Fractals
What Are Fractals?
Fractals are shapes that look the same no matter how much you zoom in or out. They have endless patterns that repeat again and again, like magic! Nature is full of them—snowflakes, tree branches, and even coastlines have fractal-like patterns.
How Are Fractals Made?
In Nature: They can grow naturally, like the way trees keep branching into smaller and smaller parts.
In Math: You can make them by repeating simple rules over and over on a computer. Each time you repeat, the shape gets more detailed.
In Art and Technology: Artists and scientists use computer programs to make colorful fractal designs by following math formulas.
Famous Fractals
Mandelbrot Set: A super-famous, swirly shape made with math—it looks like a big bug with tons of spirals.
Julia Set: Another math-made design, often colorful and full of spirals.
Koch Snowflake: A triangle that keeps growing more points, making it look like a snowflake.
Sierpinski Triangle: A triangle made of smaller triangles, which are made of even smaller triangles… forever!
Dragon Curve: A winding, zig-zagging pattern that twists like a dragon’s tail.
Fractals aren’t just cool to look at—they’re used in video games, computer graphics, and even to understand nature (like how clouds form or how plants grow).