GRACE MISSION COLLEGE

Catiningan, Socorro, Oriental Mindoro

 Objectives: 1. Identify patterns in nature and regularities in the world.
2. Articulate the importance of mathematics in one’s life.
3. Argue about the nature of mathematics, what is it, how it is expressed,
represented and used.
4. Express appreciation for mathematics as a human endeavor.

Module 1: Mathematics in our World (A Study of Patterns)

Mathematics has always been perceived as a study of numbers, symbols, and rules. It is an
art of geometric shapes and patterns, a tool in decision-making and problem solving. It has a
language that differs from the ordinary speech. It is done with curiosity, with a penchant for seeking
patterns and generalities, with the desire to know the truth, with trial and error, and without the fear
of facing more questions and problem to solve. The following diagram shows the very nature of
mathematics.

In this module, we will focus about patterns. Our intention is to observe things in both nature
and the world through pattern-seeking, understand the substantial interconnection and relationship
of the mathematics and the world and appreciate mathematics as a discipline full of essence and
beauty.

Gear Up

Directions: Watch the video "Nature by Numbers" by Cristobal Vila (link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkGeOWYOFoA) and write one (1) sentence that describes
your impression after watching the video.

Questions:
1. What is the video all about?
2. What is pattern?
3. What are examples of pattern?
4. How are patterns related in the nature of Mathematics?
5. How does these patterns help us understand the connection between our world and
mathematics?
 Analyze and Explore

NATURE OF MATHEMATICS
Mathematics has always been perceived as a study of numbers, symbols, and rules. It is an
art of geometric shapes and patterns, a tool in decision-making and problem solving. It has a
language that differs from the ordinary speech. It is done with curiosity, with a penchant for seeking
patterns and generalities, with the desire to know the truth, with a trial and error, and without the
fear of facing more questions and problem to solve. The following diagram shows the very nature of
mathematics.

Many patterns and occurrences exist in nature, in our world, in our life. Mathematics helps
make sense of these patterns and occurrences.

Role of Mathematics in our world

● Mathematics helps organize patterns and regularities in our world.
● Mathematics helps predict the behavior of nature and phenomena in the world.
● Mathematics helps control nature and occurrences in the world for our own ends.
● Mathematics has numerous applications in the world making it indispensable.

PATTERNS AND NUMBERS IN NATURE AND THE WORLD

When we buy clothes, accessories, furniture, house decorations, and other similar objects,
we tend to look for beautiful geometric designs or patterns. We appreciate the patterns seen in the
colorful wings of butterflies, the arrangement of flowers and leaves, the reflection of the mountain
tops to the clear waters of lakes, the different shapes of clouds in the skies, and other patterns seen
in the nature. In the busy streets of the cities, we are impressed by the intricate but well-designed
modern homes and high-rise buildings. We are wowed by nature and man-made creations because
of these repeated designs of geometric visuals. Repeated ways or occurrences that happens or was
done are also considered as patterns. Pattern is an arrangement of objects, colors, or numbers
placed in a certain order. Patterns are regularities that we can perceive. For example, the cycle of
the moon, the changing seasons, and even the transmission pattern of the COVID 19 pandemic.
Patterns surround us. It is everywhere and are in every people’s task or activity. Mathematics,
developed by human mind and culture, is a formal system of thought for recognizing, classifying,
and exploiting patterns. (Stewart,I.). Mathematics is indeed a study of patterns. Results in
mathematics are brought by the generalizations of patterns. The study of patterns allows us to
observe and identify relationships, discover logical connections, and make generalizations.
Moreover, the use and study of patterns allows us to be logical thinkers and better problem solvers.
Now, let us take a look of some of these patterns.
TYPES OF PATTERN

1. Number Pattern
It is the patterns in which a list number that follows a certain sequence.
Examples:

2. Logic Pattern
It deals with the characteristics and sequence of various objects.

Solution
1. Answer: D
The sketch is being built stage by stage. A new line is added in each stage and it never touches the
last line added in the previous stage.

2. Answer: B Each figure consists of 3 shapes; namely: external shape, middle shape, and inner
shape. Notice that the external shape appears to be the middle shape of the next figure. The middle
shape disappears in the next figure. While the inner shape appears to be as the external shape of
the figure two steps forward. For example: The external shape of the 4th figure is a circle, The middle
shape is a pentagon, and the inner shape is a hexagon. The circle becomes the middle shape of
the next figure, the pentagon disappears in the
next figure, and the hexagon becomes the
external shape of the figure two steps forward
from the 4th figure.

