Iterated function system

An iterated function system is like a set of instructions used to make patterns and shapes. Imagine you are playing a game of pick up sticks: You grab a big pile of sticks and separate them into two piles. Then you take one of the piles and separate them into two piles again. Then you do the same thing to one of those two new piles. You can keep repeating this step over and over again until you've just got a pile of sticks in your hand. An iterated function system is a set of instructions that tells you how you can take a starting shape and keep 'breaking it apart' in the same way until you make a really intricate and complicated pattern.