
MATHEMATICS IN THE
MODERN WORLD
MATM 111 | Prelims Reviewer
Nature of Mathematics
PATTERNS AND NUMBERS
WHAT IS MATHEMATICS?
 Mathematics is the study of pattern and structure.
Mathematics is fundamental to the physical and
biological sciences, engineering and information
technology, to economics and increasingly to the
social sciences.
 Mathematics is a useful way to think about nature
and our world.
 Mathematics is a tool to quantify, organize and
control our world, predict phenomena and make
life easier for us.
WHERE IS MATHEMATICS?
 Many patterns and occurrences exists in nature, in
our world, in our life. Mathematics helps make
sense of these patterns and occurrences.
WHAT ROLE DOES MATHEMATICS PLAY 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
 Patterns in nature are visible regularities of form
found in the natural world and can also be seen in
the universe.
 Nature patterns which are not just to be admired,
they are vital clues to the rules that govern natural
processes.
PATTERN defined as:
 Regular
 Repeated
 Recurring forms or designs.
 Identify relationships
Find logical connections to form
generalizations.
Check out examples of some of these patterns and you
may be able to spot a few the next time you go for a
walk.
1. Patterns can be observed even in stars which
move in circles across the sky each day.
2. The weather season cycle each year. All
snowflakes contains sixfold symmetry which no
two are exactly the same.
3. Patterns can be seen in fish patterns like 3
spotted trunkfish, spotted puffer, blue spotted
stingray, spotted moral eel, coral grouper,
redlion fish, yellow boxfish and angel fish. These
animals and fish stripes and spots attest to
mathematical regularities in biological growth
and form.
4. 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.
5. 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.
FIBONACCI SEQUENCE
Who is Fibonacci?
 His real name was Leonardo Pisano Bogollo, and he
lived between 1170 and 1250 in Italy.
 "Fibonacci" was his nickname, which roughly means
"Son of Bonacci".
 As well as being famous for the Fibonacci Sequence,
he helped spread Hindu-Arabic Numerals (like our
present numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) through
Europe in place of Roman Numerals (I, II, III, IV, V,
etc). That has saved us all a lot of trouble!
 Fibonacci number: is an integer in the inf hite
sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, ... of which the first two
terms are 1 and 1 and each succeeding...
 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), botany (growth patterns
of plants and trees), and financial markets (price
movements of securities).
Origin of Fibonacci Sequence  In fact, the bigger the pair of Fibonacci Numbers,
the closer the approximation.
 Fibonacci Sequence was discovered after an
 The Golden Ratio is also sometimes called the
investigation on the reproduction of rabbits.
golden section, golden mean, golden number,
Growing Population of Rabbits divine proportion, divine section and golden
proportion.
Problem: Suppose a newly-born pair of rabbits (one
male, one female) are put in a field. Rabbits are able to
mate at the age of one month so that at the end of the
second month, a female can produce another pair of
rabbits.
 The Fibonacci Sequence can be written as a "Rule"
 First, the terms are numbered from 0 onwards like
this:

The Golden Ratio in Nature

 Mona Lisa
 So term number 6 is called x (which equals 😎.  Notre Dame Cathedral
Simple Rule: Add the last two terms to get the  Parthenon
next.

 So we can write the rule:

Where in:

The Golden Ratio

 The golden ratio can be expressed as the ratio
between two numbers.
 And here is a surprise. When we take any two
successive (one after the other) Fibonacci Numbers,
their ratio is very close to the Golden Ratio "o"
which is approximately 1.618034...
Nature of Mathematics ENGLISH Language vs. MATHEMATICS Language:

LANGUAGE OF MATHEMATICS

 Language, a system of conventional spoken, manual

(signed), or written symbols by means of which
human beings, as members of a social group and
participants in its culture, express themselves
Language itself is:
PRECISE
 It can make very fine distinctions among set of
symbols
CONCISE
Comparison: English VS Mathematics Language
 It can briefly express long sentences
POWERFUL
 It gives upon expressing complex thoughts
Symbols commonly used in Mathematics are:

Difficulties in the Math Language

1. Different meaning or use of words in Math and
English.
- "and" is equivalent to plus
- "is" may have different meaning
2. The different uses of numbers: cardinal, ordinal, or
nominal.
- "cardinal numbers" ones used for counting "
- "ordinal numbers" ones used for telling
positions
- “nominal numbers" used only as a name to
identify something
Translation: English to Math Language and vis a vis

