Module One: The Nature of Mathematics

MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD
MODULE ONE
THE NATURE OF MATHEMATICS
CORE IDEA
Module One is an introduction to the nature of mathematics
as an exploration of patterns. It is a useful way to think about
nature and our world.
Learning Outcome:
1. To identify patterns in nature and regularities in the world.
2. To articulate importance of mathematics in one’s life.
3. To argue about the nature of mathematics, what it is, how it
is expressed, represented, and used.
4. Express appreciation of mathematics as a human endeavor.
Unit Lessons:
Lesson 1.1 Mathematics of Our World

Lesson 1.2 Mathematics in Our World
Lesson 1.3 Mathematics of Sequence
 Time Allotment: Four lecture hours
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Lesson
1.1 The Mathematics of Our World
Specific Objectives
1. To understand the mathematics of the modern world.

2. To revisit and appreciate the mathematical landscape.
3. To realize the importance of mathematics as a utility.
4. To gain awareness of the role of mathematics as well as our role
in mathematics.
Lesson 1.1 does not only attempt to explain the essence of mathematics, it serves
also as a hindsight of the entire course. The backbone of this lesson draws from the
Stewart’s ideas embodied in his book entitled Nature’s Numbers. The lesson
provides new perspective to understand the irregularity and chaos of our world as
we move through the landscape of regularity and order. It poses some thought-
provoking questions to draw one’s innate mathematical intelligence by making one
curious, not so much to seek answers, but to ask more right questions.
Discussions
The Nature of Mathematics
In the book of Stewart, Nature’s Number, he that mathematics is a formal system

of thought that was gradually developed in the human mind and evolved in the
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human culture. Thus, in the long course of human history, our ancestors at a certain
point were endowed with insight to realize the existence of “form” in their
surroundings. From their realization, a system of thought further advanced their
knowledge into understanding measures. They were able to gradually develop the
science of measures and gained the ability to count, gauge, assess, quantify, and
size almost everything.
From our ancestor’s realization of measures, they were able to notice and
recognize some rudiment hints about patterns. Thus, the concept of recognizing
shapes made its course towards classifying contour and finally using those designs
to build human culture: an important ingredient for a civilization to flourish. From
then, man realized that the natural world is embedded in a magnanimously
mathematical realm of patterns----and that natural order efficiently utilizes all
mathematical patterns to its advantage. As a result, we made use of mathematics
as a brilliant way to understand the nature by comprehending the structure of its
underlying patterns and regularities.
Mathematics is present in everything we do; it is all around us and it is the building

block of our daily activities. It has been at the forefront of each and every period of
our development, and as our civilized societies advanced, our needs of
mathematics pioneering arose on the frontier of our course as we prepare our
human species to traverse the cosmic shore.
Mathematics is a Tool
Mathematics, as a tool, is immensely useful, practical, and powerful. It is not about

crunching numbers, formulas, and symbols but rather, it is all about forming new
ways to see problems so we can understand them by combining insights with
imagination. It also allows us to perceive realities in different contexts that would
otherwise be intangible to us. It can be likened to our sense of sight and touch.
Mathematics is our sense to decipher patterns, relationships, and logical
connections. It is our whole new way to see and understand the modern world.
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Mathematics, being a broad and deep discipline, deals with the logic of shape,
quantity, and arrangement. Once, it was perceived merely a collective thoughts
dealing with counting numbers, but it is now being understood as a universal
language dealing with symbols, arts, equations, geometric shapes and patterns. It
is asserting that mathematics is a powerful tool in decision-making and it is a way
of life.
The nature of mathematics

