NATURE OF

MATHEMATIC
S
MATHEMATICS
IN OUR WORLD
Patterns
Sequence & Series
PATTERN
PATTERN
 PATTERN
Pattern is defined as regular,
repeated, recurring forms/ designs.

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.
Studying patterns help
people to: NATURAL PATTERNS
• identify relationships symmetries waves
• find logical connections to
form generalization
trees tessellations
spirals foams meanders
• make predictions cracks stripes
SYMMETRY
In everyday language refers to a
sense of harmonious and beautiful
proportion and balance.

In mathematics, "symmetry" has a

more precise definition, and is
usually used to refer to an object that
is invariant under
some transformations;
including translation, reflection,
rotation or scaling.
TREE
The branching pattern of trees was
described in the Italian Renaissance
by Leonardo da Vinci.

When a parent branch splits into two

or more child branches, the surface
areas of the child branches add up to
that of the parent branch.
TREE
All the branches of a tree at every
stage of its height when put together
are equal in thickness to the trunk
below them.

One explanation is that this allows

trees to better withstand high winds.
Simulations of biomechanical models
agree with the rule.
SPIRAL
In mathematics, a spiral is a curve
which emanates from a point,
moving farther away as it revolves
around the point.
MEANDER
A meander is one of a series of
regular sinuous curves, bends, loops,
turns, or windings in the channel of a
river, stream, or other watercourse.

It is produced by a stream or river

swinging from side to side as it flows
across its floodplain or shifts its
channel within a valley.
WAVE
Waves are disturbances that carry
energy as they move.

Wind waves are sea surface waves

that create the characteristic chaotic
pattern of any large body of water,
though their statistical behavior can
be predicted with wind wave models.
WAVE
As waves in water or wind pass over
sand, they create patterns of ripples.

When winds blow over large bodies

of sand, they create dunes,
sometimes in extensive dune fields
as in the Taklamakan desert. Dunes
may form a range of patterns
including crescents, very long
straight lines, stars, domes,
parabolas, etc.
FOAM
A soap bubble forms a sphere,
a surface with minimal area — the
smallest possible surface area for the
volume enclosed.

Two bubbles together form a more

complex shape: the outer surfaces of
both bubbles are spherical; these
surfaces are joined by a third spherical
surface as the smaller bubble bulges
slightly into the larger one.
TESSELLATION
A tiling or tessellation of a flat
surface is the covering of
a plane using one or more geometric
shapes, called tiles, with no overlaps
and no gaps.

In mathematics, tessellations can be

generalized to higher dimensions and
a variety of geometries.
FRACTURE/CRACK
Fracture is the separation of an
object or material into two or more
pieces under the action of stress.

The fracture of a solid usually occurs

due to the development of certain
displacement discontinuity surfaces
within the solid.
FRACTURE/CRACK
If a displacement develops
perpendicular to the surface of
displacement, it is called a normal
tensile crack or simply a crack; if a
displacement develops tangentially to
the surface of displacement, it is
called a shear crack, slip band,
or dislocation.
STRIPES/SPOTS
Leopards and ladybirds are
spotted; angelfish and zebras are
striped.

These patterns have

an evolutionary explanation: they
have functions which increase the
chances that the offspring of the
patterned animal will survive to
reproduce.
STRIPES/SPOTS
One function of animal patterns
is camouflage; for instance,
a leopard that is harder to see catches
more prey.

Another function is signaling — for

instance, a ladybird is less likely to be
attacked by predatory birds that hunt by
sight, if it has bold warning colors, and
is also distastefully bitter or poisonous,
or mimics other distasteful insects. 
Mathematics is a useful way to think about
nature and our world.
In most psychological assessments, the
proper distinction of a pattern is being
tested to ensure the way a person thinks. PATTERN
This capability of recognizing patterns
was depicted by mice in a certain
RECOGNITION
experiment.
In the said experiment, the mice were
given punishment whenever they sit above

PATTERN
a platform placed inside their cage, as an
observation, these mice stopped going
above the platform.

Moreover, the expectation for human to RECOGNITION

recognize pattern is higher than animals.
An example of patterns that human must
understand is shown.
Which of the figures can be used to continue the series given below?

a. c.

b. d.
?
Answer: b
 a. c.

b. d.
Answer: b
If we assign numbers to the tiles, the upper odd tiles always
contains 6 dots while the upper even tiles is decreasing.

The lower odd tiles are increasing while the lower even tiles
always contains 4 dots.
a. b. c. d. e.

All triangles “move” slightly counter-clockwise

Answer: e and outside.
 a. b. c. d. e.

The next frame after each step portrays a mirror image of the
previous frame. In addition, every two steps a shape is added to the
Answer: c frame. Answer choice ‘c’ is a mirrored version of frame 5 and is
therefore the correct answer.
 a. b. c. d. e.
The sketch is built stage by stage and in each step an additional line
is added. This guideline eliminates answer choices a, b and d.
Answer: c Notice also that the new line never touches the last line added,
which eliminates answer choice e.
 a. b. c. d. e.
1) Each step, 45 degrees of the black circle is painted in
white, counter clockwise.
Answer: d 2) Each step, a line drawn from the centre of the circle to
the edge of the frame turns 45 degrees
clockwise.
 Activity

Look for a problem in an abstract reasoning test.

Upload a picture of the problem in teams Provide the
answer and the pattern/reasoning behind the answer. (an
assignment in teams will be created for the submission of
the pictures and explanations).

Prepare to explain your work in the class next meeting.

• FIBONACCI Sequence
The Fibonacci numbers (discovered by Leonardo of Pisa), commonly denoted an, form a sequence,
called the Fibonacci sequence, such that each number is the sum of the two preceding ones, starting
from 0 and 1. That is,
𝑎1=0 𝑎 2=1 𝑎 𝑛= 𝑎𝑛 −1+ 𝑎𝑛 −2 for n > 1.

F = { 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55 }

GOLDEN Ratio

First called as the Divine Proportion in the early 1500s in Leonardo da Vinci’s work which was
explored by Luca Pacioli (Italian Mathematician) entitled “De Devina Proportione” in 1509.

In Mathematics, two quantities are in the Golden Ratio if their ratio is the same of their sum to the larger
of the two quantities.
 Golden Rectangle/Golden Spiral

The Golden Ratio is the relationship between 1 13

=1.0000 =1.6250
numbers on the Fibonacci sequence where plotting 1 8
the relationships on scales results in spiral shape. In 2 21
simple terms, golden ratio is expressed as an =2.0000 =1.6154
1 13
equation, where is larger than () divided by is equal
3 34
to divided by which is equal to 1.618033987… and =1.5000 =1.6190
2 21
represented by a Greek character (Phi) ϕ or .
5 55
=1.6667 =1.6177
3 34
8 89
𝑎 𝑏 5
=1.6000
55
=1.6182
𝑎+𝑏 𝑎
𝑎 𝑏 ¿ 1.618034 ¿ φ
¿

𝑎+ 𝑏
{1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89}
THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR
LISTENING!
… what is physical is subject to the laws of
mathematics, and what is spiritual to the laws of
God, and the laws of mathematics are but the
expression of the thoughts of God.

- Thomas Hill