Lanao School of Science and Technology, Inc.

Maranding, Lala, Lanao del Norte

1st Semester

Module
On
Mathematics in the Modern World

Prepared By:
Lizel G. Valiente

Mathematics in the Modern World

Module 1:
Nature of Mathematics
What is mathematics?
Mathematics includes the study of such topics as quantity, structure, space, and
change. It has no generally accepted definition. Mathematicians seek and use patterns
to formulate new conjectures; they resolve the truth or falsity of such by mathematical
proof.
Mathematics – is the art of patterns and connections embedded in nature and in our
environment.

The father of mathematics

Archimedes
Archimedes is regarded as one of the most notable Greek mathematicians. He is
known as the Father of Mathematics.

Nature of mathematics
As a practical matter, mathematics is a science of pattern and order. ... Its domain is
not molecules or cells, but numbers, chance, form, algorithms, and change.

What is the mathematics in modern world?

Mathematics is the science that deals with the logic of shape, quantity and
arrangement. Math is all around us, in everything we do. It is the building block for
everything in our daily lives, including mobile devices, architecture (ancient and
modern), art, money, engineering, and even sports.

Mathematics
Is a/an …
Study of patterns
 Art
Language

Where is Mathematics?
We can see mathematics everywhere in this world though we sometimes ignore its
presence. Everybody enjoys nature however, not everyone is interested in exploring
more intensely the mathematical idea in it.
For us to see Mathematics, we have to observe and notice hints and clues: In
nature, in our daily routine, in our work, in people and communities, and in events.
What is Mathematics For?

The proof of mathematics existence in nature and in our world implies that it is significant to
human.

Some importance of mathematics

 Mathematics helps us unravel the puzzles of nature
 Organizes patterns and regularities as well as irregularities
 Enables us to make to make predictions
 Helps us control weather and epidemics
 Provides tools for calculations
 Provides new questions to think about

What is Mathematics About?

Well mathematics is all about:
 Numbers, symbols,, notations
 Operations, equations, and functions
 Processes and “thingification” (The fact or process of turning something into a thing;
reification.
Proof – a story rather than a sequence of statement

How is Mathematics Done?

Mathematics is done by curiosity, with a penchant for seeking patterns and generalities, with
the desire to know the truth, with trial and error, without fear of facing more questions and
problems to solve.

Who uses Mathematics?

 Mathematicians (pure and applied)

 Scientists (natural and social)
 Everyone in this world uses Mathematics.
But different people use different Math at different times, for different purposes using different
tools, with different attitudes.

Why is Mathematics Important to Know/Learn?

All of us agrees that learning math can be difficult, but some people believe math is important
and some people believe math is not important (Bianco, 2015). Math is important for many
reasons and few of these reasons are the following: Math puts order in disorder, Math makes
us better persons, and Math makes a world a better place to live in.

We all know that as children grow, they need to learn patience. Patience is precisely what math
teaches us. It also teaches us curiosity; for example, why is this rule used here? Why would that
number be negative? Why is that equation set up like that? These are the questions that they
will learn to ask if they are taught math.
Math can help us understand better the world around us. The concepts in Math can help us
better understand physical phenomena. It gives us a way to understand patterns, to quantify
relationships, and to predict the future. It helps us understand the world – and we use the
world to understand math. The world is interconnected. Everyday math shows these
connections and possibilities. Also, the perfection of math is visible within living structures in
the world, but we can also use its accuracy and inherent wisdom to improve our own lives.

History

Fibonacci was not the first to know about the sequence, it was known in India hundreds
of years before!

Fibonacci the Man

His real name was Leonardo Pisano Bogollo, and he lived between 1170 and 1250 in
Italy.

"Fibonacci" was his nickname, which roughly means "Son of Bonacci".

As well as being famous for the Fibonacci Sequence, he helped spread Hindu-Arabic

Numerals (like our present numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) through Europe in place
of Roman Numerals (I, II, III, IV, V, etc). That has saved us all a lot of trouble!

The Fibonacci sequence is the series of numbers:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, ...

The next number is found by adding up the two numbers before it:

 the 2 is found by adding the two numbers before it (1+1),

 the 3 is found by adding the two numbers before it (1+2),
 the 5 is (2+3),
 and so on!
Example: the next number in the sequence above is 21+34 = 55

It is that simple!

Here is a longer list:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597, 2584, 4181, 6765,
10946, 17711, 28657, 46368, 75025, 121393, 196418, 317811, ...

Can you figure out the next few numbers?

Makes a Spiral

When we make squares with those widths, we get a nice spiral:

Do you see how the squares fit neatly together?

For example 5 and 8 make 13, 8 and 13 make 21, and so on.

This spiral is found in nature!