Figure 1.1
In the Figure 1.1 illustrated by Nocon and Nocon, it portrays the function of
mathematics. As shown, it is stated that mathematics is a set of problem-solving
tools. It provides answers to existing questions and presents solutions to occurring
problems. It has the power to unveil the reasons behind occurrences and it offers
explanations. Moreover, mathematics, as a study of patterns, allows people to
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observe, hypothesize, experiment, discover, and recreate. On the other hand,

mathematics is an art and a process of thinking. For it involves reasoning, which
can be inductive or deductive, and it applies methods of proof both in fashion that
is conventional and unventional.
Mathematics is Everywhere
We use mathematics in their daily tasks and activities. It is our important tool in the
field of sciences, humanities, literature, medicine, and even in music and arts; it is
in the rhythm of our daily activities, operational in our communities, and a default
system of our culture. There is mathematics wherever we go. It helps us cook
delicious meals by exacting our ability to measure and moderately control of heat.
It also helps us to shop wisely, read maps, use the computer, remodel a home with
constrained budget with utmost economy.
Source: Space Telescope Science/NASA
The Universe
Figure 1.2
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Even the cosmic perspective, the patterns in the firmament are always presented
as a mystery waiting to be uncovered by us-the sentient being. In order to
unearthed this mystery, we are challenged to investigate and deeply examine its
structure and rules to the infinitesimal level. The intertwined governing powers of
cosmic mystery can only be decoded by seriously observing and studying their
regularities, and patiently waiting for the signature of some kind interference. It is
only by observing the abundance of patterns scattered everywhere that this
irregularities will beg to be noticed. Some of them are boldly exposed in a simple
and obvious manner while others are hidden in ways that is impossible to perceive
by easy to discern. While our ancestors were able to discover the presence of
mathematics in everything, it took the descendants, us, a long time to gradually
notice the impact of these patterns in the persistence of our species to rightfully
exist.
The Essential Roles of Mathematics
Mathematics has countless hidden uses and applications. It is not only something
that delights our mind but it also allows us to learn and understand the natural
order of the world. This discipline was and is often studied as a pure science but it
also finds its place in other areas of perpetuating knowledge. Perhaps, science
would definitely agree that, when it comes to discovering and unveiling the truth
behind the inherent secrets and occurrences of the universe, nothing visual, verbal,
or aural come close to matching the accuracy, economy, power and elegance of
mathematics. Mathematics helps us to take the complex processes that is naturally
occuring in the world around us and it represents them by utilizing logic to make
things more organized and more efficient.
Further, mathematics also facilitate not only to weather, but also to control the
weather ---- be it social, natural, statistical, political, or medical. Applied
mathematics, which once only used for solving problems in physics, and it is also
becoming a useful tool in biological sciences: for instance, the spread of various
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diseases can now be predicted and controlled. Scientists and researchers use
applied mathematics in doing or performing researches to solve social, scientific,
medical, or even political crises.
It is a common fact that mathematics plays an important role in many sciences. It

is and it provides tools for calculations. We use of calculations in other disciplines
whenever we are underrating some kind of research or experiment. The use of
mathematical calculations is indispensable method in scientifically approaching
most of the problems. In a similar way, mathematics, provides new questions to
think about. Indeed, in learning and doing mathematics, there will always be new
questions to answer, new problems to solve, and new things to think about (Vistru-
Yu PPT presentation).
The Mathematical Landscape
The human mind and culture developed a conceptual landscape for mathematical
thoughts and ideas to flourish and propagate. There is a region in the human mind
that is capable of constructing and discerning the deepest insights being perceived
from the natural world. In this region, the mathematical landscape exists- wherein
concepts of numbers, symbols, equations, operations calculations, abstractions,
and proofs are the inhabitants as well as the constructs of the impenetrable
vastness of its unchartered territories. In this landscape, a number is not simply a
mathematical tree of counting. Also, infinite variables can be encapsulate to finite.
Even those something that is hard to express in decimal form can be expressed in
terms of fractions. Those things that seemed eternal ℤ can further be exploited
using mathematical operations. This landscape claimed complex numbers as the
firmament and even asserted that imaginary numbers also exist. To the low state
negative numbers relentlessly enjoying recognition as existent beings. The wind in
this landscape is unpredictable that the rate of change of the rate of change of
weather is known as calculus. And beneath the surface of this mathematical
landscape are firmly-woven proofs, theorems, definitions, and axioms which are
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intricately “fertilized” by reasoning, analytical, critical thinking and germicide by

mathematical logic that made them precise, exact and powerful.
With this landscape, the mathematician's instinct and curiosity entice to explore
further the vast tranquil lakes of functions and impassable crevasse of the
unchartered territories of abstract algebra. For to claim ownership is to understand
the ebb and flow of prime numbers. To predict the behavior of its Fibonacci
weather, to be amazed with awe and wonder the patternless chaos of fractal
clouds, and to rediscover that after all, the numbers in mathematics is not a "thing"
but a process. Conventionally, we are just simply made ourselves comfortable on
the “thingification” of those processes and we forgot that 1+1 is not a noun but a
verb.
How Mathematics is Done
Math is a way of thinking, and it is undeniably important to see how that thinking
is going to be developed rather than just merely see face value of the results. For
some people, few math theorems can bring up as much remembered pain and
anxiety. For others, this discipline is so complex and they have to understand the
confusing symbols, the difficult procedures, and the dreaded graphs and charts. For
most, mathematics is just nothing but something to survive, rather than to learn.
To the untrained eye, doing mathematics is quite difficult and challenging. It is

ambiguous, for it follows a set of patterns, formulas, and sequences that make it
more demanding to do and to learn. It is abstract and complex ---- and for these
reasons, a lot of people adopt the belief that they are not math people.
Mathematics builds upon itself. More complex concepts are built upon simpler
concepts, and if you do not have a strong grasp of the fundamental principles, then
a more complex problem is more likely going to stump you. If you come across a
mathematical problem that you cannot solve, the first thing to do is to identify the
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components or the operations that it wants you to carry out, and everything
follows. Doing and performing mathematics is not that simple. It 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)
Mathematics is for Everyone
The relationship of the mathematical landscape in the human mind with the natural
world is so strange that in the long run, the good math provides utilization and
usefulness in the order of things. Perhaps, for most people, they simply need to
know the basics of the mathematical operations in order to survive daily tasks; but
for the human society to survive and for the human species to persistently exist,
humanity needs, beyond rudiment of mathematics. To safeguard our existence, we
already have delegated the functions of mathematics across all disciplines. There is
mathematics we call pure and applied, as there are scientists we call social and
natural. There is mathematics for engineers to build, mathematics for commerce
and finance, mathematics for weather forecasting, mathematics that is related to
health, and mathematics to harness energy for utilization. To simply put it,
everyone uses mathematics in different degrees and levels. Everyone uses
mathematics, whoever they are, wherever they are, and whenever they need to.
From mathematicians to scientists, from professionals to ordinary people, they all
use mathematics. For mathematics puts order amidst disorder. It helps us become
better persons and helps make the world a better place to live in. (Vistru-Yu).
The Importance of Knowing and Learning Mathematics
Why do we want to observe and describe patterns and regularities? Why do we

want to understand the physical phenomena governing our world? Why do we
want to dig out rules and structures that lie behind patterns of the natural order?
It is because those rules and structures explain what is going on. It is because they
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are beneficial in generating conclusions and in predicting events. It is because they

provide clues. The clues that make us realize that interference in the motion of
heavenly bodies can predict lunar eclipse, solar eclipse as well as comets’
appearances. That the position of the sun and the moon relative to the earth can
predict high tide and low tide events affecting human activities. And that human
activities need clues for the human culture to meaningfully work.
Mathematical training is vital to decipher the clues provided by nature. But the role
of mathematics goes clues and it goes beyond prediction. Once we understand how
the system works, our goal is to control it to make it do what we want. We want to
understand the mathematical pattern of a storm to avoid or prevent catastrophes.
We want to know the mathematical concept behind the contagion of the virus to
control its spread. We want to understand the unpredictability of cancer cells to
combat it before it even exists. Finally, we want to understand the butterfly effect
as much as we are so curious to know why the “die” of the physical world play god.
“Whatever the reasons, mathematics is a useful way to think about nature.

