Talk:Koch curve

From Rosetta Code

A single Koch curve or a triangle of Koch curves forming a Koch snowflake ?

The terms ('curve' and 'snowflake') are used as if co-extensive in the current edit of the referenced wiki article, but I'm not sure that that's reliable or correct. Hout (talk) 12:52, 2 September 2019 (UTC)

From the Wikipedia article: "The Koch curve originally described by Helge von Koch is constructed using only one of the three sides of the original triangle. In other words, three Koch curves make a Koch snowflake."
I (Perl 6) chose to show a Koch snowflake as it fulfils the requirement of "Draw a Koch curve", but is more interesting IMO; most other contributors seem to gone the same route. Technically, using the mathematical definition, a Koch snowflake is a curve. It just isn't only a Koch curve, but 3. --Thundergnat (talk) 13:14, 2 September 2019 (UTC)


I agree with Hout. Three Koch curves makes a snow flake. Note that if most people look at the existing programs for test cases, so if the first one had a snow flake, the others will just copy it. Soegaard 15:54, 2 September 2019 (UTC)

The original 1904 paper may be found here Sur une courbe continue sans tangente obtenue par une construction géométrique élémentnire complete with 5 figures. This work predates the realization that applying these rules to a triangle creates a fractal which may be used to explain snowflakes.--Nigel Galloway (talk) 14:53, 3 September 2019 (UTC)

Perfect – I was trying to find an accessible copy of that. Many thanks. Hout (talk) 21:16, 3 September 2019 (UTC)