THE NATURE OF
MATHEMATICS
Mathematics reveals hidden patterns
that help us understand the world
around us.
Mathematics today is a diverse
discipline that deals with data,
measurements, and observations from
science; with inference, deduction,
and proof; and with mathematical
models of natural phenomena, of
human behavior, and of social
systems.
Mathematics is a science of pattern and
order. Its domain is not molecules or
cells, but numbers, chance, form,
algorithms, and change.
Mathematics relies on logic rather than
on observation as its standard of truth,
yet employs observation, simulation, and
even experimentation as means of
discovering truth.
The special role of mathematics in
education is a consequence of its
universal applicability.
Mathematics offers distinctive modes
of thought which are both versatile
and powerful, including modeling,
abstraction, optimization, logical
analysis, inference from data, and use
of symbols.
WHAT IS THE FIBONACCI
SEQUENCE?
The Fibonacci sequence is a series
of numbers where a number is found by
adding up the two numbers before it.
Starting with 0 and 1, the sequence goes 0,
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, and so forth.
Written as a rule, the expression is xn = xn-
1 + xn-2.
HISTORY OF FIBONACCI
Named after Fibonacci, also known
as Leonardo of Pisa or Leonardo Pisano,
Fibonacci numbers were first introduced in
his Liber abaci in 1202. The son of a Pisan
merchant, Fibonacci traveled widely and
traded extensively. Math was incredibly
important to those in the trading industry,
and his passion for numbers was cultivated
in his youth.
FIBONACCI'S RABBITS
Fibonacci first noted the
sequence when pondering a
mathematical problem about • Begin with one male rabbit and female
rabbit breeding. Beginning with rabbit that have just been born.
a male and female rabbit, how • Rabbits reach sexual maturity after one
many pairs of rabbits could be month.
born in a year? • The gestation period of a rabbit is one
month.
• After reaching sexual maturity, female
rabbits give birth every month.
• A female rabbit gives birth to one male
rabbit and one female rabbit.
• Rabbits do not die.
FIBONACCI SPIRAL
A Fibonacci spiral is a series of
connected quarter-circles drawn inside an array
of squares with Fibonacci numbers for
dimensions. Any two successive Fibonacci
numbers have a ratio very close to the Golden
Ratio, which is roughly 1.618034. The larger
the pair of Fibonacci numbers, the closer the
approximation. The spiral and resulting
rectangle are known as the Golden Rectangle.
THE GOLDEN RATIO
The Golden Ratio is denoted by the Greek
letter phi. Greek architects used the ratio 1:phi as an
integral part of their designs, including the
Parthenon in Athens. Though this was not
consciously used by Greeks or artists, the Golden
Rectangle does appear in the Mona Lisa and other
Renaissance art works. Phi is also the ratio of the
side of a regular pentagon to its diagonal. The
resulting pentagram forms a star, which is the star
seen on many flags.
FIBONACCI NUMBER
FORMULA
Question 1: Find the next number in the
fibonacci series 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8,
13,...... ?
Solution:
The fibonacci formula is given as,
Fn = Fn-1 + Fn-2
F9 = F8 + F7 Question 2: Find the next number in the fibonacci series
F9 = 13 + 8 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55,...... ?
Solution:
F9 = 21
The fibonacci formula is given as,
Fn = Fn-1 + Fn-2
F12 = F11 + F10
F12 = 55 + 34
F12 = 89
CAN WE FIND A FORMULA FOR F(N) WHICH INVOLVES
ONLY N AND DOES NOT NEED ANY OTHER (EARLIER)
FIBONACCI VALUES?
Binet’s Formula
MATHEMATICAL LANGUAGE
AND SYMBOLS
THE DUMB PARROT
The owner of a pet shop is a retired mathematician. He never lies,
and he makes very precise statements. He tells a customer the parrot in the
cage is extremely intelligent - in fact, "this bird will repeat every word he
hears." The customer, impressed, buys the parrot. In a few days, the
outraged customer returns with the parrot, saying, "I spoke to him for
hours every day, but this stupid bird has not repeated a single word I said."
Nevertheless, the pet shop proprietor did not lie.
Is this possible?
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF SOLUTIONS TO THIS PROBLEM.
HERE ARE A FEW:
The bird is deaf (in physical terms, there is no initial condition). This is the
most obvious solution. The bird will repeat every word he hears, but he
cannot hear anything.
Since the proprietor did not say when the bird will repeat what he hears, an
other answer is that the bird will repeat every word - in a few years. (The
mathematician's solution has been translated along the t axis.)
The highly intelligent bird may well have ignored his new owner, who was
an extremely boring conversationalist. After all, would an intelligent person
speak to the parrot just to have it repeat the words?
The customer may be lying. (His wife found out how much the bird cost and
forced him to return it.)
SETS
A set is a well-defined collection of distinct objects. The
objects of a set are called its elements. If a set has no elements, it
is called the empty set and is denoted by ∅.
Note: ∅ is not the same as 0.
INTERSECTION OF SETS
Definition: Given two sets A and B, the
intersection is the set that contains elements or
objects that belong to A and to B at the same
time.
We write A ∩ B
Example.
To make it easy, notice that what they have in common is in bold
Let A = {1 orange, 1 pineapple, 1 banana, 1 apple } and B = { 1 spoon, 1 orange, 1 knife, 1
fork, 1 apple }
A ∩ B = {1 orange, 1 apple}
Definition: Given two sets UNION OF SETS
A and B, the union is the
set that contains elements
or objects that belong to
either A or to B or to both
We write A ∪ B
COMPLEMENT OF A SET
Definition: Given a set A, the Example.
complement of A is the set of Let B = {1 orange, 1 pineapple, 1 banana, 1 apple}
all element in the universal Let U = {1 orange, 1 apricot, 1 pineapple, 1
set U, but not in A. banana, 1 mango, 1 apple, 1 kiwifruit }
We can write Ac Again, we show in bold all elements in U, but not
in B
You can also say complement
of A in U Bc = {1 apricot, 1 mango, 1 kiwifruit}
FUNCTIONS
Function, in mathematics, an expression,
rule, or law that defines a relationship between
one variable (the independent variable) and
another variable (the dependent variable).
Functions are ubiquitous in mathematics and are
essential for formulating physical relationships in
the sciences.