What does it want to tell us about the patterns we observe? There are many
answers. We want to understand how they happen; to understand why they
happen, which is different; to organize the underlying patterns and regularities
in the most satisfying way; to predict how nature will behave; to control nature
for our own ends; to make practical use of what we have learned about our
world. Mathematics helps us to do all these things, and often, it is
indispensable.“ [Stewart]
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Lesson
1.2 The Mathematics in Our World
Specific Objective
: 1. To develop one’s understanding about patterns;

2. To identify different patterns in nature;
3. To recognize different symmetries in nature; and
4. To explain the presence of Fibonacci numbers in nature
The mathematics in our world is rooted in patterns. Patterns are all around us.
Finding and understanding patterns give us great power to play like god. With
patterns, we can discover and understand new things; we learn to predict and
ultimately control the future for our own advantage.
A pattern is a structure, form, or design that is regular, consistent, or recurring.

Patterns can be found in nature, in human-made designs, or in abstract ideas. They
occur in different contexts and various forms. Because patterns are repetitive and
duplicative, their underlying structure regularities can be modelled
mathematically. In general sense, any regularity that can be explained
mathematically is a pattern. Thus, an investigation of nature’s patterns is an
investigation of nature’s numbers. This means that the relationships can be
observed, that logical connections can be established, that generalizations can be
inferred, that future events can be predicted, and that control can possibly be
possible.
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Discussions
Different Kinds of Pattern
As we look at the world around us, we can sense the orchestrating great regularity
and diversity of living and non-living things. The symphonies vary from tiny to
gigantic, from simple to complex, and from dull to the bright. The kaleidoscope of
patterns is everywhere and they make the nature look only fascinating but also
intriguing. Paradoxically, it seemed that everything in the world follows a pattern
of their own and tamed by the same time pattern of their own.
Patterns of Visuals. Visual patterns are often unpredictable, never quite

repeatable, and often contain fractals. These patterns are can be seen from the
seeds and pinecones to the branches and leaves. They are also visible in self-similar
replication of trees, ferns, and plants throughout nature.
Patterns of Flow. The flow of liquids provides an inexhaustible supply of nature’s

patterns. Patterns of flow are usually found in the water, stone, and even in the
growth of trees. There is also a flow pattern present in meandering rivers with the
repetition of undulating lines.
Patterns of Movement. In the human walk, the feet strike the ground in a regular
rhythm: the left-right-left-right-left rhythm. When a horse, a four-legged creature
walks, there is more of a complex but equally rhythmic pattern. This prevalence of
pattern in locomotion extends to the scuttling of insects, the flights of birds, the
pulsations of jellyfish, and also the wave-like movements of fish, worms, and
snakes.
Patterns of Rhythm. Rhythm is conceivably the most basic pattern in nature. Our
hearts and lungs follow a regular repeated pattern of sounds or movement whose
timing is adapted to our body’s needs. Many of nature’s rhythms are most likely
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similar to a heartbeat, while others are like breathing. The beating of the heart, as
well as breathing, have a default pattern.
Patterns of Texture. A texture is a quality of a certain object that we sense through

touch. It exists as a literal surface that we can feel, see, and imagine. Textures are
of many kinds. It can be bristly, and rough, but it can also be smooth, cold, and
hard.
Geometric Patterns. A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern which consists of a

series of shapes that are typically repeated. These are regularities in the natural
world that are repeated in a predictable manner. Geometrical patterns are usually
visible on cacti and succulents.
Patterns Found in Nature

