Python Playground

2

SPIROGRAPHS

You can use a Spirograph toy (shown in Figure 2-1) to draw mathematical curves. The toy consists of two different sized rings with plastic teeth, one large and one small. The small one has several holes. You put a pen or pencil through one of the holes and then rotate the smaller wheel inside the larger one (which has gears on its inside), keeping the pen in contact with the outer wheel, to draw an endless number of complex and wonderfully symmetric patterns.

In this project, you’ll use Python to create an animation of Spirograph-like drawing curves. Our spiro.py program will use Python and parametric equations to describe the motion ...