hour of code - Fractal Kitty

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hour of code

A collection of 15 posts

Parabolic Beams

Parabolic Beams

I love thinking of parabolas as being formed with a directrix and focus. Coming from a background in trajectory analysis, I find the abstract relationships of the curve to the point and line beautiful. When a light shines through the focus of a parabolic mirror, the light reflected is orthogonal to

Swirled Series Challenge

Swirled Series Challenge

I decided to join Craig S. Kaplan’s Swirled Series Challenge. I played the last two nights and have some draft GIFs below. I don’t have a ton of time, but it’s stuff like this that relaxes me at night. I look forward to seeing what people come up with. I still need to export a […]

Fantasy Maps to Planets

Additional Materials

Fantasy Maps to Planets

For those that have created fantasy maps using previous posts here, in classes, or elsewhere in Worldbuilding, D&D, or art, I created a small script to see your maps as spherical planets. You can click to rotate and move the mouse off the canvas to have rotation. You may want to draw a map that […]

Scripting Algebra

SA9: Quadrant Play

This Scripting Algebra (SA) activity looks at quadrants, mouse location, and interactive art p5.js. This activity assumes that the skills from SA1-SA8 were introduced (if-else, logical operators, random(), text(), rect(), variables, loop, pow, for, functions, translate, modulo, etc.). This activity

Parallel to a Parabola

Parallel to a Parabola

I received a question today about what curve is parallel to a parabola. I sat for a minute and realized that it wasn’t another parabola. It required parametric equations (at least if you wanted to keep it simple). That of course lead to code: See the Pen jOqzMJb by Sophia (@fractalkitty) on CodePen.

SA8: Odd and Even

Scripting Algebra

SA8: Odd and Even

This Scripting Algebra (SA) activity uses even and odd polynomials to create generative art in p5.js. This activity assumes that the skills from SA1-SA7 were introduced (if-else, logical operators, random(), text(), rect(), variables, loop, pow, for, functions, translate etc.). This activity will in

SA7: Directrix and Focus

Scripting Algebra

SA7: Directrix and Focus

This Scripting Algebra (SA) activity uses parabolas again to make generative art in p5.js. In SA6, we used the f(x) = ax2+bx+c form for parabolas. In SA7, we are going to take a look at the directrix and focus by using the form: (x-h)2 = 4p(y-k). This is one of my favorite ways to look […]

SA6: Parabola Art

Scripting Algebra

SA6: Parabola Art

This Scripting Algebra (SA) activity uses parabolas to make generative art in p5.js. Learners will investigate existing code to analyze changes in parabolas, and other features of the output. This activity assumes that the skills from SA1-SA5 were introduced (if-else, logical operators, random(), te

SA5: Systems of Equations

Scripting Algebra

SA5: Systems of Equations

This Scripting Algebra (SA) activity will play with systems of linear equations in p5.js. In this activity, a system of two random lines will be generated and the intersection (or solution) of those lines will be calculated to make generative art. It is recommended to introduce creating functions if

SA4: Perpendicular Play

Scripting Algebra

SA4: Perpendicular Play

This Scripting Algebra (SA) activity will introduce students to perpendicular slopes and points for lines in p5.js. Once students get comfortable with linear functions, it is fun to look at their perpendicular counterparts. Introduce the concept that a perpendicular line has a slope that is a negati

Scripting Algebra

SA3: Exponents

Exponential growth can be visualized so many different ways. This SA activity will play with the pow function and explore exponents in p5.js. This activity assumes that the skills from SA2 were introduced (if-else, logical operators, random(), text(), rect(), variables, loop, etc.). Make sure that t

SA2: Animated Lines

Scripting Algebra

SA2: Animated Lines

There are infinite possibilities for linear function animations. This SA project will give some ideas to practice using linear equations with p5.js. Introduce if-else statements (conditions), logical operators, random(), text(), rect(), variables, and using p5.js for animation (loop). Below are a fe

SA1: Real Numbers

Scripting Algebra

SA1: Real Numbers

Here is my first Scripting Algebra (SA) post! I hope to keep these coming (with about 5 posts for each semester of Algebra). Often Algebra classes start with the Real Number System. This SA task is to program a graphic for the Real Number system. This can be a Venn diagram, animation, or another pro

black paint on paper made from a pendulum

52 Weeks of Math Activities

Week 49: Pendulum Labs

Pendulums are wonderful physics toys that are great for exploring periodic functions. For week 49, I encourage learners to get out some string, weights, and stop watches. Here are some ideas for playing with math and pendulums: Start with a string and a weight to observe basic pendulum motion. Nuts,

a strange attractor drawn like silk with turquoise lines and dots

I’m Attracted to Attractors

So many plots and mathematical musings throughout my life have brought on a sense of artistic beauty and awe within my being. In the windowless halls of engineering firms I have smiled at harmonics, or in a homeschooling room squealed in glee when I stumbled upon Pisano periods by trying to play Fib