Programming Assignment Checklist: Recursive Graphics

Frequently Asked Questions

What preparation do I need before beginning this assignment? Read Sections 2.1–2.3 of the textbook.

What is the layout of the initial equilateral triangle? By using the definition in the assignment and the Pythagorean theorem, you can prove that the top vertex lies at (1/2, √3/2). We illustrate the coordinates of the initial iterations below to help you double-check.

Sierpinski triangle geometry

How do I draw a filled equilateral triangle? Use StdDraw.filledPolygon() with appropriate parameters.

May I use a different color from black to fill in the triangles? Yes, you may use any color that contrasts with the white background.

How can I create colors that aren't predefined in standard drawing? It requires using objects that we'll learn about in Chapter 3. In the meantime, you can use this color guide.

How should I go about doing the artistic part of the assignment? This part is meant to be fun, but here are some guidelines in case you're not so artistic. A very good approach is to first choose a self-referential pattern as a target output. Check out the graphics exercises in Section 2.3. Here are some of our favorite student submissions from Fall '10. See also the Famous Fractals in Fractals Unleashed for some ideas. Here is a list of fractals, by Hausdorff dimension. Some pictures are harder to generate than others (and some require trig); consult a preceptor for advice if you're unsure.

What will cause me to lose points on the artistic part? We will deduct points if the code to generate your picture is too similar to Htree, Sierpinski, NestedCircles or Brownian. Are the shapes overlapping in an interesting order? Does the signature of your recursive method include a novel argument? Is the recursive call tree qualitatively different from the ones seen in class? Cosmetic changes (colors or shapes) are welcome, but the crux of what we look for is a different recursive behaviour.

Example: the Quadricross looks very different from the in-class examples, but the code to generate it looks extremely similar to HTree, so it is a bad choice. Non-example: Even though the Sierpinski Curve eventually generates something that looks identical to the Sierpinski Triangle, the code is very different and so it would earn full marks.

You will also lose points if your artwork can be created just as easily without recursion (like Factorial for example). If the recursive call tree for your function is a straight line, it probably falls under this category.

May I use .gif, .jpg, or .png in my artistic creation? Yes. If so, be sure to submit them along with your other files. Make it clear in your readme.txt what part of the design is yours and what part is borrowed from the image file.

My function for Art.java takes several parameters, but the assignment says that I can only read in one command-line argument N. What should I do? Choose a few of the best parameter values and do something like the following:

if      (N == 1) { x = 0.55; y = 0.75; n = 3; }
else if (N == 2) { x = 0.55; y = 0.75; n = 5; }
else if (N == 3) { x = 0.32; y = 0.71; n = 8; }
else if ...

Possible Progress Steps

These are purely suggestions for how you might make progress. You do not have to follow these steps. Note that your final Sierpinski.java program should not be very long (no longer than Htree, not including comments and blank lines).

Reviewing Your Program

Challenge for the bored

Consider using our StdDraw3D library instead of StdDraw to create a three-dimensional fractal design! (Note: This is not for extra credit nor for submission.) You can find documentation on the booksite.

To check that you have downloaded StdDraw3D when running the installer, go to the command prompt and type:

java StdDraw3D

Enrichment