Many fish have patterns in their skin that are made up of tiny cells of different colors, including black and yellow. Patterns form because the cells follow specific rules. Figuring out these rules is important in biology. Mathematicians help discover these rules by simulating pattern formation -- like growing a fish pattern on your computer! You can try it yourself on this website and read more about it here.
Step 1: To build a pattern with math and computer coding, first choose a starting point (what your fish looks like when it's young, before its full pattern forms):
Step 2: Fish develop different patterns when the cells in their skin follow different rules for how to act. Pick a rule from the options below:
You can change the number of cells in the checkerboard and how fast patterns form in Simulation Settings if you'd like.
Step 3: After choosing your mathematical model in Steps 1 and 2, hit Begin to simulate pattern formation!
Click Reset and try other options to explore different patterns.
To control how fast cells appear in the pattern, select a simulation speed below:
Select a cell size to control how big the cells are in the simulation: