MODULE 1

TITLE: MATHEMATICS IN OUR WORLD

TOPIC: Patterns and Numbers in Nature

Quite often, people confine mathematics to numbers and arithmetic. Such partial
and superficial understanding of the nature of this body of knowledge has restrained a
liberal culture of learning in our educational system. In a way, a bigger emphasis on
numeric aptitude has brought about unfavorable attitude towards the subject among
students. Those who exhibit competence in computational skills (e.g., doing arithmetic
operations with speed and precision) are immediately branded as “mathematicians.”
While this may boost the interest of students towards the subject, it may also pose
deceptive expectations especially when they encounter a different branch of
mathematics. On the other hand, students who exhibit inadequate number skills are
intimidated and, sometimes, eventually lose interest. In effect, they do not seem to see
mathematics in nature and ultimately fail to appreciate it because of the distorted view
of this subject.

One thing must be clear at this point, though. Mathematics is not all about
numbers. Rather, it is more about reasoning, making logical inferences and
generalizations, and seeing relationships in both the visible and invisible patterns in the
natural world. One cannot simply base a person’s potential in mathematics on numeric
skills, in the same way that a good writer is not judged by his or her penmanship.

Mathematics goes beyond arithmetic. It is a language by which the universe is

elegantly designed. Its value transcends the intellectual, the practical, and even the
aesthetic standards. One can draw inspiration from the famous mathematicians within
David Hilbert, who influenced modern mathematics within his axiomatic treatment of
geometry. Believed to have a dyscalculia (a disability of learning and comprehending
arithmetic), Hilbert used abstraction rather than explicit computations to prove and
establish essential mathematical theories that led to breakthrough discoveries in both
applied mathematics and sciences.

Patterns are core topics in mathematics. In fact, mathematics is also known as the
science of patterns. Historically, mathematicians have dealt with two types of patterns –
the numeric patterns and the geometric patterns and the geometric patterns (or more
aptly, patterns of shapes). With an increasing urge to understand even the slightest
detail in the universe, these patterns have conceivably evolved to new perspectives
bringing about a more relevant approach in modeling the processes that are taking
place in the natural world. Thus, one may now also speak of patterns in structures,
patterns in changes, and random patterns in shapes (fractals) and occurrences (chaos).
 While an appreciation of these patterns serves every individual well, an innate
drive to at least understand these occurrences has bought forth a variety of
opportunities for man to better understand and explore the universe where he exists.
The attempt to understand the universe of patterns leads to many significant theories in
mathematics which in turn have been utilized by other disciplines.

Numbers and number patterns dominate most of human endeavors. For

example, the number sequence 31, 28, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31 may just
seem a random collection of numbers of days that make up each of the 12 months of
the Gregorian Calendar. Everyone needs numbers to operate gadgets (such as cellular
phones, laptop, two-way radio); home addresses are conveniently assigned numeric
codes for easier tracing, and a lot of similar instances. Also, there are more systematic
numerical patterns like 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and so on, which may be used to model the total
savings a person makes when he starts saving 2 pesos on the first day and adding up 2
pesos more for each succeeding day. In human anatomy, the heart beats rhythmically)
to sustain the body’s biological and chemical make-up.

Perhaps the most popular and unifying numeric pattern known to man is the
Fibonacci sequence (or simply, the Fibonacci numbers). Nature abounds with
testimonies about the innateness of Fibonacci numbers. They appear in the numbers
and arrangements of petals, leaves and branches of plants.

The Fibonacci numbers started when Leonardo Pisano Bigollo, working under
the pseudo name Fibonacci, proposed a problem about the breeding of rabbits. He
started with a newly-born pair (male and female) of rabbits which are able to mate after
one month. After a month of gestation exactly one pair of rabbits, also male and female,
was produced. Every month, from then on, the female always produced one new pair
(one male, one female). The problem then was to determine the number of pairs of
rabbits after one year.

Figure 1.1 Fibonacci Numbers from Rabbit Breeding

Considering each month, there is 1 pair (pair A) in the initial period, still 1 pair a
month after (maturation period), then two pairs after two months (pair B is born at the
end of the second month which is the gestation period). On the third month, pair A
produces new pair (pair C) while pair B is maturing, yielding three pairs. On the fourth
month, pair A produces another new pair (pair D), pair C will now produce offspring (pair
E), while pair D is maturing, yielding five pairs in all. From this, the numbers 1,1,2,3, and
5 are obtained. Figure 1.1 shows how the rabbits multiply and how the resulting numeric
patterns is formed. Note that the problem assumes that the female rabbits do not die
and are biologically reproductive in the entire process. Notice that the starting with the
third number, any other number in the set is just the sum of the two preceding numbers.
In the next section, see how Fibonacci sequence changed the way mathematicians and
scientists view the natural world.

Aside from numeric patterns, there are also patterns of shapes which occur
naturally like the vibrant designs of flowers and leaves of certain plants, and the
fascinating designs in the skin of some animals. There are also man-made patterns
such as the symmetric designs of bridge supports, wind mills, house roofs, and many
others. In his book, Nature’s Numbers, Ian Stewart explains that “by using mathematics
to organize and systematize our ideas about 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.”

