Part 1

Q1. -- What is a good working definition of what a System is and perhaps what it is not?

A system is a collection of processes that all come together to take in compute and export data or some other function in order to get to the overall goal of the system its self. A work system is a system in which human participants and/or machines perform work (processes and activities) using information, technology, and other resources to produce products/services for internal or external customers.

Q2. -- For the 4 system definations you were to look up please give in your own words what they mean and give an example of them for each case.

Modularity: A modular system is a system in which parts can be taken away and then re-added to the functioning system. The idea of modularity allows for some flexibility when thinking about parts.

Decomposibility: A decomposable system is one where parts are able to be removed without harming the function of the system. On the opposite side, a fully undecomposable system would be a system in which every single component is sending or receiving data from every other piece in the system.

Emergence: Emergent systems are systems that as a whole have certain properties that the individual pieces of the system do not have.

Chaos Theory: Chaos Theory refers to the idea of systems that are so sensitive to outside variables that any change in input values can have extreme changes to the system and its output.

Q3 -- Give us your definition of what Tesslation means and give an example you encountered, not mentioned in the reading.

Tesselation is the idea of a bunch of shapes that fit perfectly into each other with no gaps or overlaps, and in doing so create a larger pattern. I would say something like brick pavers is a great example of this. You can get walkways made out of different shapes that all come together, leaving no gaps.

Q4 -- What is The difference between ideas of Modularity and Tesselation? What are the properties that are in oppostion with each other?

Tesselation is a flat pattern of polygons that are all the same. Modularity on the other hand can be 3D and doesn’t include just polygons. Modular systems can tesselate but tesselating systems cannot be modular.

Q5 -- What is the difference between designing something that has Complexity (aperiodic) vs being Uniform (periodic)

Designing something with a uniform is a lot like tesselations in the fact that there is not a lot of variety in not only individual pieces but also in the end product. A complex system has many different parts and can be constructed in a variety of ways.