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

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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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 IN THE MODERN WORLD

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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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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 usto 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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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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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SHEPHERDVILLE COLLEGE
Talojongon, Tigaon, Camarines Sur
College of Education Department
Second Semester
AY 2022 – 2023

Mathematics in the Modern World

MODULE 1.1 SAQ Answer Sheet

Name: ___________________________________Course/Year:___________________Date:_____________
Contact No.: ___________________Subject:_____________________Teacher:_______________________
MAR VINCENT L. SABA

SAQ # 1 ( 5 pts) What is mathematics?

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SAQ # 2 ( 5 pts) What role does mathematics play in your world?

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SAQ # 3 ( 5 pts) What are the new things that you learned about the nature of mathematics?
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 SHEPHERDVILLE COLLEGE
Talojongon, Tigaon, Camarines Sur
College of Education Department
Second Semester
AY 2022 – 2023

Mathematics in the Modern World

MODULE 1.1 EVALUATION Answer Sheet

Name: ___________________________________Course/Year:___________________Date:_____________
Contact No.: ___________________Subject:_____________________Teacher:_______________________
MAR VINCENT L. SABA

Instructions: Write an essay by answering one of the following questions (15-20 lines) and submit your
answer to your course facilitator. (20 pts)

∙ What aspect of the lesson significant changed your view about mathematics?

∙ What is the most important contribution of mathematics in humankind?

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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD
 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.
 23
MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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 of The symmetry of motion is present in animal
evidence that there is symmetry in nature. Our movements. When animals move, we can see that
body exhibits bilateral symmetry. It can be their movements also exhibit symmetry.
divided into two identical halves.
 25
MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

Sunflower disk florets.

One of the most interesting things about a Snowflakes
sunflower is that it contains both radial and Snowflakes have six-fold radial symmetry. The
bilateral symmetry. What appears to be "petals" in ice crystals that make-up the snowflakes are
the outer ring are actually small flowers also known symmetrical or patterned. The intricate shape
as ray florets. These small flowers are bilaterally of a single arm of a snowflake is very much
symmetrical. On the other hand, the dark inner ring similar to the other arms. This only proves that
of the sunflower is a cluster of radially symmetrical symmetry is present in a snowflake.
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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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD
Paper Margin Orientation Paper Size Font Font All Line Page
Substance Type Size Spacing Number
(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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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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 2 230
MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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, …

444
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
2, 4, 6, 8, 10, …
1
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
31
MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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(��). This means that
Fib(1)=1, Fib(2)=1, Fib(3)=2 and Fib(4)=3. In this method, the Fib(��)
is actually referring to the the ��th 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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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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

33
MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

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.
 34

SHEPHERDVILLE COLLEGE
Talojongon, Tigaon, Camarines Sur
College of Education Department
Second Semester
AY 2022 – 2023

Mathematics in the Modern World

MODULE 1.2 SAQ Answer Sheet

Name: ___________________________________Course/Year:___________________Date:_____________
Contact No.: ___________________Subject:_____________________Teacher:_______________________
MAR VINCENT L. SABA

SAQ # 1 ( 5 pts) What is it about mathematics that might have change your thought about it?
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SAQ # 2 ( 5 pts) What is most useful about mathematics for human kind?
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SAQ # 3 ( 5 pts) What can you say about the phrase “Mathematics helps organize patterns and
regularities in the world”?
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SHEPHERDVILLE COLLEGE
Talojongon, Tigaon, Camarines Sur
College of Education Department
Second Semester
AY 2022 – 2023

Mathematics in the Modern World

MODULE 1.2 EVALUATION Answer Sheet

Name:
___________________________________Course/Year:___________________Date:_____________
Contact No.: ___________________Subject:_____________________Teacher:_______________________
MAR VINCENT L. SABA

Instructions: Give real life example or application of Arithmetic, Geometric and Fibonacci sequence. (20 pts)

__________________________________________________________________________________________
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__________________________________________________________________________________________
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MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

References
Akshay, A. (n.d.). 13 Reasons Why Math is Important. Https://Lifehacks.Io/. Retrieved from
https://lifehacks.io/reasons-why-math-is-important/

A. (2019, September 12). An Ode to Math, Mathematics in Nature.

Https://Www.Minuteschool.Com/. Retrieved from https://www.minuteschool.com/2019/09/an-
ode-to-math-mathematics-in-nature/

ASIASOCIETY.ORG. (n.d.). Understanding the World Through Math | Asia Society.

Https://Asiasociety.Org. Retrieved from https://asiasociety.org/education/understanding
world-through-math

Coolman, R. (2015, June 5). What is Symmetry? | Live Science. Https://Www.Livescience.Com/.

Retrieved from https://www.livescience.com/51100-what-is-symmetry.html
Discovery Cube. (2018, February 2). Moment of Science: Patterns in Nature.
Discoverycube.Org/Blog. Retrieved from https://www.discoverycube.org/blog/moment
science-patterns-in-nature/

Fibonacci Number Patterns. (n.d.). Http://Gofiguremath.Org. Retrieved from

http://gofiguremath.org/natures-favorite-math/fibonacci-numbers/fibonacci-number
patterns/
Grant, S. (2013, April 21). 10 Beautiful Examples of Symmetry In Nature.
Https://Listverse.Com/. Retrieved from https://listverse.com/2013/04/21/10-beautiful-
examples-of-symmetry-in nature/

H., E. J. (2013, August 16). What is Mathematics? Https://Www.Livescience.Com/. Retrieved

from https://www.livescience.com/38936-mathematics.html

Irish Times. (2018, October 18). Who Uses Maths? Almost Everyone! Https://Thatsmaths.Com/.
Retrieved from https://thatsmaths.com/2018/10/18/who-uses-maths-almost-everyone/
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