CHAPTER I
Mathematics in the Modern World
Mathematics is the study of the relationships among numbers, quantities,
and shapes. It includes arithmetic,algebra, trigonometry, geometry,
statistics, and calculus. Mathematics nurtures human characteristics like
the power of creativity, reasoning, critical thinking, and others. It provides
the opportunity to solve simple and complex problems in many real-world
contexts using various strategies. Mathematics is a universal way to make
sense of the world and communicate the understanding of concepts and
rules using mathematical symbols, signs, proofs, language, and
conventions. Mathematics helps organize patterns and regularities in the
world. The geometry of most patterns in nature can be associated directly or
indirectly to mathematical numbers. Mathematics helps predict the behavior
of nature and phenomena in the world. It helps control nature and
occurrences in the world for the good of mankind. Because of its numerous
applications, mathematics becomes indispensable.
PATTERNS IN NATURE
PATTERNS IN NATURE
For thousand of years, people around the globe have observed patterns in
nature. The ancient Greeks are perhaps most famous in studying patterns
in their attempt to explain regularities in nature. In fact, to them is
attributed the word geometry, which means “measurement of the earth”.
Natural patterns include:
Symmetries Search for pictures of
Spots these patterns; you
Stripes will be required to
Tessellations draw them on the
Fractals board.
1. SYMMETRY
The word symmetry comes from the Greek word symmetria, meaning
“the same measure”.
Aside from mathematics, symmetry also has many applications in arts
and architecture. There is symmetry in logos, flags, buildings,
paintings, and many more.
Symmetry, also bounds in nature. The most common type of
symmetry found in nature are reflection, translation, rotation, and
spiral.
Reflection Symmetry
If you fold a picture in half and both halves are exact mirror image of
one another, then the figure has a reflection symmetry (sometimes
called bilateral or mirror symmetry)
The fold is what we call the line of axis of symmetry.
Translational Symmetry
Translations are transformations that slide objects along without
rotating them (Stewart, 1995). Basically a translation means an object
has been moved the same distance and the same direction.
Rotational or Radial Symmetry
Rotational or Radial Symmetry is the characteristic that makes an
object look exactly the same as it did before it was rotated about a
fixed point, called the center.
The rotation must be less than 360 degrees otherwise, we say that the
object does not exhibit rotational symmetry.
The number of times an object can be rotated is called the order.
The number of degrees through which an object is rotated so that it
still looks the same as it did before the rotation is called the angle of
rotation.
Spiral Symmetry
Spiral symmetry is also largely present in nature. A spiral is formed
because of a property of growth known as self-similarity or scaling,
which means that the same shape is maintained as the creature
grows.
2. TESSELLATIONS
Tessellations (or tiling) is a pattern made up of one or more geometric
shapes that are joined together without overlaps or gaps to cover a
plane.
3. FRACTALS
A fractal is a never ending replication of a pattern at different scales
(same shape but different size). This property is called self-similarity.
One of the simplest fractal shapes is the von Koch curve, named
after its creator Neils Fabian Helge von Koch
4. SPOTS (Assignment)
5. STRIPES (Assignment)
6. Search for other Patterns (Assignment)
NUMBERS IN NATURE & MATHEMATICS as
a TOOL in PREDICTING the POPULATION
NUMBERS IN NATURE
The sunflower seed pattern used by the National Museum of Mathematics
has many spirals. We can easily spot two families of spirals, one running
counter-clockwise and one running in clockwise direction. If we count the
spirals, we will always find a Fibonacci number.
Sunflower Seed Pattern
Some sunflowers have 21 and 34 spirals; some have 55 and 89 or 89
and 144 depending on the species. These pair of number of spirals
actually forms two consecutive numbers of the Fibonacci sequence.
However, this pattern is not true for all sunflowers. Using 657
sunflowers, Swinton et al. (2016) found out that one in five flowers did
not conform to the Fibonacci sequence.
Fibonacci numbers in Flowers
Another example in which we can find Fibonacci numbers in nature is
in the number of petals of different flowers.
Fibonacci numbers in Fruits
Another pattern in nature that mimics the Fibonacci sequence is the
inside of a fruit. There are a specific number of sections inside a fruit.
For example, the inside of a banana is divided up into 3 sections.
Another fruit would be the apple. The inside of the apple has 5
sections.
Fibonacci in birth rate of rabbits
Fibonacci created a problem that concerns the birth rate of rabbits.
At the beginning of a month, you are given a pair of newborn rabbits.
After a month the rabbits have produced no offspring; however every
month thereafter, the pair of rabbits produces another pair of rabbits.
The offspring reproduce in exactly the same manner. If none of the
rabbit dies, how many pairs of rabbits will there be at the start of each
succeeding month?
The solution to the previous problem created by Fibonacci is a
sequence of numbers called Fibonacci sequence.
Fibonacci then discovered that the number of pairs of rabbits for any
month after the first two months can be determined by adding the
numbers of pairs of rabbits in each of the two previous months.
MATHEMATICS as a TOOL
in PREDICTING the POPULATION
Mathematics also play a vital role in modeling the growth of population.
Specifically, the exponential and logarithmic functions are applied to
describe the relationship between time and population size.
Different models had been formulated to project population growth and one
of these is the Malthusian growth model or simple exponential growth
model.
(Do further reading)
For your RECITATION (Next meeting)
1. Study Patterns and Numbers in Nature.
2. You will be required to draw on the board sample of a pattern
( 1 student- 1 pattern)
3. Bring an Index Card ¼ size, attach 1x1 picture (No index card, no
recitation: Equivalent to 65 )
4. Come prepared.
5. Come prepared.
