Republic of the Philippines

SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY

Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

GE MATH
MODULE 1 The Nature of Mathematics

Organized by:

JIMBO JUANITO B. VILLAMOR,

MA MARIA FE C. GUERRA,
MAEd FLORIA C. DIALDE,
MA RICKY T. OSORIO, MA
RHEA MAE C. BABAS,
MA GINA C. BOTOY, MA
EDILMAR P. MASUHAY,
MS
JONATHAN C. MACABODBOD,
EdD JULIUS G. CAADAN,
PhD ROSEMARIE C.
ARCAYA, PhD

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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
Module 1
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

1. Title: The Nature of Mathematics

2. Topic: The Nature of Mathematics

3. Time Frame: 8 hrs.

4. Introduction

Why Study Mathematics? Mathematics has become one of the

most powerful tools in understanding the world around us. How nature
including the flora and fauna behave and react can be explained in
simple terms if not up to its complexities.

Quite often, people confine mathematics to numbers and

arithmetic. Such partial and superficial understanding of the nature of
this body of knowledge has restrained a liberal culture of learning in
our educational system. This learning module on patterns in nature
can exhibit the potential of learners more about reasoning, making
logical inferences and generalizations, and seeing relationships in both
the visible and invisible patterns in the natural world.

5. Objectives

At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:

 Discuss the importance of mathematics in one’s life;
 Identify patterns in nature and regularities in the world;
 Explain the nature of mathematics, what it is, how it is
expressed, represented and used; and
 Solve basic problem solving in Fibonacci sequence and other
number patterns, including population growth; and
 Express appreciation for mathematics as a human endeavor.

6. Learning Activities

Activity 1: Think and

Share

Mathematics is all around us. As we discover more and more about our
environment and our surroundings we see that nature can be
described mathematically. The beauty of a flower, the majesty of a
tree and mountain, even the rocks upon which we walk can exhibit
nature’s sense of symmetry and patterns.

Below are pictures of some common entities in nature. Describe

orally the following pictures below according to how you perceived it.

A. B.
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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
Module 1
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

C. D.

Have you ever stopped to look around and notice all the amazing
shapes and patterns we see in the world around us? Mathematics
forms the building blocks of the natural world and can be seen in
stunning ways. Here are some other examples of math in nature, but
there are many other examples as well.

Activity 2: Video Watching

To mathematically explain patterns in the world, watch a video which

contains discussions on the following math concepts:

1. Fibonacci Sequence: [Link]

2. Golden Ratio: [Link]
3. Tesselations: [Link]

Guide Questions:

1. What math concept is fully discussed on each video?

2. What is about these concepts? Cite few more real-world cases or
examples that would show the concepts.
3. What are your insights about these mathematical truths or certainties?
4. What did Galileo mean when he said, “Mathematics is the alphabet
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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
Module 1
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

by which God has written the universe”? Do you agree on this

adage? Why?

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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
Module 1
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

Points to Ponder: Patterns and Numbers in Nature and the World

Ian Stewart, a British mathematician, once quoted that

“Mathematics is the science of patterns, and nature exploits just about
every pattern there is.” Philosophers and mathematicians have, for
long, dedicated themselves to the cause of explaining nature,
beginning from the very early ventures of ancient Greeks. After all,
mathematics is, in its very essence, a search for patterns of all kinds –
and what better place to find such irregularities than nature itself? A
closer look into nature leads to some very interesting implications
about the underlying beauty of our universe.

Consider the example of a crystal. A ‘perfect’ crystal is one that

is fully symmetrical, without any structural defects. Of course, perfect
crystals do not really exist; the physical world is rarely perfect.
Mathematics is an abstract language, and the laws of physics serve to
apply these abstractions to the real world. Assuming the object as
perfect helps our cause. So, it is just that identifying a crystal as a
symmetrical, uniform structure helps us in making approximations
about its aspects. Similarly, meanders or bends in rivers find
explanation in the branch of fluid dynamics pertaining to physics. On a
more cosmic scale, the characteristic spiral of galaxies that we are all
too familiar with is a result of the laws of gravitation and can be
modeled as such. Finding such patterns and abstractions facilitates our
understanding of the world around us.

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. Natural patterns include
symmetries, trees, spirals, meanders, waves, foams, tessellations,
cracks and stripes.

The following are the basic ideas about patterns in nature and the world:

1.1. Fibonacci Sequence

Named for the famous mathematician, Leonardo Fibonacci, this

number sequence is simple, yet profound pattern.

Often called ‘Nature’s Universal Rule’, the Fibonacci sequence is

perhaps one of the most famous mathematical sequences. The
origin of this sequence is much contested, although it is commonly
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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
Module 1
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

attributed to the Italian mathematician, Leonardo Fibonacci. In his

famous work ‘Liber Abaci’, he introduced a hypothetical problem
involving rabbits and employed the sequence to find the number of
rabbits after a certain period of time.

