Symmetry in (Programmed) Motion
Overview
Symmetry in (Programmed) Motion was a project that was done in a coding program called StarLogo. StarLogo is a program for coding and making agents move. In StarLogo, we created kaleidoscopes by coding different agents to make them move in a certain pattern. We had to create a symmetrical image using geometrical shapes on an x- and y- axis with moving agents that mirror each other in StarLogo. The purpose of this project is to make virtual kaleidoscopes that are constantly moving. We must use rigid motion in our programming which is reflection, translation and rotation.
Process
First, we had to come up with a design that was the basic idea of what our kaleidoscope will look like. After we came up with an idea, we started to learn the basics of StarLogo. We learned about how the agents move, the different kinds of codes, how to make geometric shapes, and how the whole program of StarLogo works. Then came the design of our actual kaleidoscope. In GeoGebra, we had to create a general idea of what our kaleidoscope looked like using the tools in the graphing app. We then translated this idea into StarLogo by starting in one quadrant on the x- and y- axis. This would help us figure out how we had to control every agent in the kaleidoscope. For our final product we had to create the full kaleidoscope that was symmetrical and was constantly moving.
Symmetry is the proportional reflection of an object that is the same distance away from a plane. My kaleidoscope exhibits symmetry because I used the same points to reflect the image in all quadrants, all I changed was whether the coordinate was positive or negative. The result of doing this caused the geometric shapes to be the same distance away from the x- and y- axis. in each quadrant. By editing the code for the three other quadrants, I was able to make it so the shapes mirrored the ones in quadrant one. Rigid motion is moving an object to a different location without changing the shape or size. My finished kaleidoscope shows rigid motion very well, it shows translation, rotation and reflection. My product shows translation because one object is being reflected into different quadrants, so this object is being translated all around Spaceland in StarLogo. My product also shows rotation because my agents that create a circle rotate around a certain point in Spaceland to create the geometric shape. This shows reflection as well because I am acting as if the three other quadrants are mirrors and the real objects are in quadrant one. The objects are then reflected into the three remaining quadrants.
Symmetry in (Programmed) Motion was a project that was done in a coding program called StarLogo. StarLogo is a program for coding and making agents move. In StarLogo, we created kaleidoscopes by coding different agents to make them move in a certain pattern. We had to create a symmetrical image using geometrical shapes on an x- and y- axis with moving agents that mirror each other in StarLogo. The purpose of this project is to make virtual kaleidoscopes that are constantly moving. We must use rigid motion in our programming which is reflection, translation and rotation.
Process
First, we had to come up with a design that was the basic idea of what our kaleidoscope will look like. After we came up with an idea, we started to learn the basics of StarLogo. We learned about how the agents move, the different kinds of codes, how to make geometric shapes, and how the whole program of StarLogo works. Then came the design of our actual kaleidoscope. In GeoGebra, we had to create a general idea of what our kaleidoscope looked like using the tools in the graphing app. We then translated this idea into StarLogo by starting in one quadrant on the x- and y- axis. This would help us figure out how we had to control every agent in the kaleidoscope. For our final product we had to create the full kaleidoscope that was symmetrical and was constantly moving.
Symmetry is the proportional reflection of an object that is the same distance away from a plane. My kaleidoscope exhibits symmetry because I used the same points to reflect the image in all quadrants, all I changed was whether the coordinate was positive or negative. The result of doing this caused the geometric shapes to be the same distance away from the x- and y- axis. in each quadrant. By editing the code for the three other quadrants, I was able to make it so the shapes mirrored the ones in quadrant one. Rigid motion is moving an object to a different location without changing the shape or size. My finished kaleidoscope shows rigid motion very well, it shows translation, rotation and reflection. My product shows translation because one object is being reflected into different quadrants, so this object is being translated all around Spaceland in StarLogo. My product also shows rotation because my agents that create a circle rotate around a certain point in Spaceland to create the geometric shape. This shows reflection as well because I am acting as if the three other quadrants are mirrors and the real objects are in quadrant one. The objects are then reflected into the three remaining quadrants.
Reflection
This was a very interesting experience for me, using StarLogo and such. I have never done any real coding that could make different shapes and patterns. At times it was hard and confusing for me, other times it was easy and not as confusing. I faced quite a few challenges during this project. For example, I didn't know how to make my agents do what I wanted them to do, and this frustrated me quite a bit because
I wanted it to be simpler than what it actually is. I overcame this challenge by speaking to my peers so they could help me understand how I could make my kaleidoscope work. Another challenge I faced was understanding how the colors worked. I wanted the agents to make the same exact colors so they were in fact symmetrical. I tried many times to get the colors to work, but somehow they never seemed to be symmetrical or constantly changing. I overcame this challenge by talking to my surrounding peers who helped me understand how the colors can be the same. Despite the challenges, I also had successes in StarLogo. For example, I was successful in creating my complete kaleidoscope because I didn't get much help for the actual creation of the full kaleidoscope and I am very proud of myself for figuring out how to make them symmetrical. Another success I had was the actual design of my kaleidoscope because I feel it is simple yet satisfactory. I don't think that the final product had to be very elaborate as long as it showed reflection, symmetry, translation and rotation. Overall, this has been an interesting project, yet confusing and it was very interesting to lean how to code agents.
This was a very interesting experience for me, using StarLogo and such. I have never done any real coding that could make different shapes and patterns. At times it was hard and confusing for me, other times it was easy and not as confusing. I faced quite a few challenges during this project. For example, I didn't know how to make my agents do what I wanted them to do, and this frustrated me quite a bit because
I wanted it to be simpler than what it actually is. I overcame this challenge by speaking to my peers so they could help me understand how I could make my kaleidoscope work. Another challenge I faced was understanding how the colors worked. I wanted the agents to make the same exact colors so they were in fact symmetrical. I tried many times to get the colors to work, but somehow they never seemed to be symmetrical or constantly changing. I overcame this challenge by talking to my surrounding peers who helped me understand how the colors can be the same. Despite the challenges, I also had successes in StarLogo. For example, I was successful in creating my complete kaleidoscope because I didn't get much help for the actual creation of the full kaleidoscope and I am very proud of myself for figuring out how to make them symmetrical. Another success I had was the actual design of my kaleidoscope because I feel it is simple yet satisfactory. I don't think that the final product had to be very elaborate as long as it showed reflection, symmetry, translation and rotation. Overall, this has been an interesting project, yet confusing and it was very interesting to lean how to code agents.