Week 1: Mathematics in Our World

Overview:
Mathematics reveals hidden patterns that help us understand the world around us. Now much
more than arithmetic and geometry, mathematics today is a diverse discipline that deals with
data, measurements, and observations from science: with inference, deduction, and proof; and
with mathematical models of natural phenomena, of human behavior, and of social systems.
As a practical matter, mathematics is a science of pattern and order. Its domain is not
molecules or cells, but numbers, chance, form, algorithms, and change. As a science of abstract
objects, mathematics relies on logic rather than on observation as its standard of truth, yet
employs observation, simulation, and even experimentation as means of discovering truth.

Source: https://services.math.duke.edu/

Module Objectives:
After successful completion of this module, you should be able to:
* Learning objective 1: Identify patterns in nature and regularities in the world
* Learning objective 2: Articulate the importance of mathematics in one’s life
* Learning objective 3: Argue about the nature of mathematics, what it is, how it is
expressed, represented, and used
* Learning objective 4: Express appreciation for mathematics as a human endeavor

Course Materials:
These are materials that will be provided for students to facilitate and/or demonstrate the learning.
These can include be reading materials, videos, samples or examples, case studies, simulations,
etc. These materials are added to the course in the order that the course specialist wants students
to use them. Brief guidance, as needed, should be provided.

Watch: Synchronous Session

Vila, C. (2010, March 12). Nature by numbers. [Video file]. YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkGeOWYOFoA
 Nature’s Number: The Unreal of Mathematics by Stewart, I. (1995). New York,
NY: Basic Boks

INTRODUCTION
Today’s lesson focuses on the beauty The topic that will be discussed for this week provides an
of mathematics and how it shapes the overview of the growing body of evidence that mathematics
world around us. To start with, watch is embedded in nature and in our environment. The
Cristobal Vila’s video clip, “Nature in following shall be the flow of the discussion:
Numbers”, at http://vimeo.com/9953368.
In this video clip, basic patterns and What is Mathematics?
regular features of nature are highlighted Where is Mathematics?
and illustrated in mathematical terms. It What is Mathematics for?
can also be an effective way of What is Mathematics all about?
introducing patterns and numbers in How is Mathematics done?
nature. Who uses Mathematics??
Why is Mathematics important to know / learn?
One of the things about Mathematics that
we love the most as shown in the video
clip is its ability to reveal hidden beautiful What is Mathematics?
patterns in our everyday life, the nature
Mathematics, developed by human mind and culture, is a
around us. These patterns can be
sequential, spatial, temporal, and even formal system of thought for recognizing, classifying, and
linguistic. There are connections exploiting patterns. (Ian Stewart)
between things that don’t seem
Mathematics is perceived as a study of numbers, symbols,
connected, but can be observed with the
intellect of math. We can therefore say and equations, an art of geometric shapes and patterns, a
that mathematics is the science of universal language, a tool in decision-making and problem
patterns. solving, and a way of life to be exact and precise.

So how do these patterns develop? What

sorts of rules and guidelines, shape the
patterns in the world around us?
 Where is Mathematics?
Mathematics is in every people’s daily task or activity. It
is in nature, arts, music, medicine, and in other
disciplines. It is in our communities. Mathematics is
everywhere. Moreover, there is always a substantial
interconnection and relationship between mathematics,
the world, and the universe.

Mathematics reveals hidden patterns that help us

understand the world around us. Now much more than
arithmetic and geometry, mathematics today is a diverse
discipline that deals with data, measurements, and
observations from science; with inference, deduction,
and proof; and with mathematical models of natural
phenomena, of human behavior, and of social systems.

Here are examples of some of these patterns and you

may be able to spot a few the next time you go for a
walk.

There is an organized pattern to explain

such phenomena and this is through
mathematics. It explains not only the
regularities but also the irregularities and
complexities in our world. It simplifies
complex things by organizing patterns. It
shows that there is a line that connects
everyone to one another and to nature.

Indeed, mathematics is a study of patterns,

an art, a language, a set of problem-solving
tools, and a process of thinking. (Nocon and
Nocon).
How is Mathematics
done?
Mathematics is done with curiosity, with a penchant
for seeking patterns and generalities, with a desire to
know the truth, with trial and error, and without fear
of facing more questions and problems to solve.
(Vistru-Yu).

