GE 04: MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN

WORLD

Mathematics
in our World
by: Mr. Paolo Rovic D. Suarez
MAIN TOPICS
POINTS TO TALK ABOUT

1.1 Overview: What is Mathematics?

1.2 Patterns and Numbers in Nature
1.1 OVERVIEW: WHAT IS
MATHEMATICS?
Mathematics can be defined in many ways.
Mathematics is just the study of numbers.
Mathematics is a set of problem-solving tools,
a language, a process of thinking, and a study
of patterns among others.
Whatever point of view is taken, there is no
denying the reality that mathematics is
everywhere.
Mathematics has various applications
in the world. However, Mathematics is
not only concerned with everyday
problems, but also with using
imagination, intuition and reasoning to
find new ideas and to solve puzzling
problems.
Mathematics is a branch of science,
which deals with numbers and their
operations.
It involves calculation, computation,
solving of problems etc.
Its dictionary meaning states that,
‘Mathematics is the science of numbers
and space’ or ‘Mathematics is the
science of measurement, quantity and
magnitude.’ It is exact, precise,
systematic and a logical subject.
Mathematics helps us to organize and
systemize our ideas about patterns; in so
doing, not only can we admire and enjoy
these patterns, we can also use them to
infer some of the underlying principles
that govern the world of nature.
In this lesson, attention will be focused
on the nature of mathematics, patterns
and numbers in nature and the world and
the uses of mathematics.
 1.2 PATTERNS AND
NUMBERS IN NATURE
Patterns
A pattern is an arrangement which helps
observers anticipate what they might see
or what happens next. A pattern also
shows what may have come before. A
pattern organizes information so that it
becomes more useful.
The human mind is programmed to make
sense of data or to bring order where
there is disorder. It seeks to discover
relationships and connections between
seemingly unrelated bits of information.
In doing so, it sees patterns.
According to the National Council of
Teachers of Mathematics (1991) defines the
nature of mathematics as follows:
Mathematics is a study of patterns and
relationship, a way of thinking, an art, a
language, and a tool. It is about patterns
and relationships. Numbers are just a way
to express those patterns and relationships.
Patterns are everywhere. They are deeply
embedded all around us. You can observe
patterns- things like colors, shapes, actions,
line or curves of building, pathways or even
in the grocery store where boxes of various
items are lined up. Number patterns such as
2,4,6,8 and 5,10,15,20 are among the first
patterns encountered in younger years.
 TYPES OF
PATTERNS
 1. Symmetry
a sense of harmonious and beautiful
proportion of balance or an object is
invariant to any various
transformations (reflection, rotation
and translation.)
 Reflection or Bilateral
Symmetry
It can also be called mirror symmetry
because an object with this symmetry
looks unchanged if a mirror passes
through its middle. In other words, the
objects have a left side and a right side
that are mirror images of each other.
Images depicting Bilateral Symmetry
If a shape can be folded in half so that
one half fits exactly on top of the other,
then we say that the shapes are
symmetric. The fold is called a line of
symmetry because it divides the shape
into two equal parts. Bilateral-symmetric
objects have at least one line or axis of
symmetry. The lines of symmetry may be in
any direction.
 Radial Symmetry
Radial symmetry is a rotational
symmetry around a fixed point known
as the center. Images with more than
one line of symmetry meeting at a
common point exhibits a radial
symmetry. An equilateral triangle and
circle are examples
You can cut along three different axes
on the equilateral triangle while a
circle can be cut along an infinite
number of axes. Consider the photo on
the next slide. It has rotational
symmetry. How many lines of symmetry
are possible?
Radial symmetry can be found both in
natural and human made objects. The
photos on the next slide are examples of
rotational symmetry that can be found in
the world around us.
Images depicting Radial Symmetry
 2. Rosette Patterns
Rosette patterns consist of taking motif
or an element and rotating and/or
reflecting that element. There are two
types of rosette patterns namely cyclic
and dihedral. A rosette pattern is
cyclic if it only admits rotational
symmetries.
 2. Rosette Patterns
On the other hand, a rosette pattern is
dihedral if it admits both rotational
symmetries and bilateral or reflectional
symmetries. The figures on the next
slide exhibit rosette patterns. Can you
identify which of them are cyclic?
dihedral?
Images depicting Rosette Patterns
 3. Frieze Patterns
A frieze or border pattern is a pattern
in which a basic motif repeats itself
over and over in one direction. It
extends to the left and right in a way
that the pattern can be mapped onto
itself by a horizontal translation.
 3. Frieze Patterns
We can usually find these patterns in
unique places like on the walls of
buildings, fabrics, borders of rugs and
tiled floor. Mathematicians have
already classified all the different types
of frieze patterns. It turns out that there
are only seven types.
3. Frieze Patterns
1. Hop. The frieze pattern only admits a
translational symmetry.
3. Frieze Patterns
2. Step. The frieze pattern only admits
a translational and glide symmetries.
3. Frieze Patterns
3. Sidle. The frieze pattern only admits
translations and vertical reflections.
3. Frieze Patterns
4. Spinning Hop. The frieze pattern
only admits translations and 180
rotations (half-turns).
3. Frieze Patterns
5. Spinning Sidle. The frieze pattern
only admits translations, vertical
reflections, rotations, and glide
reflections.
3. Frieze Patterns
6. Jump. The frieze pattern only admits
translations, a horizontal reflection, and
glide reflection.
3. Frieze Patterns
7. Spinning Jump. The frieze pattern
admits translations, vertical reflections,
horizontal reflections, rotations, and
glide reflections.
 3. Frieze Patterns

Mathematician John B. Conway

invented the names of these Frieze
Patterns.
 4. Wallpaper Patterns

A wallpaper pattern is a pattern with

translation symmetry in two directions. It
is, therefore, essentially an arrangement
of friezes stacked upon one another to fill
the entire plane.
 4. Wallpaper Patterns

Any particular wallpaper pattern is made up

of a combination of the following
symmetries; reflection, rotation and glide
reflection.
 4. Wallpaper Patterns
According to Nocon (2016), in order for a
plane figure to be considered a wallpaper
pattern, it must have at least the basic
unit, one copy by translation, and a copy
of these two by translation in the second
direction. There must be at least two rows,
each one of at least two units long.
 4. Wallpaper Patterns
Beautiful patterns can be created by
repeating geometric and artistic motifs
according to the symmetry of the
wallpaper groups, as exemplified in works
by M. C. Escher and in the patterns
created by I. Bakshee in the Wolfram
Language using Artlandia, illustrated in the
next slide.
 4. Wallpaper Patterns
There are 17 different wallpaper
patterns. Using intricate techniques,
mathematicians were able to classify
every wallpaper patterns possible. It is
shown that there are only 17 distinct
types of wallpaper patterns.
 5. Tesselations
A tessellation or tiling is a repeating
pattern of figures that covers a plane
with no gaps or overlaps. It is just like a
wallpaper group in which patterns are
created by repeating a shape to fill the
plane.
 5. Tesselations
Tessellations can be created with
translations, rotations, and reflections.
Tessellations can be seen in nature, arts
and everyday life. Pavements, snake
skin, turtle shell and a honeycomb are
just few of many examples of
tessellation we see around us.
 5. Tesselations
A honeycomb is a perfect example. It uses
regular hexagons to form this natural
mosaic around the surface area of the
hive. Since these are regular hexagons,
each interior angle of each hexagon are
120 degrees, and all the angles in one of
the hexagons equal 720 degrees.
Images depicting Tesselations
THANK YOU!