Chaos and Fractals: An Elementary Introduction

By David P. Feldman

Book Overview

This book provides the reader with an elementary introduction to chaos and fractals, suitable for students with a background in elementary algebra, without assuming prior coursework in calculus or physics. It introduces the key phenomena of chaos - aperiodicity, sensitive dependence on initial conditions, bifurcations - via simple iterated functions. Fractals are introduced as self-similar geometric objects and analyzed with the self-similarity and box-counting dimensions. After a brief discussion of power laws, subsequent chapters explore Julia Sets and the Mandelbrot Set. The last part of the book examines two-dimensional dynamical systems, strange attractors, cellular automata, and chaotic differential equations.

The book is richly illustrated and includes over 200 end-of-chapter exercises. A flexible format and a clear and succinct writing style make it a good choice for introductory courses in chaos and fractals.

To request a copy of the Solutions Manual, visit: http: //global.oup.com/uk/academic/physics/admin/solutions

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0199566437
• ISBN13: 9780199566433
• Release Date: October 2012
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 2.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 7.6" x 9.7"