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Order of Rotation B
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A figure has a rotational symmetry of order n (n-fold rotational symmetry) if 1/n of A
a complete turn leaves the figure unchanged. To compute for the angle of rotation, we use S
the following formula A
A
360 ° N
angle of rotation=
n
N
Consider this image of a snowflake. It can be G
observed that the patterns on a snowflake repeat six
times, indicating that there is a six-fold symmetry. L
To determine the angle of rotation, we simply U
N
divide 360° by 6 to get 60°. Many combinations and S
complex shapes of snowflakes may occur, which O
lead some people to think that "no two are alike". If D
you look closely, however, many snowflakes are not
N
perfectly symmetric due to the effects of humidity
G
and temperature on the ice crystal as it forms.
S
A
N

P
A
B
L
O

Honeycomb Tiling
Another marvel of nature's design is the structure and shape of a honeycomb. People
have long wondered how bees, despite their very small size, are able to produce such
arrangement while humans would generally need the use of a ruler and compass to
accomplish the same feat. It is observed that such formation enables the bee colony to
maximize their storage of honey using the smallest amount of wax.

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You can try it out for yourself. Using several coins of the same size, try to cover as B
much area of a piece of paper with coins. If you arrange the coins in a square formation, H
A
there are still plenty of spots that are exposed. Following the hexagonal formation,
S
however, with the second row of coins snugly fitted between the first row of coins, you A
will notice that more area will be covered. A
N

N
G

For square packing, the square will have an area of 16 cm2. Note from the figure that L
the square can fit only four circles (1 whole, 4 halves and 4 quarters). The percentage of U
the square's area covered by circles will be N
S
O
D

For hexagonal packing, we can think of each hexagon as composed of six equilateral N
triangles with side equal to 2 cm. The area of each triangle is given by G

S
A
N
This gives the area of the hexagon as cm2. Looking at the figure, there are 3
circles that could fit inside one hexagon (1 whole and 6 one-thirds), which gives the total P
area as 3π cm2. The percentage of the hexagons area covered by the circles will be A
B
L
O

Comparing the two percentages, we can clearly see that using hexagons will cover a
larger area than when using squares.
Animal Prints and Patterns
Patterns are also exhibited in the external appearances of animals. We are familiar with
how a tiger looks-distinctive reddish-orange fur and dark stripes. Hyenas, another predator
from Africa, are also covered in patterns of spots. These seemingly random designs are
believed to be governed by mathematical equations. According to a theory by Alan Turing
chemical reactions and diffusion processes in cells determine these growth patterns.
Patterns, as Turing saw them, depend on two components: interacting agents and agent
diffusion. He demonstrated that if you combine these two components in just the right
way, diffusion could actually drive the system to form spots and stripes. This idea was so
far ahead of its time that we are still working on unravelling its complexity 65 years later.
More recent studies addressed the question of why some species grow vertical stripes
while others have horizontal ones. A new model by Harvard University researchers
predicts that there are three variables that could affect the orientation of these stripes – the
substance that amplifies the density of stripe patterns; the substance that changes one of

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the parameters involved in stripe formation; and the physical change in the direction of the B
origin of the stripe. H
A
S
A
A
N

N
G

Fibonacci Sequence in Nature L

U
Leonardo of Pisa, also known as Fibonacci (c. 11701250 is one of the best-known N
mathematicians of medieval Europe. In 1202, after a trip that took him to several Arab and S
O
Eastern countries, Fibonacci wrote the book Liber Abaci. In this book Fibonacci explained
D
why the Hindu-Arabic numeration system that he had learned about during his travels was
a more sophisticated and efficient system than the Roman numeration system. This book N
also contains a problem created by Fibonacci that concerns the birth rate of rabbits. Here is G
a statement of Fibonacci's rabbit problem.
S
“At the beginning of a month, you are given a pair of new-born rabbits. After a A
month the rabbits have produced no offspring; however, every month thereafter, the N
pair of rabbits produces another pair of rabbits. The offspring reproduce in exactly
P
the same manner. If none of the rabbits dies, how many pairs of rabbits will there be A
at the start of each succeeding month?” B
L
The solution to this problem is a sequence of numbers that we now call the Fibonacci
O
sequence. The following figure shows the numbers of pairs of rabbits on the first day of
each of the first five months. The large rabbits represent mature rabbits that produce
another pair of rabbits each month. The numbers in the blue region 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 are the
first six terms of the Fibonacci sequence.
Fibonacci 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. For instance, the number of pairs of rabbits at the start of the sixth
month is 3 + 5 = 8.
A recursive definition for a sequence is one in which each successive term of the
sequence is defined by using some of the preceding terms. If we use the mathematical
notation Fn to represent the nth Fibonacci number, then the numbers in the Fibonacci
sequence are given by the following recursive definition.

The numbers in the Fibonacci sequence often occur in nature. For instance, the seeds
on a sunflower are arranged in clockwise or counterclockwise spirals that curve from the
center of the sunflower's head to its outer edge. In many sunflowers, the number spirals
are consecutive Fibonacci numbers. For instance, in the sunflower shown at the left, the
numbers of spirals are 21, 34 and 55 which are consecutive Fibonacci numbers.

