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From: lewisd@homxc.UUCP (D.LEWIS)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: Definition of a Fractal?
Message-ID: <1086@homxc.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 1-Sep-87 17:56:54 EDT
Article-I.D.: homxc.1086
Posted: Tue Sep  1 17:56:54 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 5-Sep-87 05:08:22 EDT
References: <508@oscvax.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories, Holmdel
Lines: 23
Summary: definition fractal

In article <508@oscvax.UUCP>, ron@oscvax.UUCP (Ron Janzen) writes:
> I usually end up giving properties that are common among a lot of
> fractals such as highly irregular, self-similar, non-differentiable,
> etc.  The definition that Mandelbrot uses in The Fractal Geometry of
> Nature is:
> 
> "A fractal is by definition a set for which the Hausdorff Besicovitch
> dimension strictly exceeds the topological dimension".
> 
> Needless to say this is not something we can use on the unsuspecting
> public.  Does anybody out there want to try and come up with a
> definition for a fractal which is understandable to quasi-intelligent
> people? 

I think that you're on the right track with "self-similar."  Perhaps
also try "partial-dimensional."  Make the comparision between a straight
line and a space-filling curve, perhaps, and point out the similarity
of fractals to such curves.

-- 

David B. Lewis    {ihnp4!}homxc!lewisd
201-615-5306 Eastern Time, Days.