2. Mathematics to English Choose a quantity to be

represented by a variable, then write the mathematical Sets
expression for each number.
 A set in mathematics is a collection of well def ned
a. A three-digit numbers whose hundreds digit is half and distinct objects, considered as an object in its
the tens digit, and the tens digit is 2 more than the own right. Sets are one of the most fundamental
unit's digit. concepts in mathematics
 A set is a well-defined collection of distinct objects.
- It usually represented by capital letters.
- The objects of a set are separated by commas.
Remember these key words!
- The objects that belong in a set are the elements, or
members of the set.
- It can be represented by listing its element between
braces.
- A set is said to be well defined if the elements in a set
are specifically listed.
EXAMPLES:
- A={a.e.i.o.u}
- B= {set of plane figures}
- C={Ca,Au,Ag}
One-to-One Correspondence
Students can connect one number with one object and
then count them with understanding.
Cardinality
Tells how many things are in a set. When counting a set
of objects, the last word in the counting sequence
names the quantity for that set
 1.1 Propositional Logic
 A proposition is a declarative sentence (that is, a
sentence that declares a fact) that is either true or
false, but not both.
EXAMPLE 1 All the following declarative sentences are
propositions.
1. Washington, D.C., is the capital of the United States
of America.
RELATIONSHIP of SETS 2. Toronto is the capital of Canada.
UNIVERSAL SET 3. 112.
4. 2+23.
- the TOTALITY of ALL the elements in two or
more given sets Propositions 1 and 3 are true, whereas 2 and 4 are false.
- denoted by "U"
STATEMENTS CONNECTIVES SYMBOLIC TYPE OF
Examples FORM STATEMENTS
 A = {2, 4, 6, 8} Not P Not ~P Negation
 B = {1, 2, 3, 4} P and Q And P∧Q Conjunction
 U = {1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8}
P or Q Or P∨Q Disjunction
If P, the q If…Then P→Q Conditional
 A = {a, b, c, d, e } P if and only If and only if P↔Q Bi-
 B = (a, e, i, o, u } if q conditional
 U = {a, b, c, d, e, i, o, u}
QUANTIFIER
1. Universal Quantifier “for all” or “for every”, denoted
by ∀
2. Existential Quantifier “there exists”, denoted by ∃
Converse, Inverse, and Contrapositive

Elementary Logic

 Logic serves as a set of rules that govern the

structure and presentation of mathematical proofs.
It allows us to determine the validity of arguments
in and out of mathematics.
 A proposition is a statement that is, by itself, either
true or false. They can be expressed in symbols P,
Q, R, or p, q, r.
a. Simple - means single idea statement
b. Compound - conveys two or more ideas
Nature of Mathematics
Problem Solving and Reasoning

 A problem is a statement requiring a solution,

usually by means of mathematical
operation/geometric construction.
 The word "method" means the ways or techniques
used to get answer which will, usually involve one
or more problem solving strategies.
 Problem solving is a process an ongoing activity in
which we take what we know to discover what we Examples:
don't know.
 Problem is a situation that confronts the learner,
that requires resolution, and for which the path to
the answer is not immediately known.
 Drill/Exercise a situation that requires resolution
but the method is clear and the way to the answer
is easily seen.

INDUCTIVE REASONING
 A statement is a true statement provided that is
true in all cases. If you can find one case for which a
statement is not true, called a counterexample,
then the statement is a false statement.
Example

INDUCTIVE REASONING
Inductive Reasoning is the process of reaching a general
conclusion by examining specific examples.
DEDUCTIVE REASONING
 Deductive Reasoning is the process of reaching a
conclusion by applying general; assumptions,
procedures, or principles.
 Polya's Four-step:
I. Understand the Problem
II. Devise a plan
III. Carry out the plan
IV. Review the solution
PREPARATION:
Understand the Problem

 Can you restate the problem in your own words?

Key terms:  Can you determine what is known about these
types of problems?
ARGUMENT
 Is there missing information that, if known, would
Is the reason or reasons offered for or against allow you to solve the problem?
something  Is there extraneous information that is not needed
to solve problems?
PREMISES  What is the goal?
Minor or major propositions or assertions that serve as THINKING TIME:
the bases for an argument. It can be an assumption,
law, rule, idea, or observation. Devise a Plan

SYLLOGISM  Make a list of the known information

 Make the list of the information that is need
An argument composed of two statements or premises
 Draw a diagram
followed by a conclusion.
 Make an organize list that shows all the possibilities
CONCLUSION  Make a table or chart
 Try to solve a similar but simpler problem.
The last step in a reasoning process.
 Write an equation. If necessary define each variable
EXAMPLES: represents
 Perform an experiment
 Guess at a solution and then check your result
INSIGHT:
Carry out your Plan

 Work carefully
 Keep an accurate and neat record of all your
attempts
 Realize that some of your initial plans will not work
and that you may have to devise another plan or
modify your existing plan
VERIFICATION:
Review the solution

 Ensure that the solution is consistent with the facts

of the problem.
 Interpret the solution in the context of the problem.
POLYA'S STRATEGY
 Ask your self whether there are generalizations of
 Named after George Polya (1887-1985). the solution that could apply to other problem.
 It is a four-step problem solving strategy that are
deceptively simple.