| If finding a decomposition is difficult, here are two approaches for building intuition. The first uses paper and scissors, the second uses the web and a graphics program. |
| First approach: |
| (a) Trace the main features of the fractal and cut out smaller copies of the tracing. |
| (b) To allow for reflections, flip the small copies and on the back trace over the lines on the front. Label the front image with a small F, to distinguish it from its reflection, and to indicate the original orientation. |
| (c) Place the small copies, perhaps rotating or reflecting them, to make a copy of the original fractal. |
| Second approach |
| (a) Bring up the homework web page on your computer. |
| (b) Copy the image to the desktop of yor computer. Drag and drop works on most platforms. |
| (c) Now open this image in your graphics program. This is the target image. |
| (d) Paste another copy and use the graphics functions - scale, rotate, reflect - to cover one of the pieces of the target. You must be careful about the placement of the pieces under rotation and reflection, because rotation is about the origin and reflection are across the x- and y-axes. |
| (e) Continue until all the pieces of the target are covered. |
Return to the Inverse Problem.