Tens Triangle Fractal...

 

 This wasn't a small project.  Not by any stretch of the imagination.  We worked together (at some point Matt even got involved) every day this week to create our mathematical work of art.  I considered skipping this lesson, as I had read other family's had opted to do.  But there was never really a choice.  Not for me.  Math on a grand scale that is powerful and beautiful?  Oh, no.  I couldn't deny her that.  (I did laminate to save our work so that I don't have to do all of this again for the boys though)

Here's what Dr Cotter wrote about her fractal:

Fractals are a new branch of mathematics only a few decades old.  There are two types of fractals, regular, and random.  Scientists use random fractals for computer modeling in order to study some of nature's irregular patterns and structures.  Regular fractals, also called geometric fractals, consist of  larger structures that are identical to the smaller structure.  

The Tens Fractal, a regular fractal starts with ten small equilateral triangles arranged in the pattern of a larger equilateral triangle, the ten triangle.  Ten of these ten triangles arranged in the same pattern forms the hundred triangle.  And ten of the hundred triangles in the same pattern forms the thousand triangle, the Cotter Tens Fractal.

So with our plan in place, we set to work.

 ~30 pages of construction paper
~4 (at least) glue sticks
~100 glue dots
~25 lamination pouches
~35 printed pages of triangles
~6 days of work
~One Thousand Three Hundred triangles cut.  That's 1,300.  That's A.  LOT.  Of.   Triangles. 
   (to be fair,  a few {hundred} were because of my own error, but I'm not willing to talk about that)

 

 And here's the biiig result of our week of dedicated work ....

 j

We are all very pleased with the results.   This is not likely to be a lesson she (any of us) will soon forget.