Informally speaking, a fractal is a geometrical shape that always looks infinitely complex regardless of how small scale we use for viewing it. Fractals often exhibit self similarity, i.e. the parts of the shape looking like the shape itself.
Objects in nature have very often fractal shapes rather than smooth shapes such as squares or spheres; for example a tree is composed of branches that themselves look like small trees, and these further extend into smaller and smaller branches.
In mathematical terms, a fractal is a shape whose fractal dimension is greater than its topological dimension.
Fractals are surprisingly simple to define. It often takes only a single simple equation or a few simple rules. It is thanks to recursive application of these equation or rules that a complex shape emerges from them.
This page was last edited on 2026-09-25 02:04:49.
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