Fractal Representation of the British Coastline

Eric Chang Angelina Jaglinski

Department of Mathematics

Background Methods Results

Square curve sometimes approximates coastline better

Triangle: Only convex

Square: Concave and convex

As measuring tool decreases in length,

perimeter increases

As measuring tool approaches an

infinitesimal length, limit of perimeter

appraoches infinity Triangle Code

Approx. dimension of British coastline:

D = 1.25 [2]

Inputs:
Numer of iterations, k=5

Figure 1:Increasing Perimeter [1] Start point, (0, 0)

Zooming in on Coastline
End point, (1, 0)

Zooming Reveals More Detail Output: list of triangle Curve with more iterations better reflects small details
fractal coords

Dimension: D = 1.26 [3]

Square Code

Inputs:
Numer of iterations, k=3
References
Start point, (0, 0)

End point, (2, 1) [1] The Geospatial and Farming Systems Research Consortium.
Spatial data science, 2016.

Output: list of square [2] Benoit Mandelbrot.

How long is the coast of britain? statistical self-similarity and fractional dimension.
Science, 156(3775):636--638, 1967.
fractal coords
[3] Wikipedia.
List of fractals by hausdorff dimension, 2020.
Dimension: D = 1.50 [3]
The study resulting in this presentation was assisted by a grant administered by Northwestern University’s Office of Undergraduate Research.
However, the conclusions, opinions, and other statements in this publication [or presentation] are the author’s and not necessarily those of
the sponsoring institution.