56-2860 Chaos and Fractals

This course is about the amazing and unintuitive properties of chaos and fractals; how great complexity can arise from simple rules, and that what at first may appear unpredictable and random can actually be predicted and understood. The aim is to capture the imagination of a wide range of students, getting them involved in a new paradigm in physics. While chaos and fractal geometries have found applications in areas as diverse as medicine, antenna design, atmospheric physics, textiles, printing, graphic design and even photography, the course will allow students to explore ways in which it can inform their own creative interests. To do so, it is imperative that students develop an intuitive understanding of the mathematical and physical ideas behind fractals and chaos; we will use an interactive computer interface (Mathematica) to visualize fractals and the strange properties of chaotic physical systems.

3 Credits
SC
PREREQUISITES: 56-1720 College Mathematics or 56-1723 Liberal Arts Mathematics or 56-1723 Liberal Arts Mathematics