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It has been conjectured that the seeds on a sunflower grow in spirals that involve B
Fibonacci numbers because this arrangement forms a uniform packing. At any stage in the H
A
sunflower's development, its seeds are packed so that they are not too crowded in the
S
center and not too sparse at the edges. This allows the sunflower seeds to occupy the A
flower head in a way that maximizes the access to light and necessary nutrients. A
N

N
G

L
U
N
S
O
D

Pineapples have spirals N

formed by their hexagonal nubs. G
The nubs on many pineapples
S
form 8 spirals that rotate
A
diagonally upward to the left, 13 N
spirals that rotate diagonally
upward to the right and 21 P
spirals that are almost vertical. A
B
The numbers 8, 13 and 21 are L
consecutive Fibonacci numbers. O
What other objects from nature exhibit this property?
Flowers are easily considered as
things of beauty. Their vibrant
colors and fragrant odors make them
very appealing as gifts or
decorations. If you look more
closely, you will note that different
flowers have different number of
petals. Some flowers have three
petals such as the iris and the
trillium
Flowers with five petals are said
to be the most common. These
include buttercup, columbine, and
hibiscus. Among those flowers with
eight petals are clematis and
delphinium, while ragwort and

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marigold have thirteen. Some sunflowers have 21 petals. These numbers are all Fibonacci B
numbers. H
A
S
A
Spirals A
We are also very familiar with spiral N
patterns. Spiral patterns can be seen in
N
whirlpools, plants, and in the shells of snails G
and other similar molluscs. Most spirals in
nature are logarithmic or equiangular L
spiral which follows the rule that as the U
N
distance from the spiral center increases S
(radius), the amplitudes of the angles O
formed by the radii to the point and the D
tangent to the point remain constant.
N
The iconic image G
of Fibonacci
numbers in nature S
A
is the Fibonacci spiral N
or golden spiral
which is a type of P
logarithmic spiral. A
B
It’s made up of square
L
blocks O

arranged in order by Fibonacci numbers. The vertices are then joined together as show in
the image on the left to generate the spiral.
Snails are born with their shells, called protoconch, which start out as fragile and
colorless. Eventually, these original shells harden as the snails consume calcium. As the
snails grow, their shells also expand proportionately so that they can continue to live
inside their shells This process results in a refined spiral structure that is even more visible
when the shell is sliced. This is another example of how nature seems to follow a certain
set of rules governed by mathematics.

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Shapes can
Spirals and be
figures
seen that
frombear
the this
microscopic
proportionto are
the generally
astronomic. considered
Some cells to be
inside B
organism arrange
aesthetically pleasing.
in spiral
As such,
formation.
this ratio
Objects
is visible
in outer
in many
spaceworks
can also
of art
exhibit
and architecture
spirals. There H
A
also many
such as in the
other
Mona
objects
Lisa,inthe
between
Notre that
Dameshow
Cathedral,
spirals. and
The the
following
Parthenon.
imagesIn fact,
showthesome of
S
the places
human DNAtheymolecule
can be found.
also contains Fibonacci numbers, being 34 ångstroms long by 21 A
ångstroms wide for each full cycle of the double helix spiral. (1 ångstrom = 100 meter or A
0.1 nanometer). N

N
G

L
U
N
S
O
D

N
G

S
A
N

P
A
To learn more, watch the following video on https://youtu.be/VE_RU0fNjt0 (Part 1) and B
L
https://youtu.be/n2WHNMfRmHE (Part 2).
O

GE 103
Math in Modern World

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Activity 3 B
H
A
S
1. Which objects in nature that exhibits mathematical pattern did you like the most?
A
Why? A
N

N
G

L
U
2. Why do you think is it important for organisms to have symmetry? N
S
O
D

N
G
3. How do you think bees determine the best shape to use as tiling for honeycombs?
S
A
N

P
A
4. How do you think Alan Turing was able to come up with the mathematical idea of
B
animal prints and patterns? L
O

5. Many consider mathematics as beautiful. Do you agree? Why or why not?

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Math in Modern World B
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Activity 4 A
S
A
A. Write TRUE if the statement is correct otherwise write FALSE. A
N
__________1, The Fibonacci sequence was first used by Leonardo of Pisa.
N
FALSE 2. If n is even, then Fn is an odd number.
G
FALSE 3. 2Fn – Fn-2 = Fn+1 for n ≥ 3
L
TRUE 4. 2Fn > Fn+1 for n ≥ 3 U
N
FALSE 5. 2Fn + 4 = Fn+3 for n ≥ 3 S
O
D
B. Solve the following and determine if the items approximate the golden ratio.
Up to 3 decimal places. Write “GOLDEN RATIO” after your solution if it is N
G
approximate to the golden ratio, otherwise write “NOT A GOLDEN RATIO”.
S
A
N

P
A
B
L
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