Look at the patterns exhibited by the formations of clouds. Of course, clouds and
cloud formations are practically used to assess the possible occurrence of an
atmospheric phenomenon like rain or even a storm. In 2003, John Adam went a step
ahead when he was able to model the different cloud formations by working on numeric
data which were obtained by observing these patterns. This model became in demand
among physicists as it later became a significant factor in weather forecasting to aid
both air and marine navigations He also used the same approach to model other
naturally occurring patterns like rainbows, river meanders, honeycombs and
snowflakes.

Figure 1.2 A Cloud Formation

In certain types of plants, exquisite spiral patterns may be found in their leaves and
flowers. These amazing formations have attracted not only mathematicians but also
practitioners in applied sciences particularly biology and botany. But beyond the genetic
and biological structure, mathematicians were able to discover what is known as golden
angle which measures around 137.50.
 Figure 1.3 Spiral Patterns in a Cactus Plant

The discovery of the golden angle draws more interest from other fields as the
question of “Why do these plants grow in such fashion?” seems to be getting no
affirmative answers. As mathematicians continued to explore the angle among plants,
they also discovered the golden ratio, which later became closely attached to the
Fibonacci numbers. It is important to note that the original design pattern in plants has
been translated into numeric patterns through the golden angle, the golden ratio, and
the Fibonacci numbers.

Some animals also have amazing patterns – such as coat patterns in different
species of snakes, insects (like butterfly wings), peacock feathers, leopard spots, zebra
or tiger stripes, and a lot more. Over the years, biologists, biochemists, and
mathematicians have been trying to find explanations for these spectacles. Simply put,
the mathematical justification arises from the formulation of an equation) which captures
the interaction between two chemical products that produce these skin coats. Of course,
chemists have yet to directly observe the actual chemical reactions that are taking place
in the skin of these animals. The data they have gathered so far allowed
mathematicians to simulate all possible factors and draw up the needed mathematical
models.

Figure 1.4. Patterns on the Skin Coating of Animals

In the Philippines, one of the most prominent tourist attractions is the Mayon
volcano. Known as the world’s most perfect natural conical formation because of an
almost flawless symmetrical feature, this landmark has not only enticed local and
foreign nature loving tourists but has also encouraged scientific and mathematical
explorations over the years.
 The Mayon volcano has erupted almost 60 times over the past 100 years,
making it one of the most active volcanoes worldwide. Aside from the geometric
aesthetic it offers, the volcano has paved the way for probabilistic modeling to predict
when and how it will erupt in the future. At present, a multi-disciplinary team (with
mathematicians taking crucial roles) is aggressively monitoring its activities.

In the southern part of the country, artistry and abstraction are best exhibited in
intricate designs found in textile products and architectural designs and ornamentations.
These designs are themselves concrete evidences not only of the rich cultural heritage
but also of mathematical ingenuity. At present, socio-cultural inquiries conducted on
these designs have established links with mathematics, giving birth to what is known as
ethnomathematics. It is believed that these elaborate designs can be configured only
with strong logical and mathematical proficiency. In-depth analyses of these patterns
transcend core concepts of abstract algebra like groups, rings, and fields.

In recent years, mathematics has gone deeper into pattern exploration. By further
looking at the abstract details of the empirical occurrences, mathematicians succeeded
in tracing patterns even in the most irregular shapes and events. Fractal, a type of
random pattern with each part having the same characteristics as the whole, is gaining
popularity in modeling natural structures and occurrences like mountain formation and
erosion, erratic wind directions, crystal structures, and a lot more. Chaos, on the other
hand, examines superficial randomness originating from deterministic behavior.
Weather conditions are naturally chaotic, yet technologies can already predict long-term
patterns of weather conditions, be it in global or in localized settings.

Figure 1.5 Designs in textile products

Isaac Newton once said, “What we know is a do, what we do not know is an
ocean.” While mathematics remains fully able to uncover the mysteries of the universe,
it is the human intellect that is constantly challenged to exercise mathematics to
discover the patterns, learn from them, and control the future by manipulating them.
Every individual should then focus to really embrace the abstract yet powerful nature of
mathematics to use patterns to nurture, advance and protect the universe.
References

Readings

Adam, John A. Mathematics in Nature: Modeling Patterns in the Natural World.

Princeton University Press, 2003.

Manlapat, Ricardo. Mathematical Ideas in Early Philippine Society. Philippine Studies.

Ateneo de Manila University, 2009.

Mitchemer, W.G. The Nature of Mathematics, excerpts from Everybody Counts: A

Report to the Nation on the Future of Mathematics Education. Washington, D.C.
National Academy of Sciences, National Academy Press, 1989.

Stewart, Ian A. Nature’s Numbers: The Unreal Reality of Mathematics. Basic

Mathematics Books, 1999.

Video Clips

“Nature by Numbers.” You Tube, uploaded by Vila, Cristobal, 11 March 2010,

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkGeOWYOFoA

Numbers. Program series created by Cheryl Heuton and Nicolas Falacci, 23 January
2005, https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCm0UJByEQHfKVnNFMXg9R1Q

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