu.
Type your lines of code in the dialog box – You can copy and
paste these from a more user-friendly input doc.
Change the depth to 1, then 2, then n where n is where you
want to “stop”. Click Restart after each depth change.
Sit back and watch the beautiful fractal image unfold!
Create your very own fractal using Multiple Reductions
Copy Machines.
Explain how you use matrices – rotation, translation and
dilations to create step 1 of your fractal image.
For each line of code, a,b,c,d,e,f, give R, S and T,
R S x0 +T
y
0
Include a screen shot of step 1, 2 and n
Explain why you think this fractal image is particularly
interesting to you – beyond “It’s really pretty.”
Quiz or test question. Given steps 1, and 2,
write the codes to produce the fractal image.
Given the matrices, draw steps 1 and 2.
Others?
Extend to Iterated Function Systems
“ I was highly interested in this lab from the beginning, because it made
math into something creative and artistic, and it also incorporated
technology in an innovative way…. After I create my own design, I had to
figure out how to make it mathematically possible, which made me think
about how math is all around us, even in ways we usually don’t
acknowledge…, I was able to put it within the program and see how
complex it could become, which was fascinating considering how simple it
was to enter the data.
It was amazing to see how something so mathematically simple as a few
squares rotated, translated, compressed, stretched, and entered into a
matrix could become so complex, with multiple layers and much visual
interest. Furthermore, it made me think of the reiterations we did earlier
in the year, and see a new, more creative use for such mathematics, as
this software simply reiterated the original design within each of the
squares it saw.”
“Our unit in fractals was very interesting to me. I loved
seeing the patterns appear and observing how every tiny
change in the transformation matrices significantly
changed the outcome of the fractal…
We didn’t just learn about the formation of fractals; we
also learned a great deal about writing matrices to
transform points. Rotation matrices in particular were
very interesting to me…
However, since we derived this rotation matrix in class,
there was no need for me to memorize it; it just made
sense. Using this on my fractal project was also very
important to the design I wanted to produce.
This was, by far, my favorite project of the year.”
Astronomy: Other:
Galaxies Clouds coastlines and
Rings of Saturn Borderlines
Data Compression
Diffusion
Bio / Chem: Economy
Bacterial Cultures Fractal Art
Chemical Reactions Fractal Music
Human Anatomy Landscapes
Molecules
Plants Newton’s Method
Population Growth Special Effects (Star Trek)
Weather
Text: The Computational Beauty of Nature:
Computer Explorations of Fractals, Chaos, Complex Systems,
and Adaptation, Gary Flake MIT Press, 1998.
CBoN Website for Java applets:
[Link]
NCTM Mathematics Teacher Article:
Hands-On Fractals and the Unexpected Mathematics, Alan
Gluchoff, April 2006, Vol 99.
Fractals, Hunting the Hidden Dimension NOVA home video
NCSSM Post-AP Calculus Project:
Newton’s Method in the Complex Plane
[Link]
Winfeed – Free program that creates images for Mandelbrot,
Iterated Functions Systems, Bifurcation Diagrams, and much
more, Rick Parris at Phillips Exeter Academy.
[Link]
NetLogo – Models Library Fractals
[Link]
Anja S. Greer Conference
Phillips Exeter Academy
June 23 – June 28, 2013
Tactile Fractals
[Link]
[Link]?hpw
Complex Systems Project
Intro to IFS – Iterated Functions System
