|
 Waclaw Sierpinski (1882-1969), a Polish mathematician working
in number theory and set theory, described the self-repeating, or fractal
design shown on the Finnish stamp at left. Sierpinski triangles are
created by connecting the the midpoints of the sides of a triangle to form
four smaller, interior triangles, and then repeating this process for each
of the outside three triangles, ad infinitum. A Hungarian stamp
commemorating a mathematical congress shows a design of Sierpinski
pyramids, with Michelangelo's hand of God from the Sistine Chapel ceiling
thrown in for good measure.A full description of the Polish School of
Mathematics appears here. Some of
its illustrious members included in a set with Sierpinski are Stanislaw
Zaremba (1863-1942), Stefan Banach (1892-1945), and Zygmunt Janiszewski
(1888-1920). |
