What is a fractal?
A fractal is a mathematical figure which has a property of “self-similarity”. The term ‘fractal’ is derived from the words ‘Fractional Dimension’ When you zoom into a fractal, you get the original figure and this process never ends. The simplest fractal in the Cantor Set.
There are more complex fractals like the Menger Sponge.
How do you make a fractal?
All you have to do is take a shape and apply a rule to it. In the Cantor set, the starting shape is a line. The rule is to remove the middle third. It’s really this simple. This method of creating fractals is known as Iterated Function Systems (IFS). You can make your own fractal too. Download this file onto your computer (don't worry; it is virus-free) and open it on a web browser: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1P6neTaUVRjBPsXNQwkMtpNdZgOELuC48/view?usp=sharing.
Fractals in Nature
Fractals can be found in the real world too. They are not as precise as actual fractals, but they are still wonders of nature. Here are some images of fractals:
Snowflakes
Nautilus Shell
Romanesco Broccoli
Applications of Fractals
There are uncountable applications, but due to the limitation of the number of pages I will be mentioning only a few - Fractal Transistors, Detecting ‘life as we know it’ by fractal analysis, and many more. If you want to find out more about applications of fractals, explore this page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractal#Applications_in_technology
Fractals are interesting; you could find out about other geometrical figures that catch your eye. Good luck exploring!
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