PATTERNS AND

NUMBERS IN NATURE
AND THE WORLD

Mathematics in the
Modern World
Symmetry
Symmetry indicates that you can draw an imaginary
line across an object and the resulting parts are
mirror images of each other.
Example
s: ▪ Butterfly
▪ Leonardo da Vinci’s Virtuvian
Man
▪ Starfish
2
Symmetry
The butterfly is
symmetric about the axis
indicated by the line.
Note that the left and
right portions are exactly
the same. This type of
symmetry is called 3
Symmetry

Leonardo da Vinci’s
Vitruvian Man shows the
proportion and
symmetry of the human
body.
4
 Symmetry
▪ There are other types of symmetry depending on
the number of sides or faces that are
symmetrical.
▪ Note that if you rotate the starfish you can still
achieve the same appearance as the original
position. This is known as the rotational
symmetry.
▪ The smallest measure of angle that a figure can
be rotated while still preserving the original
position is called the angle of rotation.
▪ A more common way of describing rotational 5
symmetry is by order of rotation.
Order of Rotation

A figure has a rotational symmetry of order n (n- fold

rotational symmetry) if of a complete turn leaves the figure
unchanged.

To compute for the angle of rotation, we use the

following formula;

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𝐴𝑛𝑔𝑙𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 =
n 6
 Angle of Rotation

▪ Example:
The pattern on
the repeatsix
snowflak that
indicating times,
there is a 6-
e
fold symmetry. Using the
formula, the angle of rotation
is 60◦ . 7
 HONEYCOMB
▪ Why bees used hexagon in
making honeycomb and not
any other polygons?

Packing Problem
▪ It involves finding the optimum
method of filling up a given space
such as a cubic or spherical
container. 8
Tiger’s Stripes and Hyena’s
Spot
▪ Patterns exhibited in the external
appearances of animals. The tiger looks
and hyena’s spot, these seemingly
random designs are believed to be
governed by mathematical equation.
▪ According to the theory of Allan Turing
the chemical factors in the cell
determine growth and
patterns,
influence factors like hair color. There
are two chemical process: reaction and
diffusion. 9
The Sunflower

▪ Looking at a sunflower,
there
is a definite pattern of
clockwise and
counterclockwise of
arc spirals outwar
extending
from the d
center flower. of
the 10
The Snail’s Shell

▪ As the snails grow,

shells also their
expand also
expand proportionally. This
process results in a refined
spiral structure, it is called
as equiangular spiral.

11
Flower Petals

▪ Flowers are easily

considered as things of
beauty.
▪ Flowers with five petals are
said to be the most
common.
▪ Number of petals are
12
all
Population Growth

Mathematics used to model population

growth with the formula
𝑨 = 𝑷𝒆 𝒓𝒕
where A is the size of the population after it
grows, P is the initial number of people, r is
the rate of growth, t is time and e is the
Euler’s constant with an approximately
value of 2.718. 13
Example

▪ The exponential growth 𝐴 = 30𝑒0.02𝑡

model
describes the population of a city in the
Philippines in
thousands, t years after 1995.
a. What was the population of the city in 1995?
b. What will be the population in 2017?

14
Solution (a)

▪ Since our exponential growth model describes the

population t years after 1995, we consider 1995 as t = 0.
𝐴 = 30𝑒0.02𝑡

𝐴 = 30𝑒0.02(0)
𝐴 = 30𝑒0
𝐴 = 30(1)
𝐴 = Therefore, the city
1995 was 30, 1
5
Solution (b)
▪ We need to find A for the year 2017. To find t, we subtract
2017 and 1995 to get t = 22, which we then plug in to our
exponential growth model.
𝐴 = 30𝑒0.02𝑡

𝐴 = 30𝑒0.02(22)
𝐴 = 30𝑒0.44
𝐴 = 30(1.55271)
𝐴 = 46.5813 Therefore, the city
would be about 46, 581 in 16
THE FIBONACCI
SEQUENCE
 Leonardo of Pisa - Fibonacci

▪ Fibonacci is the greatest

European mathematician of
the middle ages.
▪ Born in 1170 and died in 1240
▪ He introduced the Arabic
number system in Europe

18
Origin of Fibonacci Sequence

▪ Fibonacci Sequence
was discovered after
an investigation on
the reproduction of
rabbits.
1
9
 Growing Population of Rabbits

▪ Problem: Suppose a newly-

born pair of rabbits (one
male, one female) are put in
a filed. 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
2
rabbits. 0
Fibonacci
Sequence
▪ Fibonacci sequence is an integer in the
infinite sequence 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, … of
which the first two terms are 1 and 1 and
each succeeding term is the sum of the
two immediately preceding.
▪ Simple rule: add the last two to get the
next.
21
How many pairs will there be
in
one year?

▪ 1, 2, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21,
34, 55, 89, 144,…
▪ So 144 pairs will be
there at the end of
one year. 22
Fibonacci Sequence in Nature

Fibonacci Spirals in Sunflowers 23

Fibonacci Sequence in Nature

Pine cones clearly show the Fibonacci Spiral 24

Fibonacci Sequence in Nature

The number of petals on a flower are often Fibonacci numbers. 2

5
Fibonacci Sequence in Nature

The number of petals on a flower are often Fibonacci numbers. 2

6
Fibonacci Sequence in Nature

The number of petals on a flower are often Fibonacci numbers. 2

7
Fibonacci Sequence in Nature

2
8
Fibonacci Sequence in Nature

Can plants do
MATH?
No, but their
growth is based
on this
sequence.
2
9
The Golden Ratio

• The golden ration often

denoted
is by the Greek letter
𝜑 𝑃ℎ𝑖 .
• This is approximately equal to
1.618.
3
0
The Golden Ratio

▪ The golden ratio can

be expressed as the
ratio between two
numbers.
𝑎 𝑎 +𝑏
=
𝑏 𝑎 31
The Golden Ratio in
Nature

Parthenon

Mona Lisa Notre Dame Cathedral 32

“

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