fractal

(noun)

A natural phenomenon or mathematical set that exhibits a repeating pattern that can be seen at every scale.

Related Terms

  • geometric series
  • annuity

Examples of fractal in the following topics:

  • Common Bases of Logarithms

    • Logarithms are commonplace in scientific formulae, and in measurements of the complexity of algorithms and of geometric objects called fractals.
    • Logarithms occur in definitions of the dimension of fractals.
    • Fractals are geometric objects that are self-similar: small parts reproduce, at least roughly, the entire global structure.
    • Another logarithm-based notion of dimension is obtained by counting the number of boxes needed to cover the fractal in question.
  • Applications of Geometric Series

    • The Koch snowflake is a fractal shape with an interior comprised of an infinite amount of triangles.
    • In the study of fractals, geometric series often arise as the perimeter, area, or volume of a self-similar figure.
  • Shape

    • Some, such as plant structures and coastlines, may be so arbitrary as to defy traditional mathematical description – in which case they may be analyzed by differential geometry, or as fractals.
  • Domestic Architecture in Modern Africa

    • One common theme in a great deal of traditional African architecture is the use of fractal scaling: small parts of the structure tend to look similar to larger parts, such as a circular village made of circular houses.
Subjects
  • Accounting
  • Algebra
  • Art History
  • Biology
  • Business
  • Calculus
  • Chemistry
  • Communications
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Microbiology
  • Physics
  • Physiology
  • Political Science
  • Psychology
  • Sociology
  • Statistics
  • U.S. History
  • World History
  • Writing

Except where noted, content and user contributions on this site are licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 with attribution required.