Common patterns appear in nature, just like what we see when we look closely at
plants, flowers, animals, and even at our bodies. These common patterns are all
incorporated in many natural things.
Waves and Dunes
A wave is any form of disturbance that carries energy as it moves. Waves are of
different kinds: mechanical waves which propagate through a medium ---- air or
water, making it oscillate as waves pass by. Wind waves, on the other hand, are
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surface waves that create the chaotic patterns of the sea. Similarly, water waves
are created by energy passing through water causing it to move in a circular motion.
Likewise, ripple patterns and dunes are formed by sand wind as they pass over the
sand.
Spots and Stripes
We can see patterns like spots on the skin of a giraffe. On the other hand, stripes
are visible on the skin of a zebra. Patterns like spots and stripes that are commonly
present in different organisms are results of a reaction-diffusion system (Turing,
1952). The size and the shape of the pattern depend on how fast the chemicals
diffuse and how strongly they interact.
Spirals
Jean Beaufort has released this “Spiral

Galaxy” image under Public Domain license
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The spiral patterns exist on the scale of the cosmos to the minuscule forms of
microscopic animals on earth. The Milky Way that contains our Solar System is a
barred spiral galaxy with a band of bright stars emerging from the center running
across the middle of it. Spiral patterns are also common and noticeable among
plants and some animals. Spirals appear in many plants such as pinecones,
pineapples, and sunflowers. On the other hand, animals like ram and kudu also
have spiral patterns on their horns.
Symmetries
In mathematics, if a figure can be folded or divided into two with two halves which
are the same, such figure is called a symmetric figure. Symmetry has a vital role in
pattern formation. It is used to classify and organize information about patterns by
classifying the motion or deformation of both pattern structures and processes.
There are many kinds of symmetry, and the most important ones are reflections,
rotations, and translations. These kinds of symmetries are less formally called flips,
turns, and slides.
Reflection symmetry, sometimes called line symmetry or mirror symmetry,

captures symmetries when the left half of a pattern is the same as the right half.
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Rotations, also known as rotational symmetry, captures symmetries when it still

looks the same after some rotation (of less than one full turn). The degree of
rotational symmetry of an object is recognized by the number of distinct
orientations in which it looks the same for each rotation.
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Translations. This is another type of symmetry. Translational symmetry exists in

patterns that we see in nature and in man-made objects. Translations acquire
symmetries when units are repeated and turn out having identical figures, like the
bees’ honeycomb with hexagonal tiles.
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Symmetries in Nature
From the structure of subatomic particles to that of the entire universe, symmetry
is present. The presence of symmetries in nature does not only attract our visual
sense, but also plays an integral and prominent role in the way our life works.
Human Body Animal Movement

The human body is one of the pieces The symmetry of motion is present in
of evidence that there is symmetry in animal movements. When animals move,
nature. Our body exhibits bilateral we can see that their movements also
symmetry. It can be divided into two exhibit symmetry.
identical halves.
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Sunflower Snowflakes
One of the most interesting things about Snowflakes have six-fold radial
a sunflower is that it contains both radial symmetry. The ice crystals that
and bilateral symmetry. What appears make-up the snowflakes are
to be "petals" in the outer ring are symmetrical or patterned. The
actually small flowers also known as ray intricate shape of a single arm of a
florets. These small flowers are snowflake is very much similar to
bilaterally symmetrical. On the other the other arms. This only proves
hand, the dark inner ring of the that symmetry is present in a
sunflower is a cluster of radially snowflake.
symmetrical disk florets.
Honeycombs/Beehive
Honeycombs or beehives are examples
of wallpaper symmetry. This kind of
symmetry is created when a pattern is
repeated until it covers a plane. Beehives
are made of walls with each side having
the same size enclosed with small
hexagonal cells. Inside these cells, honey
and pollen are stored and bees are
raised.
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Starfish
Starfish have a radial fivefold symmetry. Each arm portion of the starfish is
identical to each of the other regions.
Fibonacci in Nature
By learning about nature, it becomes gradually evident that the nature is essentially
mathematical, and this is one of the reasons why explaining nature is dependent
on mathematics. Mathematics has the power to unveil the inherent beauty of the
natural world.
In describing the amazing variety of phenomena in nature we stumble to discover

