Unit 1: Mathematics in Our World

Introduction

Did you ever wonder what the pictures above tell you about?
Quite often, people consider mathematics only as numbers and arithmetic. Most of the time,
giving more emphasis on numerical ability has brought about a person unfavorable attitude about
mathematics, and probably, you too experience the same. One thing must be clear at this point,
though, that Mathematics is not all about numbers. Mathematics goes beyond arithmetic. It is an
art by which the universe is designed creatively. Patterns are core topics in Mathematics. In fact,
it is also known as the science of patterns- the numeric patterns and geometric patterns. In this
unit, you will appreciate that Mathematics is not only confined to numbers but also exists in
nature, on the things that we see around us. You will learn how nature connects with numerical
patterns and sequences.

Topic 1: Patterns and Numbers in Nature

Presentation of Content

Study each picture given below.

What does each picture above tell you about?

These are all patterns in nature. Like numbers, natural objects have also their patterns. In some
plants, spiral patterns may be found in their leaves and flowers. The skin of some animals also
exhibit fascinating designs that have patterns.
The sunflower’s petals are carefully arranged alternately from the innermost to the outermost
petal to give a spiral pattern. The sea urchin has a pattern where the spines are arranged in an
array, where one big spine is followed by smaller spines. The sea shell is carefully designed
such that from the center, it is exactly a reflection of the other half of the shell. This is also true
to the butterfly where one side of the wings is exactly the same with the other side. We call
these as symmetrical pattern. The shape and pattern of the left side is the same as a mirror image
of its right side.

Other Patterns
There are a lot more patterns that we can see on the things around us such as the following:

1. Fractal Pattern
A fractal is a never-ending pattern. It is a repeated pattern that is self-similar across different scales.
Fractal is created by repeating a process of similar pattern. The leaf of a fern resembles a fractal
pattern.

Fig. 1 is a geometric fractal

pattern where the triangles are
repeated of different scales and
they are self-similar.

Fig. 2. The fern exhibits a

fractal pattern. The leaves
repeat at different scales, and
Photo credit: https://www.smithsonianmag.com they are self-similar, being made
of little copies of the same
Figure 1. Geometric Fractal Figure 2. Fractal pattern in nature
overall shape.

2. Fibonacci Pattern
In arithmetic, Fibonacci pattern appears in numerical sequences such that the sequence, is the
sum of the two preceding ones, starting from 0 and 1.
For example, the sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, … is a Fibonacci sequence obtained by adding the
two consecutive numbers starting from zero (0+1=1), (1+1=2), (2+1=3), and so on.
The sequence starts from adding the least number to the succeeding number, and on, giving
progressing sums forming a sequence.
 Fig. 3 is a Fibonacci sequence,
starting from adding 1+1 to give 2,
2+1 to give 3, 3+2 to give 5 and so
on.

Fig. 3. Fibonacci sequence

Fibonacci pattern is also exhibited amazingly in nature, such that the pattern starts from a small
loop, and becomes bigger as the spiral pattern tends to go farther from the center of the loop.

The formation of stars in

the galaxies and the spiral
pattern of an Aloe Vera
plant all form Fibonacci
patterns in nature.

Credit: www.scienceabc.com/eyeopeners and www.reddit.com

Fig. 4. Fibonacci patterns in nature

Natural patterns also include symmetries, trees, spirals, meanders, waves, foams, tessellations,
cracks and stripes. Early Greek philosophers studied pattern, with Plato, Pythagoras and
Empedocles attempting to explain order in nature. ... Mathematics, physics and chemistry can
explain patterns in nature at different perspectives.

Relating Mathematics to Natural Patterns

Even clouds exhibit pattern. Clouds and cloud formations are practically used to assess the
possible occurrence of rains or storm.
Some animals and insects have also amazing patterns such as the different patterns in the skin of
a snake, feathers of a peacock, spots of a leopard, the stripes of a tiger, the wings of a beetle, the
wings of a butterfly, and many more. How do these natural patterns then relate to mathematics?

In the book Nature’s Numbers by Ian Stewart, it was mentioned that by using mathematics to
organize and systematize our ideas out of patterns, we have discovered a great secret: nature’s
patterns are not just there to be admired, they are vital clues to the rules that govern natural
processes. The spiral leaves of a plant for example, have drawn mathematicians to discover what
is known as the Golden Angle which measures 137.5 degrees. As they continue to discover
about the Golden Angle, they also discovered the Golden Ratio, which later became closely
attached to another numerical pattern: the Fibonacci numbers which you will learn in the
succeeding topics.
So, the original patterns in plants have been translated into numeric patterns in mathematics
through the golden angle, golden ratio and Fibonacci numbers.

Similarly, scientists have also tried to explain the connection between the patterns in animal skin
with that of mathematics. They have found out that these designs could arrive to the formulation
of equations in higher mathematics, particularly the Differential Equation, which captures the
interaction between two chemical products that produced these designs.

What about the volcano, do you think it has also mathematical connection?

The volcano also relates to geometric figure (symmetrical) and probability. Based from the
number of eruptions it has made in the past 100 years, it gave the probability model predicting
when and how it will erupt.

Summary

You have just learned that mathematics is not only numerical/arithmetic in nature. Mathematics
is found in all the things that we see around us… in plants, animals, trees and many other objects
that we see in nature. Geometric designs and sequences are also found in plants. The sunflower
for example exhibit the design of spiral. The branches of some trees exhibit a fractal pattern, and
many others. Mathematics also relates to nature. It is from nature where some scientific
phenomenon came from, that brought about new discoveries in the field of higher Mathematics.

Application
Activity 1. Using your cellphone, take a picture of three things that you see around exhibiting
patterns. Discuss the pattern of the pictures that you have taken and how these relate to
Mathematics.