WEEK 2 OF MATM 111

Here’s what we need to learn for this week:

I. The Nature of Mathematics

1. Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World
2. Fibonacci Sequence (Finding the nth term)

PATTERNS IN NATURE

Mathematicians say several patterns among nature can be observed. Patterns are regular, repeated or
recurring forms or designs. It is an arrangement which helps observers anticipate what might see or
what happen next.

Picture 1-shows the spirals of a snail.

This can also be seen in various types of nature such as flowers and webs.

Picture 2- shows the honeycomb with hexagonal patterns

Picture 3- shows the stripes of some animals.

There are many functional arguments that explains why these animals need their patterns, but it is not
explained how patterns are formed.

Picture 4- shows water dropped with ripple, sand dunes and formation of typhoon.

They serve as clues to the flow of water and air. These are just some of the patterns that we can see
among the nature.

TESSELLATIONS, FRACTALS and SYMMETRY

A TESSELLATION is created when a shape is repeated over and over again covering a

plane without any gaps or overlaps. Tessellations are repeating patterns. They can be

seen among nature such as in turtle shells, honeycombs, fish scales, and pineapples.

FRACTALS are complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales. They are

created by repeating a simple process over and over in an ongoing loop.

SYMMETRY is seen everywhere. People, animals, plants, everything on the earth and

outside is symmetrical. Symmetry is nature's artwork that creates harmony and balance.

Objects like leaves, fruits, animals, insects, flowers and so many more are good

examples of symmetrical images.

Fibonacci Sequence
• Define Fibonacci number: an integer in the infinite sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13... of which the first two
terms are 1 and 1 and each succeeding term will be obtained by adding the current term with the
previous term.

• Invented by Leonardo Fibonacci, Italian Mathematician that was originally known as Leonardo of
Pisa.

• It displays unique mathematical properties that make it useful in fields as diverse as astronomy
(distances between planets and the sun, and the shape of galactic spirals) and botany (growth patterns
of plants and trees)

Fibonacci Sequence- 1,1,2,3,4,8,13...

GOLDEN RATIO- The Golden ratio or also known as the Divine Proportion is the ratio of two
consecutive Fibonacci numbers. It was discovered by Euclid.

The quotient of a current term to the previous term approaches to the value of 1.61803398… as n
becomes larger.

Finding the nth term in a Fibonacci sequence using Binet’s Simplified Formula:
Where:
n - represents the indicated term and 𝜙 - is a
constant number equivalent to 1.618034.
PURPOSIVE COMMUNICATION
The Essay
An essay is a piece of writing several paragraphs long instead of just one or two paragraphs.
It is written about one topic, just as a paragraph is.
However, the topic of an essay is too complex to discuss in one paragraph. All of the separate
paragraphs must be tied together by adding an introduction and a conclusion.
Writing an essay is no more difficult than writing a paragraph except that an essay is longer.
The principles of organization are the same for both; so, if one can write a good paragraph, one
can write a good essay.
An essay has three main parts:
1. An introductory paragraph
2. A body (at least one but usually two or more paragraphs)
3. A concluding paragraph
The Introductory Paragraph
The introductory paragraph consists of two parts: a few general statements about your subject
to attract your reader’s attention and a thesis statement to state the specific subdivisions of the
topic and/or the “plan” of the paper.
A thesis statement for an essay is just like a topic sentence for a paragraph. It names the
specific topic and the controlling ideas or major subdivisions of the topic.
The Body
The body consists of one or more paragraphs. Each paragraph develops a subdivision of the
topic.
A thesis statement for an essay is just like a topic sentence for a paragraph. It names the
specific topic and the controlling ideas or major subdivisions of the topic; so, the number of
paragraphs in the body will vary with the number of subdivisions or subtopics.
The body is the longest part of the essay and can contain as many paragraphs as necessary to
support the controlling ideas of the thesis statement.
The paragraphs of the body are like the main supporting points in a single paragraph.
Furthermore, the paragraph can be organized in an essay just as one organizes the ideas in a
paragraph by chronological order, logical division of ideas, comparison and contrast, etc.

The Conclusion
The conclusion in an essay, like the concluding sentence in a paragraph, is a summary or
review of the main points discussed in the body.
The only additional element in an essay is the linking expressions between the paragraphs of
the body. These are just like transitions within a paragraph. One uses transitions within a
paragraph to connect ideas between two sentences. Similarly, one uses transitions between
paragraphs to connect the ideas between them.
One can see that writing an essay is essentially the same as writing a paragraph, an essay is just
longer.
We shall now see a chart which shows how the parts of a paragraph correspond to the parts of
an essay.
ESSAY
The Introductory Paragraph
All writers (even professionals) complain that the most difficult part of writing is getting started.
Getting started or writing an introductory paragraph, can easily be easy if one remembers that
the introduction has four purposes:
1. It introduces the topic of the essay
2. It gives a general background of the topic
3. It often indicates the “overall” plan of the essay
4. It should arouse the reader’s interest in the topic
The Introductory Paragraph
The introduction has two parts:
1. General Statements
2. A Thesis Statement
Note:
A writer doesn’t always have to write the general statements in the introductory paragraph
first. It can be written even after the other paragraphs have been completed. However, the
writer must have a thesis statement to focus his or her thinking.
Example of The Introductory Paragraph
Introductory paragraph: Any person who has lived in the twentieth century has seen a lot of
changes take place in almost all areas of
General statements: human existence. Some people are excited by the challenges these
changes offer; others want to return to the simpler life-style of the past. The twentieth century
has certain advantages such as a higher standard of living for
Thesis statement: many, but it has some disadvantages such as a polluted environment, the
depersonalization of human relationships and the weakening of spiritual values.
General Statements:
1. Introduces the topic of the essay
2. Gives background information on the topic
The first sentence in an introductory paragraph should be a very general comment about the
subject. Its purpose is to attract the reader’s attention and to give background information on
the topic. Each subsequent sentence should become more specific than the previous one and
finally lead into the thesis statement.
The Thesis Statement
• States the main topic
• Often lists the subdivisions of the topic or sub-topics
• May indicate the method of organization of the entire paper
• Is usually the last sentence in the introductory paragraph
The thesis statement is the most important sentence in the introduction. It states the specific
topic and often lists the major sub-topics that will be discussed in the body of the essay.
Furthermore, it may indicate the method of organization such as chronological order or order
of importance.
Examples of thesis statements with no sub-topics mentioned:
a. Being the oldest son has more disadvantages than advantages.
b. Young people in my culture have less freedom than young people in the US
c. The large movements of people from rural to urban areas has major effects on cities
The Thesis Statement
In the following thesis statement, the sub-topics are named:
The large movement of people from rural to urban areas has major effects on a city’s ability to
provide housing employment and adequate sanitation or services.
When listing two or more in a thesis statement, a colon (:) is often useful:
Prejudice arises from three basic causes: childhood conditioning, ignorance and fear.
Correlative conjunctions (both…and, not only…but also, neither…nor, either…or) are also useful
in thesis statements listing two sub-topics:
Young people in my culture have less freedom than young people in the US not only in their
choice of life-style but also in their choice of careers.
Puppies, like children, need both love and discipline to become responsible citizens.

The Thesis Statement

To sum up, an introductory paragraph is like a funnel: very wide at the top, increasing narrow in
the middle and very small at the neck or bottom.
 General
Statements

Thesis
Statement