Fractals

[pegkerr]

Fiona is studying algebra this year. Our problem: she's very bright, but she was not put in the proper math class last year. For some stupid reason, they arranged the schedule so that students who were in the most advanced English class couldn't also be put in the most advanced math class (where she really belonged). This year, they've moved her up to advanced math, but she's not had some of the lessons that others in the class have had, and so we're trying not to panic while we get her up to speed.

But looking at her homework tonight, I was absolutely baffled. Rob, Mr. I'm-the-one-who-fields-the-math-homework-problems, was working late, unfortunately. I felt absolutely ashamed when I had to admit to her, "I'm sorry, honey, I don't think I've ever studied fractals before."

Gah. I hope her teacher will be able to help her absorb what she needs to know as quickly as possible.

Comments

[sternel.livejournal.com]

When I was in high school, honor society members were expected to perform a certain number of hours tutoring. Perhaps there is something similar in your district? If nothing else, perhaps they can recommend an advanced high schooler who wouldn't mind a little pocket money.

[boxofdelights]

I'm a really good math tutor.

I care a lot about girls who are taking advanced math.

I care most about girls in situations like hers, who have missed a piece of background material. My experience says that math teachers will unconsciously decide that boys in that situation need a helping hand, and girls in that situation just haven't got what it takes.

Tell Fiona she can call or email me for help any time. boxofdelights@gmail.com or (970)232-4101. If she wants to call, it would be good to send me the problems by email first.

Seriously. Any help, any time.

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Thank you! We will certainly keep your kind offer in mind.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

They didn't have fractals when we were her age. I think they invented them in about 1992.

K.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

She's right; they didn't fave fractals when you were in school.

And feel free to ask me to come over next time this happens.

B

[pegkerr.livejournal.com]

Thanks!

[kiwiria.livejournal.com]

I LOVE math - wish I lived closer so I could help.

[althea_valara]

Dang. I wish I lived closer, too, because I did my senior seminar in college on Fractals.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I've tutored math from about pre-algebra on up through some of the stuff that comes up in the study of quantum mecahnics. Drop me a line if Fiona wants or needs a hand. (I will send you my phone number if you want it.)

I took a math class my dad had never taken my freshman year of college, and it was kind of a big deal for both of us, but the really big deal was when I got to a lab course where he'd never done any of the experiments. We knew it was coming, but it was bittersweet to get there. (My dad is a chemist, so a near analogy might be if Fiona decided to study literature but in a different language than English.)

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

If R needs tutoring this year, may we call you?

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I'm not doing it regularly any more, in part due to other commitments with health issues in my immediate family. So if R. needs help with her math on an occasional basis (including on an "ACK HELP THIS IS DUE TOMORROW" basis), by all means call me, but if she needs/wants a tutor weekly or more, someone else would probably be a better choice.

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

No, I think "on an occasional basis (including on an "ACK HELP THIS IS DUE TOMORROW" basis)" describes it pretty well! I got along quite well helping the boys (see my comment to Peg below), but R and I have such different learstyles that she seldom tolerates my help.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I can't guarantee that I could be helpful, but I've worked with a wide variety of learning styles.

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

Er, "learning styles."

[morganmalfoy.livejournal.com]

aww, I feel bad, because I am not good at math (okay, let's take this from a relative stance...I got a C in calculus and never took math again, so it's not like I failed over and over, but I don't like it), but I definitely remember when I started taking math my parents didn't know, and how frustrating it was because they had always helped me with homework I didn't get and all of the sudden here I was needing help and they couldn't do anything. It was my first enforced independance.

[cakmpls.livejournal.com]

AAAiiiiiii! I feel your pain. I am 36-44 years older than my kids, so you can imagine how much math studies have changed since I was in school. J is 7 years younger, so he was exposed to some math that I wasn't, but still...

Our two sons wanted (IMHO, not necessarily needed, at least scholatically) more help with homework than our daughters did/do. They both liked to do their homework pretty much as soon as they got home, and since I (as a freelancer) was the one who was at home then, I did probably 90% of the homework help over the junior high and high school years. I relearned a lot of math, and had to learn some that didn't exist when I was in school. I used some online resources, and I know I talked to dd_b a time or two!

[schnoogle.livejournal.com]

I was always good at maths, and took the highest level course provided at high school. Fractals were never a focus of any of this, but I have done a little on them. Really, I miss maths now that i'm at uni doing No Maths, so I'd love to help out if needed. :)

I don't suppose that Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fractals) helps... If nothing else, there are some pretty pictures. :)

[ironymaiden]

check this out: http://homepage.mac.com/sobrietyhighwest/math/mandelbrotproject.html

the materials may or may not be helpful, but perhaps this can put a friendly spin on the concept? also, the music video is so sweet it makes me cry.

[blpurdom.livejournal.com]

The thing about fractals is that a component of the whole is always analogous to the whole. The best and longest-lived example of a fractal is the Golden Mean. (So--no. Fractals weren't "invented" in 1992. They've been discussed in mathematics for some time; they just haven't seeped into the general public's consciousness until recently.) A fabulous book on the topic (short and easy to read) is "The Golden Ratio", by Mario Livio.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Not reall. The Golden Mean is a radio, not a fractal. Fractals can make use of the Golden Mean in their construction, but that's not the same thing. Mandelbrot discovered fractals in the 1970s, although they really didn't hit the public until all of the pretty computer pictures some years later.

This is a pretty good intro.

I love the fact that they're being shown to high school students, but I'm not sure what of the theory can be possibly tought. But just telling them that they're fractional dimensions might be enough....

B

[king-tirian.livejournal.com]

I think that what she's talking about is the construction of the golden spiral, which I suspect is ancient.

Sierpinski also did a lot of work with what weren't called fractals in the 1910's. In fact, if someone felt illiterate about fractals and wanted to work on that, I'd recommend that they start with wiki's entries for the Sierpinski curve and the Sierpinski triangle. Mandlebrot's work is very pretty, but as a mathematician I have to confess that I still haven't seen the applications for it.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

1992.

That was joke.

K. [who is not minnehaha B]

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

Although they were invented -- I supposed "discovered" is a better word -- in 1975.

B

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

As others have pointed out, fractals weren't on the curriculum when Rob and I were at Carleton. Much of the basic work, and nearly all of the pretty pictures, have happened since then.

Still, once she's had some exposure to fractals, she's more prepared to see (or read) Arcadia, so that's good.

[alfreda89.livejournal.com]

My school had the same problems. The advanced math was across from one of the honors English. It was over halfway through the year before I was yanked from advanced -- and put into regular math, because they weren't going to shift me to Advanced English and Honors math that late.

I mentally wrote scenes in Geometry. They were half-way through the book Advanced had already finished. My honors English teacher later told me I should have been in Advanced English.

I'm glad you're there pulling for her.