the existence of Fibonacci numbers. It turns out that the Fibonacci numbers appear
from the smallest up to the biggest objects in the natural world. This presence of
Fibonacci numbers in nature, which was once existed realm mathematician’s
curiously, is considered as one of the biggest mysteries why the some patterns in
nature is Fibonacci. But one thing is definitely made certain, and that what seemed
solely mathematical is also natural.
For instance, many flowers display figures adorned with numbers of petals that are
in the Fibonacci sequence. The classic five-petal flowers are said to be the most
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common among them. These include the buttercup, columbine, and hibiscus. Aside
from those flowers with five petals, eight-petal flowers like clematis and
delphinium also have the Fibonacci numbers, while ragwort and marigold have
thirteen. These numbers are all Fibonacci numbers.
Apart from the counts of flower petals, the Fibonacci also occurs in nautilus shells
with a logarithmic spiral growth. Multiple Fibonacci spirals are also present in
pineapples and red cabbages. The patterns are all consistent and natural.
Learning Activity 1.2
Synthesis
I. Read the entire book entitled Nature’s Numbers by Stewart.
II. Write synthesis about all the things that you learned about nature’s
numbers.
III. It is highly recommended that at the outset, an outline must be made.
IV. Please ensure that topic sentence can be clearly understood.

-Your topic sentence must be supported by at least three arguments.
V. Your synthesis must be around 1400-1500 words.

VI. Rules on referencing and citation must be strictly observed.
VII. You may use either MLA or APA system.
VIII. The last page must contain the references or bibliography.
IX. Write your name, student number, email address at the last page
X. Please observe the following format:
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Paper Font Font All Line Page

Substance Margin Orientation Paper Size Number
Type Size Spacing
(if printed)
20 Normal Portrait 8.5 x 13 Arial 12 1.5 Page x of x
Justified
Please bear in mind the following criteria for grading your work.
0 Point : The student unable to elicit the ideas and concepts.
1 Point : The student is able to elicit the ideas and concepts but shows erroneous
understanding of these.
2 Points: The student is able to elicit the ideas and concepts and shows correct
understanding of these.
3 Points: The students not only elicits the correct ideas but also shows evidence of
internalizing these.
4 Points: The student elicits the correct ideas, shows evidence of internalizing these, and
consistently contributes additional thoughts to the Core Idea.
Lesson
1.3 The Fibonacci Sequence
Specific Objectives
1. To define sequence and its types

2. To differentiate Fibonacci sequence from other types of sequence
3. To discover golden ratio and golden rectangle; and
4. To learn how to compute for the nth term in the Fibonacci Sequence
As we have discussed in the preceding lesson, human mind is capable of

identifying and organizing patterns. We were also to realized that there are
structures and patterns in nature that we don’t usually draw attention to.
Likewise, we arrived at a position that in nature, some things follow
mathematical sequences and one of them follow the Fibonacci sequence.
We noticed that these sequences is observable in some flower petals, on the
spirals of some shells and even on sunflower seeds. It is amazing to think
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that the Fibonacci sequence is dramatically present in nature and it opens

the door to understand seriously the nature of sequence.
Discussion
Sequence
Sequence refers to an ordered list of numbers called terms, that may have
repeated values. The arrangement of these terms is set by a definite rule.
(Mathematics in the Modern World, 14th Edition, Aufmann, RN. et al.).
Cosider the given below example:
1, 3, 5, 7, …
(1stterm) (2nd term) (3rd term) (4th term)
As shown above, the elements in the sequence are called terms. It is called
sequence because the list is ordered and it follows a certain kind of pattern
that must be recognized in order to see the expanse. The three dots at the
end of the visible patterns means that the sequence is infinite.
There are different types of sequence and the most common are the
arithmetic sequence, geometric sequence, harmonic sequence, and
Fibonacci sequence.
Arithmetic sequence. It is a sequence of numbers that follows a definite

