Nature of Mathematics

Robert Kim M. Cabeza

August 21, 2021

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

Definition
Patterns are regular, repeated, or occuring forms or designs.

Example
layout of floor tiles
designs of buildings
the way we tie our shoelaces

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

Let’s take a look the pattern below. What do you think will be the next
face in the sequence?

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

What number comes next in

1 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, ___?
2 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, ___?

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

Definition
Symmetry indicates that you can draw an imaginary line across an
object and the resulting parts are mirror images of each other.

Example
butterfly
Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man
starfish

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

The butterfly is symmetric about the axis indicated by the broken line.
Note that the left and right portions are exactly the same. This type of
symmetry is called bilateral symmetry.

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man shows the proportion and

symmetry of the human body.

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

There are other types of symmetry depending on the number of sides

or faces that are symmetrical.

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

Note that if you rotate the starfish by 72◦ , 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 symmetry is by
order of rotation.

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

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

1
symmetry) if of a complete turn leaves the figure unchanged. To
𝑛
compute for the angle of rotation, we use the formula
360◦
Angle of rotation =
𝑛

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

The pattern on the snowflake repeat six times, indicating that there is a
6 -fold symmetry. Using the formula, the angle of rotation is 60◦ .

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

Population Growth
Mathematics used to model population growth with the formula

𝐴 = 𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑡

where 𝐴 is the size of the population after it grows. 𝑃 is the innitial

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.

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

Example
The exponential growth model 𝐴 = 30𝑒 0.02𝑡 describes the population of
a city in the Philipines in thosands, 𝑡 years after 1995.
1 What was the population of the city in 1995?
2 What will be the population in 2017?

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

Solution (1)
Since our exponential growth model describes the population 𝑡 years
after 1995, we consider 1995 as 𝑡 = 0 and then solve for 𝐴, our
population size.

𝐴 = 30𝑒 0.02𝑡
= 30𝑒 (0.02) (0)
= 30𝑒 0
= 30(1)
= 30

Therefore, the city population in 1995 was 30,000.

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Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

Solution (2)
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 = 30𝑒 0.02𝑡
= 30𝑒 (0.02) (22)
= 30𝑒 0.44
= 30(1.55271)
= 46.5813

Therefore, the city population would be about 46,581 in 2017.

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Fibonacci Sequence

Definition
A sequence is an ordered list of numbers, called terms, that may have
repeated values. The arrangement of these terms is a set by a definite
rule.

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Fibonacci Sequence

Example
Analyze the given sequence for its rule and identify the next three
terms.
1 1, 10, 100, 1000
2 2, 5, 9, 14, 20
3 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8

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Fibonacci Sequence

The sequence in item 3 is a special sequence called Fibonacci

sequence. It is named after the Italian mathematician Leonardo of
Pisa, who was better known by his nickname Fibonacci.

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Fibonacci Sequence

Fibonacci Sequence is given by

𝐹𝑛 = 𝐹𝑛−1 + 𝐹𝑛−2

where:
𝐹𝑛 , Fibonacci number
𝐹𝑛−1 , the previous term
𝐹𝑛−2 , the term before 𝐹𝑛−1

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Fibonacci Sequence

Starting with 0 and 1, the succeding terms in the sequence can be

generated by adding the two numbers that came before the term:

0 + 1 = 1 → 0, 1, 1
1 + 1 = 2 → 0, 1, 1, 2
1 + 2 = 3 → 0, 1, 1, 2, 3
2 + 3 = 5 → 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5
3 + 5 = 8 → 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8
. . . . . . . . . → 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, . . .

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Fibonacci Sequence

To find the 𝑛th Fibonacci number without using the recursion formula,
the following is evaluated using a calculator:
√ !𝑛 √ !𝑛
1+ 5 1− 5
−
2 2
𝐹𝑛 = √ .
5

This form is known as the Binet form of the 𝑛th Fibonacci number.

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Fibonacci Sequence

Example
Find the following terms of Fibonacci Sequence.
1 35th term
2 40th term
3 47 term

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Fibonacci Sequence
It is often said that math contains the answer to most of the Universe’s
Question.

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Fibonacci Sequence
It is often said that math contains the answer to most of the Universe’s
Question. Math manifests itself everywhere. One such example is the
Golden Ratio.

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Fibonacci Sequence
It is often said that math contains the answer to most of the Universe’s
Question. Math manifests itself everywhere. One such example is the
Golden Ratio.

Two quantities are in golden ratio if their ratio is the same as the ratio
of their sum to the larger of the two quantities.

In symbols, 𝑎 and 𝑏, where 𝑎 > 𝑏 > 0, are in a golden ratio if

𝑎 𝑎+𝑏
= .
𝑏 𝑎

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Fibonacci Sequence

The golden ratio is often symbolized by the Greek letter

√ 𝜙. It is the
1+ 5
number 𝜙 = 0.16803... and the irrational number .
2

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Fibonacci Sequence

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Mathematics for our World

Application of math in solving societal problem.

1 Mathematics for organization
2 Mathematics for prediction
3 Mathematics for control

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