Spirolaterals

 

We’ve been exploring spirolaterals – patterns formed by repeating simple mathematical rules. We explored different numbers of steps while turning through right-angles. A spirolateral of order 5, for example, follows these rules:

  • Forward 1cm then turn
  • Forward 2cm then turn
  • Forward 3cm then turn
  • Forward 4cm then turn
  • Forward 5cm then turn
  • Repeat

Each turn was 90° clockwise. We then used triangular paper to look at turns of 60°!

Spirolaterals

Drawing

Sixty degrees

Order 5