kˈoʊstlaɪnz ɑːɹ lˈɛs dˈɛfɪnət ɪn ðɛɹ kənstɹˈʌkʃən ðɐn aɪdˈiəlaɪzd fɹˈæktəlz sˈʌtʃ ɐz ðə mˈændɪlbɹˌɑːt sˈɛt bɪkˈʌz ðeɪ ɑːɹ fˈɔːɹmd baɪ vˈɛɹiəs nˈætʃɚɹəl ᵻvˈɛnts ðæt kɹiːˈeɪt pˈætɚnz ɪn stɐtˈɪstɪkli ɹˈændəm wˈeɪz, wˈɛɹæz aɪdˈiəlaɪzd fɹˈæktəlz ɑːɹ fˈɔːɹmd θɹuː ɹᵻpˈiːɾᵻd ˌɪɾɚɹˈeɪʃənz ʌv sˈɪmpəl, fˌɔːɹmjʊlˈeɪɪk sˈiːkwənsᵻz.
Coastlines are less definite in their construction than idealized fractals such as the Mandelbrot set because they are formed by various natural events that create patterns in statistically random ways, whereas idealized fractals are formed through repeated iterations of simple, formulaic sequences.