Why do we learn

MATHEMATICS?
• Calculation
• Application
• Inspiration
 Patterns and Numbers
in Nature and the World
Patterns and Regularities in Nature and the
World

Patterns in nature are visible regularities of form

found in the natural world.

These patterns recur in different contexts and

can sometimes be modelled mathematically.
But, what are the different natural patterns?
Natural patterns include…
Symmetries Foam
Fractals Stripe
Crack
Tessellations
Spiral
Patterns in Nature
Visible patterns found in the natural world:
 Spirals,symmetries, meanders, waves, foams,
tessellations, cracks, mosaics, stripes, spots, radial,
scattered, trees, dendritic, fractals, etc.
 Plants,animals, rock formations, river flows, stars and
universe, and in human creations
Patterns in Nature
TYPES OF PATTERN
SYMMETRY
 Bilateral or Mirror Symmetry- leaves of plants,
flowers(orchids)
 Radial or Rotational Symmetry- flowers, sea anemones,
drop falls into a pond, rings of a planet Saturn
 Fivefold Symmetry- echinoderms (starfish, sea urchins,
sea lilies)
 Sixfold Symmetry- snowflakes
 Crystal habits- cubic, octahedral, rhombic
dodecahedral(fluorite, garnet)
 Spherical Symmetry- volvox
SYMMETRY
SYMMETRY
SYMMETRY
SYMMETRY
SYMMETRY
 TYPES OF PATTERN

FRACTALS
Fractals are infinitely self-similar,
iterated mathematical constructs
having fractal dimensions. Infinite
iteration is not possible in nature so all
fractal patterns in nature are only
approximate.
 Fernlike growth patterns occur in
plants and animals (Bryozoa, corals,
hdrozoa)
Bryozoa
 TYPES OF PATTERN

FRACTALS
Fractals are infinitely self-similar,
iterated mathematical constructs
having fractal dimensions. Infinite
iteration is not possible in nature so all
fractal patterns in nature are only
approximate.
 Fernlike growth patterns occur in
plants and animals (Bryozoa, corals,
hdrozoa)
Bryozoa
 TYPES OF PATTERN

FRACTALS
Fractals are infinitely self-similar,
iterated mathematical constructs
having fractal dimensions. Infinite
iteration is not possible in nature so all
fractal patterns in nature are only
approximate.
 Fernlike growth patterns occur in
plants and animals (Bryozoa, corals,
hdrozoa) Corals
 TYPES OF PATTERN

FRACTALS
Fractals are infinitely self-similar,
iterated mathematical constructs
having fractal dimensions. Infinite
iteration is not possible in nature so all
fractal patterns in nature are only
approximate.
 Fernlike growth patterns occur in
plants and animals (Bryozoa, corals,
hdrozoa) Corals
 TYPES OF PATTERN

FRACTALS
Fractals are infinitely self-similar,
iterated mathematical constructs
having fractal dimensions. Infinite
iteration is not possible in nature so all
fractal patterns in nature are only
approximate.
 Fernlike growth patterns occur in
plants and animals (Bryozoa, corals,
hdrozoa) Hdrozoa
 TYPES OF PATTERN

FRACTALS
Fractals are infinitely self-similar,
iterated mathematical constructs
having fractal dimensions. Infinite
iteration is not possible in nature so all
fractal patterns in nature are only
approximate.
 Fernlike growth patterns occur in
plants and animals (Bryozoa, corals,
hdrozoa) Hdrozoa
 TYPES OF PATTERN

FRACTALS
Fractals are infinitely self-
similar, iterated
mathematical constructs
having fractal dimensions.
Infinite iteration is not
possible in nature so all
fractal patterns in nature
are only approximate.
Leaf of cow parsley
TYPES OF PATTERN

FRACTALS
Fractals are infinitely
self-similar, iterated
mathematical constructs
having fractal
dimensions. Infinite
iteration is not possible
in nature so all fractal
patterns in nature are
only approximate.
Romanesco broccoli
TYPES OF PATTERN

FRACTALS
Fractals are infinitely self-
similar, iterated
mathematical constructs
having fractal dimensions.
Infinite iteration is not
possible in nature so all
fractal patterns in nature are
only approximate.

Angelica Flowerhead
FRACTALS
TYPES OF PATTERN

TREES, DENDRITIC
 Electrical discharges - Lichtenberg figure (high voltage
dielectric breakdown in an acrylic polymer block)
 Tree growth
 Dendritic copper crystals
TYPES OF PATTERN

TREES, DENDRITIC
 Electrical discharges - Lichtenberg
figure (high voltage dielectric
breakdown in an acrylic polymer
block)
Electrical discharges
TYPES OF PATTERN

TREES, DENDRITIC
 Tree growth
TYPES OF PATTERN

TREES, DENDRITIC
 Dendritic copper crystals
TREES, DENDRITIC
TYPES OF PATTERN

SPIRALS
Spirals are
common in
plants and in
some animals
 Growth spiral

Nautilus shell

bighorn sheep
TYPES OF PATTERN

SPIRALS
Spirals are common in
plants and in some
animals Phyllotaxis (arrangement of
leaves on a stem)
 Plant spirals

Pineapple

Seed head of sunflower

TYPES OF PATTERN
SPIRALS
Spirals are common
in plants and in
some animals
Snake fruit
 Plant spirals

Pine cones Phyllotaxis of spiral aloe

TYPES OF PATTERN

SPIRALS
Spirals are common in
plants and in some
animals
 Plant spirals
Red cabbage in cross section
TYPES OF PATTERN

SPIRALS
Spirals are common in plants
and in some animals

Water droplets fly off a wet

Spinning ball in equiangular spirals

TYPES OF PATTERN
Spiral galaxies

SPIRALS
Spirals are common in
plants and in some animals
SPIRALS
SPIRALS
Thank You!!!