CHAPTER 1: NATURE OF MATHEMATICS

Learning Outcomes:

On the completion of the chapter, the student is expected to be able to:

1. Identify patterns in nature and regularities in the world

2. Articulate the importance of mathematics
3. Argue about the nature of mathematics, what it is, how it is expressed,
represented, and used
4. Demonstrate Understanding of the presence of mathematics in nature and
in the arts, and recognize the usefulness of pattern recognition in solving
real life problems.
5. Express appreciation for mathematics as a human endeavor

INTRODUCTION:

What is mathematics?

Mathematics is derived form the ancient word manthanein, meaning “to

learn”. The Greek root mathesis means “knowledge” or its other form mathema
meaning “science”, or “learning”, and mathematikos or mathemata means “fond of
learning” (Guillermo et.al, 2018)

Mathematics is the science that deals with the logic of shape, quantity and
arrangement. Math is all around us, in everything we do. It is the building block for
everything in our daily lives, including mobile devices, architecture (ancient and
modern), art, money, engineering, and even sports.

NATURE OF MATHEMATICS

Mathematics is a study of patterns and relations. It is also a way of thinking.

It is seen as an art which is characterized by order and internal consistency. It is a
language that uses carefully defined terms and symbols. Thus, mathematics is a
tool (Reys,Lindquist,Lambdin, Suydam, 2004).

1.1. PATTERNS AND NUMBERS IN NATURE AND THE WORLD

A pattern is a series or sequence that repeats. Math patterns are

sequences that repeat based on a rule, and a rule is a set way to calculate or
solve a problem.

It is a regularity in the world, in human-made design, or in abstract

ideas. As such, the elements of a pattern repeat in a predictable manner

By studying patterns in math, humans become aware of patterns in

our world. Observing patterns allows individuals to develop their ability to

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 predict future behavior of natural organisms and phenomena. Civil
engineers can use their observations of traffic patterns to construct safer
cities. Meteorologists use patterns to predict thunderstorms, tornadoes, and
hurricanes. Seismologists use patterns to forecast earthquakes and
landslides. Mathematical patterns are useful in all areas of science.

A. Natures Pattern

1. Symmetry

Snowflake sixfold symmetry

Symmetry is widespread in living things. Animals that move usually have bilateral or mirror
symmetry as this favours movement. Plants often have radial or rotational symmetry, as do many
flowers, as well as animals which are largely static as adults, such as sea anemones. Fivefold
symmetry is found in the echinoderms, including starfish, sea urchins, and sea lilies.
Among non-living things, snowflakes have striking sixfold symmetry: each flake is unique, its
structure recording the varying conditions during its crystallisation similarly on each of its six
arms. Crystals have a highly specific set of possible crystal symmetries; they can be cubic
or octahedral, but cannot have fivefold symmetry (unlike quasicrystals).

2. Spirals

Aloe polyphylla phyllotaxis

Spiral patterns are found in the body plans of animals including molluscs such as the nautilus,
and in the phyllotaxis of many plants, both of leaves spiralling around stems, and in the multiple
spirals found in flowerheads such as the sunflower and fruit structures like the pineapple.
3. Waves, dunes

Dune ripple

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Waves are disturbances that carry energy as they move. Mechanical waves propagate through a
medium – air or water, making it oscillate as they pass by. Wind waves are surface waves that
create the chaotic patterns of the sea. As they pass over sand, such waves create patterns of
ripples; similarly, as the wind passes over sand, it creates patterns of dunes.

4. Bubbles, foam

Foam of soap bubbles

Foams obey Plateau's laws, which require films to be smooth and continuous, and to have a
constant average curvature. Foam and bubble patterns occur widely in nature, for example
in radiolarians, sponge spicules, and the skeletons of silicoflagellates and sea urchins.

5. Cracks

Shrinkage Cracks

Cracks form in materials to relieve stress: with 120 degree joints in elastic materials, but at 90
degrees in inelastic materials. Thus the pattern of cracks indicates whether the material is elastic
or not. Cracking patterns are widespread in nature, for example in rocks, mud, tree bark and the
glazes of old paintings and ceramics.

