Questions on African Fractals ch 13-14

1) pp. 204 What discoveries of the ancient Greeks would have lead to fractals? Why didn’t they?

2) Pp. 205-6 In what way did Fibonacci’s discovery contribute to the history leading towards fractal geometry? What might be the African connection (see fig 7.2)?

3) Pp. 206-208 How did Georg Cantor contribute to fractal geometry? What was his connection to African fractals?

4) Pp. 217-218 How does the work of Senegalese artist Max illuminate the problem of authenticity in Africa culture?

5) Pp. 218-222 How does the work of David Hughes suggest fractal geometry? How was he able to combine these characteristics with modern materials in the design for the Kitwe community clinic? How can we extend such designs with computer modeling?

6) Pp. 223-5 Why might African fractals be useful in mathematics classrooms?

7) Pp. 224 What aspects of software design are most important for this application?

8) Pp. 226-7 How did the Ghanian Broadcasting Corporation make use of Kente cloth patterns? Why is this an important example?

9) Pp. 228 How can complexity theory provide insight into the problem of development in Africa?

10)Pp. 228-9 How can information technology help maintain the biocomplexity of traditional African agricultural practices?

11)Pp. 229-230 What other applications of information technology could have a positive impact in African development? How can African fractals help inform or guide those efforts?