Mathematics in Our World

Prepared by:
Mark Ronel R. Ocbian, MAEd
Instructor 1
Learning Objectives
At the end of the lesson, students
are expected to:
 identifypatterns in nature and regulatory in
the world;
 classify the objects according to symmetry;
 Articulate the importance of mathematics in
one’s life;
relate the Fibonacci number and the
golden ratio in the occurrences in
nature; and
express appreciation for mathematics
as a human endeavor.
Types of Patterns in Nature

1. Symmetry. The American Heritage

Dictionary defines symmetry as an “exact
correspondence of form and constituent
configuration on opposite sides of a
dividing line or plane or about a center or
an axis”.
 In Mathematics, an object is said
to have a symmetry when it remains
unchanged after transformations
such as rotations and scaling are
applied into it. Symmetry has
different kinds and they will be
discussed in this section.
2. Fractals. Fractals are never-
ending patterns that are self-similar
across different scales. These
implies that zooming in the lens on
the digital image of the object
(Fractal) do not give new details, but
only the same as that of the original
image.
 The image just reappears over
and over again no matter how many
times the object is magnified.
Examples of fractals in nature
include geological fault lines,
mountain ranges, coastlines, animal
coloration patterns, pineapples, heart
rates, and the circulatory system.
3. Spirals. Spirals are curved patterns
made by series of circular shapes
revolving around a central point. Just like
fractals, the spiral patterns is very
common in nature – from the biological
molecules that make up organisms to the
body plans of certain plants and animals
to typhoons and galaxies.
 Some examples demonstrating
the spiral patterns in nature are seen
in shells of a snail, satellite images of
a typhoon, and horns of a ram.
Examples:
4. Chaos. Chaotic patterns (Chaos) are
simple patterns created from complicated
underlying behavior. In contrast to
popular definitions which relate it to
complete disorder, a chaotic pattern is
used to described a kind of order which
lacks predictability.
Symmetries of Our Surroundings

In our everyday language, we refer to

symmetry as a sense of harmonious and
beautiful balance and proportion. Like what is
said earlier, an object is said to have symmetry
when it remains unchanged after
transformations such as rotations and scaling
are applied into it. Nature is filled with patterns
especially different kinds of symmetries.
1. Reflection Symmetry. Also called
mirror symmetry or line symmetry,
reflection symmetry is made with a line
going through an object which divides it
into two pieces which are mirror images
of each other.
 Often, it is termed as bilateral
symmetry as it divides the object into
two (“bi” means two) mirror images.
2. Rotational Symmetry. Also called
radial symmetry in Biology, this kind of
symmetry is exhibited by objects when
their similar parts are regularly arranged
around a central axis and the pattern
looks the same after a certain amount of
rotation.
 Objects and organisms which
possess radial symmetry bear a
resemblance to a pie containing identical
pieces after being cut by several lines or
planes. These objects or organisms have
no left or right sides.
 Some sources, however, claim that
rotational, and radial symmetries are
different from each other since radial
symmetrical objects need not move
(rotate) to show their symmetries.
3. Translational Symmetry. This kind of
symmetry is exhibited by objects which
do not change its size and shape even if
it moved to another location. Note that
the movement does not involve with
reflection or rotation.
The Fibonacci Numbers

“If a single pair of rabbits will be

placed in a controlled area and is allowed
to live and multiply, how many pairs of
rabbits will be produced in a year
considering that in every month, each
pair bears a new pair which becomes
productive from the second month and so
on?”
 The above problem may seem to
have been a common or boring question
to most people but it had served as the
foundation of one of the most fascinating
discovery in mathematics for all of man’s
history – the Fibonacci Sequence.
The Fibonacci Sequence, named after
the mathematician who introduced it in
Europe, Leonardo Pisano Bigolio, is a
numerical series made up of Fibonacci
Numbers, i.e., they are found by adding
the two numbers preceding it.

 Beginning with zero (0), the first 10 Fibonacci
numbers in the Fibonacci sequence are 0, 1, 1, 2, 3,
5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233 … A
Note that: 0 + 1 = 1
1+1=2
1+2=3
2+3=5
3+5=8
5 + 8 = 13
 Leonardo suggested that at the end
of every month, the total number of pairs
of rabbits can be computed by adding the
number of new pairs added to the
population and the number of pairs alive
in the past month and that at the end of a
year, there will be 233 pairs of rabbits.
 So if Fibonacci Numbers are
derived from an unrealistic
population growth, what is interesting
it? The next sections will show that
the Fibonacci sequence is indeed,
one of Nature’s favorite mathematical
rules.
The Golden Ratio, Φ
 Now let’s go back to the Fibonacci
Numbers and try something magical.
Pick up one Fibonacci number from the
series and get its ratio to the number that
comes before it in the series an we’ll get
the following:
Fibonacci Numbers Operation Ratio

1 1/0 Undefined

1 1/1 1

2 2/1 2

3 3/2 1.5

5 5/3 1.667

8 8/5 1.6

13 13/8 1.625

21 21/13 1.615

34 34/21 1.619
Fibonacci Numbers Operation Ratio

55 55/34 1.617

89 89/55 1.618

144 144/89 1.618

233 233/144 1.618

 The strange thing about the ratio of the
Fibonacci numbers is that the ratios began
approaching the number 1.618 and then
repeat this ratio over and over again. As a
matter of fact, even if we try to get the ratio
of the numbers after 233, we will still arrive
to an answer with several decimal places
but can be rounded to the fixed limiting
value of roughly equal to 1.618034.

 This irrational number, 1.618034,
is called the Golden Ratio,
represented by the Greek letter Φ
(“Phi”).
 We have to take note that despite we
can derive the Golden Ratio from the
Fibonacci Sequence, it doesn’t necessarily
means that the Golden Ratio was discovered
from the series. In fact, the Golden Ratio has
been known to man since the time of the
ancient Greeks, hundreds of years before
Leonardo Fibonacci published his books.

The Golden Rectangle

In Geometry, a Golden
Rectangle is a rectangle
whose side lengths are in the
Golden Ratio.
The Golden Rectangle
The Golden Ratio, Fibonacci
Numbers and Nature
The Nautilus Shell
Spiral of a Sunflower
THANK YOU!

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