6. Spots, stripes

Giant pufferfish skin

Main article: Pattern formation

Alan Turing, and later the mathematical biologist James D. Murray and other scientists,
described a mechanism that spontaneously creates spotted or striped patterns, for example in
the skin of mammals or the plumage of birds: a reaction–diffusion system involving two counter-

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acting chemical mechanisms, one that activates and one that inhibits a development, such as of
dark pigment in the skin. These spatiotemporal patterns slowly drift, the animals' appearance
changing imperceptibly as Turing predicted.

B. Art and architecture

Elaborate ceramic tiles at Topkapi Palace

Further information: Mathematics and art and Mathematics and architecture

Tilings
Further information: Tessellation and Tile

In visual art, pattern consists in regularity which in some way "organizes surfaces or structures in
a consistent, regular manner." At its simplest, a pattern in art may be a geometric or other
repeating shape in a painting, drawing, tapestry, ceramic tiling or carpet, but a pattern need not
necessarily repeat exactly as long as it provides some form or organizing "skeleton" in the
artwork. In mathematics, a tessellation is the tiling of a plane using one or more geometric
shapes (which mathematicians call tiles), with no overlaps and no gaps.

In architecture

Patterns in architecture: the Virupaksha temple at Hampi has a fractal-like structure where the parts
resemble the whole.

Main articles: Pattern (architecture) and Mathematics and architecture

In architecture, motifs are repeated in various ways to form patterns. Most simply, structures
such as windows can be repeated horizontally and vertically (see leading picture). Architects can
use and repeat decorative and structural elements such as columns, pediments,

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and lintels. Repetitions need not be identical; for example, temples in South India have a roughly
pyramidal form, where elements of the pattern repeat in a fractal-like way at different sizes.

C. Science and mathematics

Fractal model of a fern illustrating self-similarity

Mathematics is sometimes called the "Science of Pattern", in the sense of rules that can be
applied wherever needed. For example, any sequence of numbers that may be modeled by a
mathematical function can be considered a pattern. Mathematics can be taught as a collection of
patterns.

Fractals
Some mathematical rule-patterns can be visualised, and among these are those that
explain patterns in nature including the mathematics of symmetry, waves, meanders, and
fractals. Fractals are mathematical patterns that are scale invariant. This means that the shape of
the pattern does not depend on how closely you look at it. Self-similarity is found in fractals.
Examples of natural fractals are coast lines and tree shapes, which repeat their shape regardless
of what magnification you view at. While self-similar patterns can appear indefinitely complex, the
rules needed to describe or produce their formation can be simple (e.g. Lindenmayer
systems describing tree shapes).
In pattern theory, devised by Ulf Grenander, mathematicians attempt to describe the world in
terms of patterns. The goal is to lay out the world in a more computationally friendly manner. [28]
In the broadest sense, any regularity that can be explained by a scientific theory is a pattern. As
in mathematics, science can be taught as a set of patterns.

D. Computer science
In computer science, a software design pattern, in the sense of a template, is a general solution
to a problem in programming. A design pattern provides a reusable architectural outline that may
speed the development of many computer programs.

E. Fashion
Main article: Pattern (sewing)

In fashion, the pattern is a template, a technical two-dimensional tool used to create any number
of identical garments. It can be considered as a means of translating from the drawing to the real
garment.

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Number Sequence

Arithmetic Sequence

A sequence is group of numbers that follow a pattern based on a specific rule. An

arithmetic sequence involves a sequence of numbers to which the same amount
has been added or subtracted. The amount that is added or subtracted is known as
the common difference. For example, in the sequence “1, 4, 7, 10, 13…” each
number has been added to 3 in order to derive the succeeding number. The
common difference for this sequence is 3.

Geometric Sequence

A geometric sequence is a list of numbers that are multiplied (or divided) by the
same amount. The amount by which the numbers are multiplied is known as the
common ratio. For example, in the sequence “2, 4, 8, 16, 32...” each number is
multiplied by 2. The number 2 is the common ratio for this geometric sequence.

