Years ago, presenting this example to a group of elementary and
middle school children (without discussing rotations or reflections - just the
decomposition), I convinced most of the students that only three rules were needed:
the lower right and lower left fronds, and all the other fronds lumped into one piece. |
Then a little fourth
grader asked "What about the bottom of the stem?" |
"It's just a single line. I'll
draw it in by hand," I replied. |
"But what about the little stem connecting each
frond to the middle? Oh, and what about the even littler stems connecting the fronds of the
fronds?" she asked. |
She got the point, really got it, more quickly than anyone I've seen since. |
I don't know where you are now, and I never learned your name. But I
remember you. |