Examples 1 and 2 are usually seen on aptitude tests. Before we determine the next shape or
number, we have to observe the objects, look into their properties, and their relationship on other
objects. In such a way, we are allowed to hypothesize, predict, and construct generalizations based
on the observed patterns.

3. Word Pattern
It deals with the characteristics and sequence of various objects. Word patterns focused on
the morphological rules in pluralizing nouns, conjugating verbs for tense, and metrical rules of
poetry.
Examples: baby: babies buy: bought
trolley: trollies bring: brought
ally: ? catch: ?
answer: allies answer: caught

4. Geometric Pattern
Geometric patterns are designs that depict geometric shapes like lines, circles, and polygons.
Geometric patterns are observed in nature. These patterns are also associated to the identification
of a particular country and culture. Below are samples of geometric patterns that are associated to
Philippine ethnic groups and local regions.
5. Nature Pattern
They are visible regularities of form found in the natural world. Patterns can be observed
even in stars which move in circles across the sky each day. The weather season cycle each year.
All snowflakes contain sixfold symmetry which no two are exactly the same.

Nature patterns can be seen in fish patterns like spotted trunkfish, spotted puffer, blue spotted
stingray, spotted moral eel, coral grouper, red lion fish, yellow boxfish and angel fish. These
animals and fish stripes and spots attest to mathematical regularities in biological growth and form

Zebras, tigers, cats and snakes are covered in patterns of stripes; leopards and hyenas are
covered in pattern of spots and giraffes are covered in pattern of blotches.
 Natural patterns like the intricate waves across the oceans; sand dunes on deserts; formation
of typhoon; water drop with ripple and others. These serves as clues to the rules that govern the
flow of water, sand and air.

Other patterns in nature can also be seen in the ball of mackerel, the v-formation of geese
in the sky and the tornado formation of starlings.

TYPES OF NATURE PATTERNS

1. Symmetry – a sense of harmonious and beautiful proportion of balance or an object is invariant
to any various transformations (reflection, rotation or scaling.)

a. Bilateral Symmetry is a symmetry in which the left and right sides of the organism can be divided
into approximately mirror image of each other along the midline.

b. Radial Symmetry (or rotational symmetry) is a symmetry around a fixed point known as the
center and it can be classified as either cyclic or dihedral.
2. Fractals It is a never-ending pattern in nature. The exact same shape is replicated in a process called
“self-similarity.” The pattern repeats itself over and over again at different scales.

3. Spirals - A growth spiral is a self-similar spiral curve which often appears in nature. It is a curved
pattern that focuses on a center point and a series of circular shapes that revolve around it.

4. Tessellation or tiling is the covering of a surface, often a plane, using one or more geometric
shapes, called tiles, with no overlaps and no gaps. In mathematics, tessellation can
be generalized to higher dimensions and a variety of geometries. A periodic tiling
has a repeating pattern.

5. Foam is consisted of bubbles packed together in a fractal pattern.

6. Meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves, bends, loops, turns or windings in the
channel of a river, streams or watercourse. It is produced by a stream or other
watercourse. It is produced by a stream or river swinging from side to side as it flows
across its floodplain or shifts its channel within a valley.

7. Wave is a disturbance that transfers energy through matter or space, with little or no associated
mass transport. Waves consist of oscillations or vibrations of physical medium or a field,
around relatively fixed locations. Surface waves in water show water ripples. The wave
pattern is most often seen when looking at the ocean from above. However, you can also
see wave pattern in nature when the wind blows through the grass. From a design
perspective, this pattern helps to increase edge which in turn increases your overall
productivity.

8. Stripes are made by series of bands or strips, often the same width and color along the length.
The stripe pattern is evolutionary in that in increases the chances of survival through
camouflage. It is most commonly known in zebras, but other species contain stripes
- even butterflies.
9. Crack is the separation of an object or material into two or more pieces under the action of stress.
The crack or fracture of a solid usually occurs due to the development of certain
displacement discontinuity surfaces within the solid.

10. Affine Transformation is a composition of rotations, translations, dilations, and shears. It

preserves proportions on lines, it does not necessarily preserve angles or lengths. Many plant forms
utilize these processes to generate their structure. In case of the broccoli and cauliflower heads, it
can readily be seen that there is a type of pattern.

Keep Those Nerves Working

I. Nature Picture Taking

II. Pattern-ity Test

Note: Activities will be uploaded in our google classroom next meeting

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Stay safe! Thank you and God bless!