Pattern
A pattern is a discernible regularity in the world or in a manmade design.
Contents
Description
Elements of a pattern repeat in a predictable manner.
A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes and typically repeating like a wallpaper.
Any of the five senses may directly observe patterns.
Conversely, abstract patterns in science, mathematics, or language may be observable only by analysis.
Direct observation in practice means seeing visual patterns, which are widespread in nature and in art.
Visual patterns in nature are often chaotic, never exactly repeating, and often involve fractals.
Types of natural patterns
Natural patterns include:
- Spirals
- Meanders
- Waves
- Foams
- Tilings
- Cracks
- Symmetries of rotation and reflection
Patterns have an underlying mathematical structure; indeed, mathematics can be seen as the search for regularities, and the output of any function is a mathematical pattern.
Sciences
Similarly in the sciences, theories explain and predict regularities in the world.
Art and architecture
In art and architecture, decorations or visual motifs may be combined and repeated to form patterns designed to have a chosen effect on the viewer.
Computer science
In computer science, a software design pattern is a known solution to a class of problems in programming.
Fashion
In fashion, the pattern is a template used to create any number of similar garments.
See also
- Archetype
- Cellular automaton
- Close-packing of equal spheres
- Design
- Design pattern
- Fibonacci sequence
- Form constant
- Geometry
- Golden ratio
- Nonzero-rule
- Pattern (casting)
- Pattern coin
- Pattern formation
- Pattern language
- Pattern matching
- Pattern recognition
- Pattern theory
- Pedagogical patterns
- Recursion
- Self-similarity
- Software design pattern
- Spiral
- Structure
External links
- Pattern @ Wikipedia
