The math and art departments at Phelps collaborated on a joint project to build a Sierpinski Tetrahedron, a fractal with a limited range. A true mathematical fractal looks the same over all ranges of scale, referred to as “self – similarity” in Fractal Geometry. Self – similarity over limited ranges of scale is common in nature. Some examples include broccoli, cauliflower, clouds, mountains, trees, snowflakes, and coastlines. These self – similar patterns occur frequently in works of art.

Ms. Anderson attended a Fractal Workshop in 2006 where she helped build a four foot tall Sierpinski Tetrahedron comprised of 256 tetrahedrons. At Phelps, she organized the project to build one eight feet tall made up of 1024 tetrahedrons, all created from envelopes. The Sierpinski Tetrahedron can be used to illustrate numerous mathematical concepts such as scaling, exponents, logarithms, complex numbers, transformations, iteration, limits and continuity, and derivatives.

Ms. Anderson would like to thank Mr. R. Smith who was instrumental in its completion, especially in the final stages of construction. She would also like to thank all of the participating students and teachers, especially Mr. Checker, Mr. Bailey, Mr. Viggiano, Ms. DeStefano, and Mr. Campbell. In addition, she extends her thanks to Trisha Moller and Michael Fraboni for the project idea from the Fractal Workshop at Moravian College in 2006.