Name: REYES, Althea Mireille M.

___________ Score
GED102 - MMW
Program & Year: BMMA - 2____ Section: E04_ Writing Exercise
Synthesis Essay
Student No.: 2019100541____ Date: 03/09/21_ 2nd Quarter 2020-2021

Choose a chapter in Ian Stewart’s “Nature’s Numbers” and write a synthesis essay.{Write in paragraph
form – without subheadings. Paragraph 1 is the introduction, paragraphs 2-4 comprise the body -the
synthesis, and the last paragraph is the conclusion}

A Synthesis Essay on Ian Stewart’s Book “Nature’s Numbers” Chapter 1

“We live in a universe of patterns.” At first, it may seem to be some kind of stretch or something
that not a normal person would say, or at least someone who doesn’t look at their surroundings with a
scientific or mathematical conscience. Yet, somehow, once thought through, the universe is indeed built
around stacks of patterns. From the numbers of petals to the rainbows that don’t appear that often in
the sky, intellectuals have found a way to understand the workings of nature by defining them with
patterns, and in turn, numbers.
Many intellectuals, including Johannes Kepler, helped define these regular and irregular patterns
seen in nature and eventually lead the development of using these patterns as a means to recognize and
understand how they came to be. And this system has aided in the confirmation of multiple theories like
gravity, the solar system, etc. Another good example of this is how Kepler naturally assumed that
snowflakes are made up of tiny identical units packed together just by thinking very hard using common
knowledge. This was before Isaac Newton proved with his experiments that matter is made up of atoms.
After all, it is in our human nature to indulge ourselves in the things we are curious about. This system is
now known as mathematics. Mathematics involves numbers, quantity, and space. At first glance, this
abstract science may not seem beautiful or even appealing unlike nature, but the clues from nature will
make us want to know how they work and why they are important.
We know that numbers are the simplest mathematical objects and a lot of nature’s patterns are
numerical in form. For example, most flowers grow petals in one of the numbers in this odd sequence: 3,
5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89. By adding the previous two numbers together, we can find its pattern. And then
there’s numerology, the easiest known method for distinguishing patterns. But it’s because of this that
there can also be accidental numerical patterns mixed with important ones. One great example is
Kepler’s – his orderly theory for the number of planets, which was six planets during his time, and his
more complex calculation of the orbital period of a planet to its distance from the Sun. The first one was
purely accidental because we all know that there are nine planets or maybe even more that have not
been discovered yet, and the latter being the one to support Newton’s discovery of gravity. Just by using
these “mere” numbers, we have broadened the knowledge of this world; isn’t it outstanding how it has
the capability to contribute to other sciences and even arts? Its beauty transcends far beyond the
physical because we can easily discern nature’s clues without the need for any mathematical training.
Other than numerical patterns, there are also geometric ones. These also include the main
shapes that are usually discussed such as triangles, squares, circles, and spheres. We can find shapes
anywhere, some more evident or common than others. After all, it’s easier to visualize shapes than
numbers. Like how tigers and zebras have line patterns while hyenas have spots. How it is not only the
oceans and seas but also sand dunes or deserts that have wave patterns. However, even mathematical

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 shapes can be deconstructed into numbers since they are made up of dots that can be transformed into
numbers. There are also patterns of movement – the way we humans walk in a regular rhythmic pattern
compared to a dog walking, which is also rhythmic but more complex. Last but not least, there are
patterns that seem random with no form at all because they cannot be defined by conventional
geometric shapes. An example of this is the shape of clouds. Their shape is not dependent on the scale,
and this observation of pattern can be applied to many of nature’s shapes like trees and mountains. It
was only recently – within the last thirty years – that we have discerned two types of pattern: fractals
and chaos. Fractals are patterns that have repetitive compositions on finer scales while chaos is more
random in a way that it is purely deterministic. In this sense, clouds are fractal and weather is chaotic.
Nature is all around us. With just our sense of sight, we can make sense of things surrounding us
using patterns – fractal or chaotic, shape or number, moving or not. Diving into the pools of logic and
deduction helped give this universe more depth and meaning. Mathematics is beautiful as it is
enlightening. And even though we have already deduced many theories, there are still more concepts
and newfound knowledge to explore and eventually develop with the support of nature’s numbers.

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