Who uses Mathematics?

Mathematicians (pure and applied), scientists
(natural and social), and practically, everyone uses
different mathematics at different times, for different
purposes, using different tools, with different
attitudes. (Vistru-Yu)
Why is Mathematics important to know or learn?

Mathematics puts order in disorder.

It helps us become better persons
and helps make the world a better
place to live in. (Vistru-Yu).

If you are looking for more

information about
the mathematics behind patterns,
here’s a list of patterns you see in
nature around you.

Nest built by bees

It is made by beeswax and is
composed of cells in the shape of
hexagon, sometimes pentagon or
heptagon. The mathematician,
Thomas Hales proved the
honeycomb conjecture in 1999.
Mathematicians tried to prove this
conjecture for centuries.

Tiger stripes
The stripes on a tiger are, in Flower’s petals Hyena’s spots
general, evenly spaced and The number of petals of a The spots on hyenas are
perpendicular to the spine. The flower is observed to follow shaped and distributed in a
stripes help in camouflage. They the following pattern: pattern that helps also with
allow the tiger to blend with its 3, 5, 8, 13, … camouflage.
environment. which are numbers found in
Fibonacci sequence. Snail’s shell
Weather patterns The snail’s shell has the
Weather is observed to repeat a Human populations shape of spiral. The radius of
pattern for days, weeks, or months The demographic distribution the shell increases in length
after which a new weather sets in. of people in human as the mollusk grows inside
This sequence of weather patterns populations is observed to the shell.
produces a cycle, such as, dry follow a pattern. Poor nations
monsoon seasons, summer– display a pyramid shaped Snowflakes
autumn–winter-spring seasons, demography with the young A feathery snow crystal which
habagat-amihan wind patterns etc. occupying a prominently nucleated from dust particles
large section of the suspended in the atmosphere.
population. But as a nation Molecules in ice crystals join
Sunflower
progresses economically, the to form hexagonal structure
A sunflower displays many
base thins out in favor of the which is then repeated as the
patterns. The most prominent
older segments of the crystal accumulates more
among them are intersecting
population. crystals and grow in size.
families of spirals.
Review: Mathematics in the modern world by Aufmann, R.N. et.al. (2018) Chapter 1 pp.
1 – 22

Essential mathematics for the modern world by Nocon, R. & Nocon, E. (2018)
Chapter I pp. 1 – 38 and Chapter VI pp. 371 – 450

Mathematics in the modern world by Sirug, W. (2018)

Chapter 1 pp. 1 – 21

References
1. Aufmann, R.N. et.al. (2018). Mathematics in the modern world. Manila: Rex
Bookstore, Inc.
2. Almazan, E. et.al. (2018). Mathematics in the modern world. Malabon City :
Jimczyville Publications
3. Aufmann, R.N. et.al. (2013). Mathematical excursions, 14th edition.CA :Brooks /Cole,
Cengage Learning.
4. *Barton, B. (2008). The language of mathematics: telling mathematical tales. New
York, NY: Springer.
5. *Borden, L.L. (2011). The verification of mathematics: using grammatical structures
of the Mi’kmaq to support student learning. For the Learning of Mathematics,
31(3),pp. 8 – 13.
6. *Cuevas, G.T. (1984). Mathematics learning in english as a second language. Journal
for research in Mathematics Education, 15(2),pp. 133 – 144.
7. Lawsky, E. et.al. (2014). CK – 12 Probability and statistics – advanced (second edition).
Flexbook.
8. Nocon, R. & Nocon, E. (2018). Essential mathematics for the modern world. Quezon
City :C & E Publishing, Inc.
9. Quintos, R.J. et. al. (2019). Mathematics in the modern world. Bulacan: St. Andrew
Publishing House.
10. Reyes, J.A. (2018). Mathematics in the modern world. Manila : Unlimited Books
Library Services and Publishing, Inc.
11. *Stewart, I. (1995). Nature’s numbers. New York, NY: Basic Boks
12. *Zepp, R.A. (1981). Relationships between mathematics achievement and various
English language proficiencies. Educational Studies in Mathematics, 12(1),pp. 59-70.

*These references were recommended during the GEC Training but there are no new editions
available.