pattern. To determine if the series of numbers follow an arithmetic sequence,
check the difference between two consecutive terms. If common difference
is observed, then definitely arithmetic sequence governed the pattern. To
clearly illustrate the arrangement, consider the example below:
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 …
2 2 2 2 2 30
Notice in the given example above, the common difference between two
consecutive terms in the sequence is two. The common difference is the clue
that must be figure out in a pattern in order to recognize it as an arithmetic
sequence.
Geometric sequence. If in the arithmetic sequence we need to check for

the common difference, in geometric sequence we need to look for the
common ratio. The illustrated in the example below, geometric sequence is
not as obvious as the arithmetic sequence. All possibilities must be explored
until some patterns of uniformity can intelligently be struck. At first it may
seemed like pattern less but only by digging a little bit deeper that we can
2 8 32
finally delve the constancy. That is 8 , 32 , 128, , … generate 4, 4, 4,…
2, 8, 32, 128, …
4 4 4
Harmonic Sequence. In the sequence, the reciprocal of the terms behaved
in a manner like arithmetic sequence. Consider the example below and
notice an interesting pattern in the series. With this pattern, the reciprocal
appears like arithmetic sequence. Only in recognizing the appearance that
we can finally decode the sequencing the govern the series.
1 1 1 1 1
, , , , , …
2 4 6 8 10
Fibonacci Sequence. This specific sequence was named after an Italian

mathematician Leonardo Pisano Bigollo (1170 - 1250). He discovered the
sequence while he was studying rabbits. The Fibonacci sequence is a series
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of numbers governed by some unusual arithmetic rule. The sequence is

organized in a way a number can be obtained by adding the two previous
numbers.
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, …
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
Notice that the number 2 is actually the sum of 1 and 1. Also the 5th term
which is number 5 is based on addition of the two previous terms 2, and 3.
That is the kind of pattern being generated by the Fibonacci sequence. It is
infinite in expanse and it was once purely maintained claim as a
mathematical and mental exercise but later on the it was observed that the
ownership of this pattern was also being claimed by some species of flowers,
petals, pineapple, pine cone, cabbages and some shells.
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, …
To explore a little bit more about the Fibonacci sequence, the location of
the term was conventionally tagged as Fib(𝑛). This means that Fib(1)=1,
Fib(2)=1, Fib(3)=2 and Fib(4)=3. In this method, the Fib(𝑛) is actually
referring to the the 𝑛th term of the sequence. It is also possible to make
some sort of addition in this sequence. For instance:
Fib (2) + Fib (6) = _?__
Fib(2) refers to the 2nd term in the sequence which is “1”. And Fib(6) refers
to the 6th term which is “8”. So, the answer to that equation is simply “9”
Formula for computing for the nth term in the Fibonacci Sequence
xn = φn − (1−φ)n
√5
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Where:
Xn stands for the Fibonacci number we’re looking for
N stands for the position of the number in the Fibonacci sequence
Φ stands for the value of the golden ratio
Let us try for example: What is the 5th Fibonacci number? By using the formula
we’ll get:
X5 = (1.618)5 − (1−1.618)5
√5
X5= 5
The amazing grandeur of Fibonacci sequence was also discovered in the

structure of Golden rectangle. The golden rectangle is made up of squares
whose sizes, surprisingly is also behaving similar to the Fibonacci sequence.
Take a serious look at the figure:
The Golden Ratio
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As we can see in the figure, there is no complexity in forming a spiral with