In this sequence, each number is the sum of the two numbers that
precede it. Take a look:
0….1….1….2….3….5….8….13….21….34

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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
Module 1
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

Illustration:
This sequence begins with the numbers 1 and 1 or 0 and 1, and
then each subsequent number is found by adding the two previous
numbers.

After 1 and 1, the next number is 2, that is, 1+1. The next number
is 3, taken from 1+2, and then 5, taken from 2+3 and so on.

Fibonacci sequence:
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, …

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, …

Fibonacci Sequence in Nature

The Fibonacci sequence can be observed in a stunning variety of
phenomena in nature.
Nautilus shells, one of the most iconic examples of the Fibonacci
sequence, follow the proportional increase of 1.61.
The total number of petals of a flower is often a number present in
the Fibonacci sequence, as with irises and lilies. Most pineapples
have either five, eight, thirteen or twenty-one spirals; these are also
Fibonacci numbers.

Something strange happens when the sequence approaches infinity.

The ratio between two consecutive numbers converges to
1.61803… : ‘phi’, or as you might call it, the ‘golden ratio’.

1.2. Golden Ratio

The "golden ratio" is a unique mathematical relationship. Two
numbers are in the golden ratio if the ratio of the sum of the
numbers (a + b) divided by the larger number (a) is equal to the
ratio of the larger number divided by the smaller number (a/b).

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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
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 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

The golden ratio is about 1.618, and represented by the Greek letter phi, Φ.

The ratios of sequential Fibonacci numbers (2/1, 3/2, 5/3, etc.)

approach the golden ratio. In fact, the higher the Fibonacci
numbers, the closer their relationship is to 1.618.

The golden ratio is sometimes called the "divine proportion,"

because of its frequency in the natural world. The number of petals
on a flower, for instance, will often be a Fibonacci number.

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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
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 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

The seeds of sunflowers and pine cones twist in

opposing spirals of Fibonacci numbers.

Even the sides of an unpeeled banana will

usually be a Fibonacci number—and the
number of ridges on a peeled banana will
usually be a larger Fibonacci number.

1.3. Tesselations

Tessellation (Tiling) is a shape that repeats to form a pattern.

Tessellation Definition
A tessellation is created when a shape is
repeated over and over again covering a
plane without any gaps or overlaps.

Another word for a tessellation is a tiling.

Tiling Definition
When you fit individual tiles together with no
gaps or overlaps to fill a flat space like a
ceiling, wall, or floor, you have a tiling.

What are Tessellations?

The word 'tessera' in latin means a small stone cube. They were
used to make up 'tessellata' - the mosaic pictures forming floors and
“tilings” in Roman buildings. The term has become more specialized
and is often used to refer to pictures or tiles, mostly in the form of
animals and other life forms, which cover the surface of a plane in a
symmetrical way without overlapping or leaving gaps.

Examples:

Rectangles Octagons and Squares Different Pentagons

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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
Module 1
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

Tessellations in Nature

Tessellations form a class of patterns found in nature. The arrays

of hexagonal cells in a honeycomb or the diamond-shaped scales
that pattern snake skin are natural examples of tessellation
patterns. Distinct shapes are formed from several geometric units
(tiles) that all fit together with no gaps or overlaps to form an
interesting and united pattern. Tessellating patterns are abstract
and non-representational which makes their interpretation open to
the imagination of all people.

Honeycomb Snake skin Flower

Leaves Drought Sunflower

1.4. Fractals
A fractal is a never-ending pattern. Fractals are infinitely
complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales. They
are created by repeating a simple process over and over in an
ongoing feedback loop. Driven by recursion, fractals are images of
dynamic systems – the pictures of Chaos. Geometrically, they exist
in between our familiar dimensions. Fractal patterns are extremely
familiar, since nature is full of fractals.
For instance: trees, rivers, coastlines, mountains, clouds,
seashells, hurricanes, etc. Abstract fractals – such as the
Mandelbrot Set – can be generated by a computer calculating a
simple equation over and over.
Examples:

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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
Module 1
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

1.5. Other Patterns in Nature

Hexagons in Nature
Another of nature’s geometric wonders is the hexagon. A
regular hexagon has 6 sides of equal length, and this shape is seen
again and again in the world around us.
The most common example of nature using hexagons is in a
bee hive. Bees build their hive using a tessellation of hexagons. But
did you know that every snowflake is also in the shape of a
hexagon?

Honeycomb Bubbles
We also see hexagons in the bubbles that make up a raft
bubble. Although we usually think of bubbles as round, when
many bubbles get pushed together on the surface of water, they
take the shape of hexagons.

Concentric Circles in Nature

Another common shape in nature is a set of concentric circles.
Concentric means the circles all share the same center, but have
different radii. This means the circles are all different sizes, one
inside the other.