Triangular Numbers

The numbers in a sequence are referred to as terms. The terms of a triangular

sequence are related to the number of dots needed to create a triangle. You would
begin forming a triangle with three dots; one on top and two on bottom. The next
row would have three dots, making a total of six dots. The next row in the triangle
would have four dots, making a total of 10 dots. The following row would have five
dots, for a total of 15 dots. Therefore, a triangular sequence begins: “1, 3, 6, 10,
15…”)

Square Numbers

In a square number sequence, the terms are the squares of their position in the
sequence. A square sequence would begin with “1, 4, 9, 16, 25…”

Cube Numbers

In a cube number sequence, the terms are the cubes of their position in the
sequence. Therefore, a cube sequence starts with “1, 8, 27, 64, 125…”

Additional reference….
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7An1mcFHBU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o68FAFj04Vg

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APPLICATIONS:
A. Figure Pattern

1. What is the next figure in the pattern below?

2. Symmetry
From the Figure below, Compute for the angle of rotation using
the formula;

Angle of Rotation= 360°

n

Angle of Rotation= 360/6

= 60°

3. Packing Problems

Suppose you have circles of radius 1cm, each of which will then have an
area of . We are then going to fill a plane with these circle using
square packing and hexagonal packaging.

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 Note: Each Square will have an area of 4 cm^2 and that
each square can fit one cirle (4 quartes). The percentage of
the square’s area covered by circle will be;

Area of the circle x 100% = x 100% ≈ 78.54%

Area of the square 4cm2

For hexagonal packing, we think of each hexagon as composed of six

equilateral triangles with side equal to 2cm.

The area of each triangle is given by;

A= side . √3 = (2cm)2 . √3 = 4cm2 . √3 = √3 cm2

4 4 4

Area of Hexagon = 6√3 cm2

Therefore,

Area of circles x 100% = 3 cm2 x 100% ≈ 90.69%

Area of hexagon 6√3 cm2

B. Number Sequence or pattern

1. Arithmetic Sequence

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Example:

What is next in the given patterns?

1. 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96,_____ a. 180 b. 192

2. 41, 39, 37, 35, 33, _____ a. 31 b. 30
3. 1, 10, 100, 1000, ______ a. 10000 b. 100000

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2. Geometric Sequence

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 Example:

3. World Population

The exponential growth model A=30 describes the

population of a city in the Philippines in thousands, years after 1995.

a. What was the population (x10,000) of the city in 1995?

b. What will be the population in 2017?

1.2. FIBONACCI SEQUENCE

Solution:

a. Since exponenyial growth model describes the population t in years after a995, we
consider 1995 as t=0 and then solve for A, our population size.

A= 30
A=30
b. We need to find replace with2017. To find
A for the year
A=30 = 1
which we then plug in our exponential growth model.
A=30 therefore the Population in 1995 was 30,000
A= A= 30 Note: is a Euler’s Constant with
A= 30 Replace t with t=22 an approximate value of 2.718

A= 30 = 1.55271
A=30(1.55271)
A=46.5813 Therefore, the city population would be about 46,581 in 2017

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EXERCISE SET 1.1.

Instructions:

Use short bond paper as your answer sheet. Don’t forget to write your
complete name on the upper left side of the paper, course year and
section just below your name, and subject title (For this class, write Math
in the modern world) at the upper right side of the paper.

Hand written output is highly encouraged. So, please write legibly. The
accomplished exercise set will be sent through email in any the following
format, jpg or jpeg, pdf files. If you don’t have scanner at home, you can take
pictures of your output using your cellphones and attach the said document
in your email and send it to my email address.

For other important announcements will be posted in our GROUP WALL or

in our Group Chat room.

My email address is: dasalla.richardson1979@gmail.com

For this exercise set, determine what comes next in the given patterns.

1. A, C, E, G, I, _____

2. 15, 10, 14, 10, 13, 10, _______

3. 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, _______

4. 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, _______

5. 41, 39, 37, 35, 33, _______

Subtitute the given values in the formula A= to find the missing quantity.

6. Given: =680,000; =12% per year; =8 years; solve for A.

7. Given: A=1,240,000; =8% per year; = 30 years; solve for .

8. Given: A=786,000; =247,000; =17 years; solve for .

9. Given: A=731,093; =525,600; =3% per year; solve for .

10. Suppose the population of a bacteria in a laboratory sample is 100. If it

doubles in population every 6 hours, what is the growth rate? How many
bacteria will there be in two days?

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References:

Books:
1. Mathematics in the modern world, Philippine Edition by Aufmann,R. et.al.
2.

Websites:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pattern
2. https://www.livescience.com/38936-
mathematics.html#:~:text=Mathematics%20is%20the%20science%20that,%
2C%20engineering%2C%20and%20even%20sports.
3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o68FAFj04Vg
4. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o68FAFj04Vg

Prepared By:

Engr. Richardson M. Dasalla

September, 2020

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