Dynamical Systems Software

No recent discovery in mathematics has captured the imaginations of students and scientists quite like the Mandelbrot and Julia sets. These spectacular computer graphics images, first seen in 1980 by Benoit Mandelbrot, have sparked interest in the field of mathematics known as dynamical systems. This software, for Macintosh computers, is designed to expose the user to the mathematical ideas behind these concepts as well as to the beautiful images. These programs allow the user to explore not only quadratic dynamical systems, but also cubic, trigonometric, and exponential functions. These systems yield an array of different images. The interface is designed so that users with little prior computer experience can quickly learn how to run and enjoy the programs. There is an accompanying users' manual.