the use of the golden rectangle starting from one of the sides of the first
Fibonacci square going to the edges of each of the next squares. This golden
rectangle shows that the Fibonacci sequence is not only about sequence of
numbers of some sort but it is also a geometric sequence observing a
rectangle ratio. The spiral line generated by the ratio is generously scattered
around from infinite to infinitesimal.
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Learning Activity 1.3
I. Identify what type of sequence is the one below and supply the sequence with the next
two terms:
1. 1, 4, 7, 10, _, _? Type of Sequence: ____________________
2. 80, 40, 20, _, _ ? Type of Sequence: ____________________
3. 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, _, _ ? Type of Sequence: ____________________
4. 56, 46, 36, 26, _, _ ? Type of Sequence: ____________________
5. 2, 20, 200, 2000, _, _ ? Type of Sequence: ____________________
II. Compute for the following Fibonacci numbers and perform the given operation:
1. What if Fib (13) ?
2. What is Fib (20) ?
3. What is Fib (8) + Fib (9) ?
4. What is Fib (1) * Fib (7) + Fib (12) – Fib (6) ?
5. What is the sum of Fib (1) up to Fib (10) ?
35

Module One: The Nature of Mathematics

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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

THE NATURE OF MATHEMATICS

Lesson 1.1 Mathematics of Our World

 Time Allotment: Four lecture hours

1. To understand the mathematics of the modern world.

In the book of Stewart, Nature’s Number, he that mathematics is a formal system

Mathematics is present in everything we do; it is all around us and it is the building

Mathematics, as a tool, is immensely useful, practical, and powerful. It is not about

The nature of mathematics

observe, hypothesize, experiment, discover, and recreate. On the other hand,

Source: Space Telescope Science/NASA

The Essential Roles of Mathematics

It is a common fact that mathematics plays an important role in many sciences. It

The Mathematical Landscape

intricately “fertilized” by reasoning, analytical, critical thinking and germicide by

How Mathematics is Done

To the untrained eye, doing mathematics is quite difficult and challenging. It is

Mathematics is for Everyone

The Importance of Knowing and Learning Mathematics

Why do we want to observe and describe patterns and regularities? Why do we

are beneficial in generating conclusions and in predicting events. It is because they

“Whatever the reasons, mathematics is a useful way to think about nature.

: 1. To develop one’s understanding about patterns;

A pattern is a structure, form, or design that is regular, consistent, or recurring.

Different Kinds of Pattern

Patterns of Visuals. Visual patterns are often unpredictable, never quite

Patterns of Flow. The flow of liquids provides an inexhaustible supply of nature’s

Patterns of Texture. A texture is a quality of a certain object that we sense through

Geometric Patterns. A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern which consists of a

Patterns Found in Nature

Waves and Dunes

Spots and Stripes

Jean Beaufort has released this “Spiral

Reflection symmetry, sometimes called line symmetry or mirror symmetry,

Rotations, also known as rotational symmetry, captures symmetries when it still

Translations. This is another type of symmetry. Translational symmetry exists in

Human Body Animal Movement

In describing the amazing variety of phenomena in nature we stumble to discover

Learning Activity 1.2

I. Read the entire book entitled Nature’s Numbers by Stewart.

III. It is highly recommended that at the outset, an outline must be made.

IV. Please ensure that topic sentence can be clearly understood.

V. Your synthesis must be around 1400-1500 words.

Paper Font Font All Line Page

1. To define sequence and its types

As we have discussed in the preceding lesson, human mind is capable of

that the Fibonacci sequence is dramatically present in nature and it opens

Arithmetic sequence. It is a sequence of numbers that follows a definite

Geometric sequence. If in the arithmetic sequence we need to check for

Fibonacci Sequence. This specific sequence was named after an Italian

of numbers governed by some unusual arithmetic rule. The sequence is

Fib (2) + Fib (6) = _?__

The amazing grandeur of Fibonacci sequence was also discovered in the

The Golden Ratio

As we can see in the figure, there is no complexity in forming a spiral with

Learning Activity 1.3

1. 1, 4, 7, 10, _, _? Type of Sequence: ____________________

2. 80, 40, 20, _, _ ? Type of Sequence: ____________________

3. 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, _, _ ? Type of Sequence: ____________________