A common example is in the ripples of a pond when something

hits the surface of the water. But we also see concentric circles in
the layers of an onion and the rings of trees that form as it grows
and ages.
If you live near woods, you might go looking for a fallen tree to
count the rings, or look for an orb spider web, which is built with
nearly perfect concentric circles.

Patterns in Outer Space

Moving away from planet earth, we

can also see many of these same
mathematical features in outer space.

For instance, the shape of our galaxy

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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
Module 1
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

is a Fibonacci spiral. The planets orbit

the sun on paths that are concentric.
We also see
concentric circles in the rings of Saturn. But we also see a unique symmetry in

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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
Module 1
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

outer space that is unique (as far as scientists can tell) and that is
the symmetry between the earth, moon and sun that makes a solar
eclipse possible.

Every two years, the moon passes between the sun and the
earth in such a way that it appears to completely cover the sun. But
how is this possible when the moon is so much smaller than the
sun?

1.6. Number Patterns

Number pattern is a pattern or sequence in a series of numbers.
This pattern generally establishes a common relationship between
all numbers.

For example:
0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, ...

A sequence is a pattern of numbers that are formed in accordance

with a definite rule.

We can often describe number patterns in more than one way. To

illustrate this, consider the following sequence of numbers {1, 3, 5,
7, 9, …}.

Clearly, the first term of this number pattern is 1; and the terms
after the first term are obtained by adding 2 to the previous term.
We can also describe this number pattern as a set of odd numbers.

Activity 3: Patterns of Numbers

Determine the next 3 terms in the following
sequences. 1. 13, 21, 34, 55, , ,…
2. 55, 89, 144, 233, , __, …
3. 2, 3, 5, 8, ,,…
4. 21, 34, 55, 89, , ,…
5. 89, 144, 233, 377,, ,…
6. 34, 55, 89, 144, , ,…
7. 8, 13, 21, 34, , ,…
8. 3, 5, 8, 13, , ,…

Activity 4: Generating a Sequence

A. 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. 16, 32, 64, 128
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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

4. 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8

B. Let Fib(n) be the nth term of a Fibonacci sequence, with

Fib(1) = 1, Fib(2) = 1, Fib(3) = 2. Find:
1. Fib(8)
2.
Fib(19)

1.7. Abstract Reasoning Patterns

An abstract reasoning test uses shapes and patterns to assess

your logic, fluid intelligence and problem-solving skills. You’ll be
expected to quickly interpret a series of images to deduce the rule
or pattern that connects them (for example, a repetition of colour,
shape or size). Abstract tests are common for research, software
development and engineering roles.

For example, you might be asked to select, out of a number of

possible options, which image completes a sequence or statement
of fact, which image is missing from the overall picture or which
image doesn’t correlate to the others shown.

Activity 5: Abstract Reasoning

Determine what completes the series.

1.8. Population Growth Patterns

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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

Mathematics can be used to model population growth. Using

the exponential growth formula, 𝑨 = 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒕, where,

A is the size of population after it grows,

P is the initial number of people,
r is the rate of growth,

e is Euler’s constant, ≈ 2.718

t is time, and

The exponential growth model formula, 𝑨 = 𝟑𝟎𝒆𝟎.𝟎𝟐𝒕, describes the

Illustration:

population of a city in the Philippines in thousands, t years after 1995.

1. What was the population of the city in 1995?
2. What will be the population by the end of 2021?
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 = 30𝑒0.02𝑡
= 30𝑒00.02(0)
= 30𝑒
= 30(1)
𝑨 = 𝟑𝟎

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

2. We need to find A by the end of 2021. To find t, we subtract 2021

and 1995 to get t = 26. Hence,
𝑨 = 30𝑒0.02𝑡
= 30𝑒0.02(26)
= 30𝑒0.52
= 30(2.718)0.52
= 30(1.68194)
𝑨 = 𝟓𝟎. 𝟒𝟓𝟖𝟐

Therefore, the city population would be about 50,458 by the end of 2021.

7. Self-evaluation

Fill in the blanks with word to make the statement true.

1. A Fibonacci sequence is often called .

2. A is a pattern of numbers that are formed in

accordance with a definite rule.

3. The arrays of hexagonal cells in a honeycomb is an example of

.

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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

4. The rings of Saturn illustrates _ .

5. Fractals are infinitely _ _ that are self-similar across

different scales.

8. Learning Assessment Task

Answer the items in Worksheet No. 1

9. References:

Mathematics in the Modern World by Rex Bookstore, 2018

[Link]
[Link]

[Link]

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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World
 Republic of the Philippines
SURIGAO DEL NORTE STATE UNIVERSITY
Narciso Street, Surigao City 8400, Philippines

“For Nation’s

[Link]

[Link]

in-nature/

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[Link] patterns/#:~:text=Tessellations
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GE Math – Mathematics in the Modern World