MATH 113

Mathematics in
Modern World

Prepared by:
Jerome B. Tandoc, LPT
The Nature of
Mathematics
“Mathematics is not about numbers,
equations, computation, or algorithms:
it is about UNDERSTANDING”
- William Paul Thurston
Introduction
Mathematics is a useful way to think about nature and our
world. The nature of Mathematics underscores the exploration of
patterns in nature and the environment. Mathematics exists everywhere
and it is applied in the most useful phenomenon. Even looking by just at
the ordinary part of the house, the room and the street, mathematics is
there. This is one subject thought as the sole objective language that
people in the modern world understand each other.
 The origin of Mathematics can be traced to the history and
significance of patterns and numbers. It deals with ideas with ideas
translated to objects and concepts created by humans. They are invented
to link the meaning of pattern which result experiences associated with
counting, sequences, and regularities.
 Mathematics is an integral part of the daily life; formal and
informal. It is used in technology, business, medicine, natural and data
sciences, machine learning and construction. It helps organize patterns
and regularities in the world, control nature and occurrences in our world
for our end. Mathematics has numerous applications in the world making
it indispensable.
 Mathematics is not just about numbers. Much of it is problem
solving and reasoning inductive and deductive. It also discusses intuition,
proof, and certainty. It utilizes Polya’s four steps in problem solving,
varied problem solving, strategies, mathematical problems involving
patterns and recreational problems using Mathematics.
Nature of Mathematics
According to the American Association for the Advancement of
Science (1990), Mathematics relies on both logic and creativity, and it is
pursued both for a variety of practical purposes and for its intrinsic
interest. For some people, not only professional mathematicians, the
essence of mathematics lies in its beauty and its intellectual challenge.
Nature of Mathematics
1. Patterns and Relationships
2. Mathematics, Science and Technology
3. Mathematical Inquiry
4. Abstraction and Symbolic Representation
5. Manipulating Mathematical Statements
6. Applications
Patterns in Nature and the Regularities in the World
Patterns and counting are correlative. Counting happens when there
is pattern. When there is counting, there is logic. Consequently, pattern in
nature goes with logic or logical set-up.

Number patterns – such as 2, 4, 6, 8 – are familiar to us since they

are among the patterns first learned in our younger years. As we advance, we
experienced number patterns again through the huge concept of functions in
Mathematics inside and outside school.
 Patterns can be sequential, spatial, temporal, and even linguistic.
The most basic pattern is sequence of the dates in the calendar, the 7 days in
a week, the 12 months in a year, and so on. All these phenomena create
repetition of names and events called regularity.
 In this world, a regularity (Collins, 2018), is the fact that the same
thigs always happens in the same circumstances. While patterns is a discipline
regularity in the world or in a manmade design. Patterns in nature are visible
regularities of form found in the natural world. These patterns recur in
different context and can sometimes be modelled mathematically.
A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes
and typically repeated like a wallpaper design. In Algebra, there are two
common categories of patterns, the repeating pattern and the growing
pattern.
Some Examples of Patterns in Nature

Meander

Spiral Wave
Some Examples of Patterns in Nature

Cracks
Foam

Stripes Fractal
Some Examples of Patterns in Nature

Affine Transformation
Fibonacci Sequence
and the Golden Ratio
Leonardo of Pisa – Fibonacci
➢ Born in 1170 and died in 1240
➢ Fibonacci is the greatest European
mathematician of middle ages
➢ He introduced the Arabic number in Europe
Origin of Fibonacci Sequence
➢ It was discovered after an investigation on
the reproduction of rabbits.
Growing Population
Problem: Suppose a newly-born pair of rabbit
(one male, one female) are put in a field.
Rabbits can mate at the age of one month so
that at the end of the end second month, a
female can produce another pair of rabbits.
Fibonacci Sequence
➢ It is an integer in the infinite sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5,
8, 13, … of which the first two terms are 1 and 1
each succeeding term is the sum of the two
immediately preceding.

Simple Rule: Add the last two numbers to get the next
term.
Let’s try this!
Find the indicated term in the Fibonacci
Sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, …
a. 7th term
b. 11th term
Fibonacci Sequence in Nature
Fibonacci Sequence in Nature
Fibonacci Sequence in Nature
The Golden Ratio
➢ It is often denoted by the Greek letter Phi (φ)
➢ This is approximately equal to 1.618
➢ It is expressed as the ratio between two
𝑎 𝑎+𝑏
numbers: =
𝑏 𝑎
The Golden Ratio in Nature
 Thank you!

Prepared by:
Jerome B. Tandoc, LPT