Sierpinski triangle
/ʃɪəˈpɪnski
/(also Sierpinski gasket)
noun Mathematics
A fractal based on a triangle with four equal triangles inscribed in it. The central triangle is removed and each of the other three treated as the original was, and so on, creating an infinite regression in a finite space.This description conjures up images of cycloids, Sierpinski gaskets, ‘cowboy hat’ surfaces, and multi-colored graphs....
- There is an interesting relation between the puzzle graph of the Towers of Hanoi puzzle and Pascal's triangle, and hence the Sierpinski gasket too.
- A well-known algorithm for drawing a Sierpinski triangle starts with a sequence of 0s and 1s.
Origin
1970s: named after Wacław Sierpiński (1882–1969), Polish mathematician.