See: Nature, The Golden Ratio, and Fibonacci

The Rule

The Fibonacci sequence can be written as a "Rule" (see Sequences and Series).

First, the terms are numbered from 0 onwards like this:

n= 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 ...

xn = 0 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 144 233 377 ...

So term number 6 is called x6 (which equals 8).

 Example: the 8th term is
the 7th term plus
the 6th term:

x8 = x7 + x6

So we can write the rule:

The Rule is xn = xn−1 + xn−2

where:

 xn is term number "n"

 xn−1 is the previous term (n−1)
 xn−2 is the term before that (n−2)

Example: term 9 is calculated like this:

x9= x9−1 + x9−2

 = x8 + x7
 = 21 + 13
 = 34
Golden Ratio

And here is a surprise. When we take any two successive (one after the
other) Fibonacci Numbers, their ratio is very close to the Golden Ratio "φ" which is
approximately 1.618034...

In fact, the bigger the pair of Fibonacci Numbers, the closer the approximation. Let us
try a few:

A B   B/A
2 3  1.5
3 5  1.666666666...
5 8  1.6
8 13   1.625
144 233   1.618055556...
233 377   1.618025751...
We don't have to start with 2 and 3, here I randomly chose 192 and 16 (and got the
sequence 192, 16, 208, 224, 432, 656, 1088, 1744, 2832, 4576, 7408, 11984, 19392,
31376, ...):

A B   B/A
192 16   0.08333333...
16 208   13
208 224   1.07692308...
224 432   1.92857143...
7408 11984   1.61771058...
11984 19392   1.61815754...
 

It takes longer to get good values, but it shows that not just the Fibonacci Sequence can
do this!

Using the Golden Ratio to Calculate Fibonacci Numbers

And even more surprising is that we can calculate any Fibonacci number using the
Golden Ratio:

xn = φn − (1−φ)n√5

The answer comes out as a whole number, exactly equal to the addition of the
previous two terms.

Example: x6

x6 = (1.618034...)6 − (1−1.618034...)6√5

When I used a calculator on this (only entering the Golden Ratio to 6 decimal places) I
got the answer 8.00000033 , a more accurate calculation would be closer to 8.

Try n=12 and see what you get.

You can also calculate a Fibonacci Number by multiplying the previous Fibonacci
Number by the Golden Ratio and then rounding (works for numbers above 1):

Example: 8 × φ = 8 × 1.618034... = 12.94427... = 13 (rounded)

Some Interesting Things

Here is the Fibonacci sequence again:

n= 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 ...
 xn = 0 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 144 233 377 610 ...

There is an interesting pattern:

 Look at the number x3 = 2. Every 3rd number is a multiple of 2 (2, 8, 34, 144,

610, ...)
 Look at the number x4 = 3. Every 4th number is a multiple of 3 (3, 21, 144, ...)
 Look at the number x5 = 5. Every 5th number is a multiple of 5 (5, 55, 610, ...)

And so on (every nth number is a multiple of xn).

1/89 = 0.011235955056179775...

Notice the first few digits (0,1,1,2,3,5) are the Fibonacci sequence?

In a way they all are, except multiple digit numbers (13, 21, etc) overlap, like this:

0.0
0.01
0.001
0.0002
0.00003
0.000005
0.0000008
0.00000013
0.000000021
    ... etc ...
0.011235955056179775...  =  1/89

 Terms Below Zero

The sequence works below zero also, like this:

n= ... −6 −5 −4 −3 −2 −1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 ...

xn = ... −8 5 −3 2 −1 1 0 1 1 2 3 5 8 ...

(Prove to yourself that each number is found by adding up the two numbers before it!)

In fact the sequence below zero has the same numbers as the sequence above zero,
except they follow a +-+- ... pattern. It can be written like this:

x−n = (−1)n+1 xn
Which says that term "−n" is equal to (−1)n+1 times term "n", and the value (−1)n+1 neatly
makes the correct +1, −1, +1, −1, ... pattern.

Mathematics in Modern Word

Name:
ACTIVITY 1:

Write an essay discussing the following ideas:

 What knew ideas in mathematics have you learned or change you previous beliefs about
mathematics?
 What is most useful in mathematics for humankind?

Module 2 & 3: Mathematics of Language and Symbols

Mathematics of Language and Symbols
“The laws of nature are written in the language of mathematics” (Galileo Galilei)

 Language is important to understand and express one’s ideas, feelings or opinion.

Language serves as the transmitter of information and knowledge. It helps us to
construct social identity. Misunderstanding of one’s language leads to confusion and
misconceptions.

 Mathematics has its own language. It was designed so we can write about things (i.e..
numbers, sets, functions, etc.) and can do something (i.e.. add, subtract, multiply,
divide, etc.) on those things. And just like human language, mathematics language
consists of structural rules governing the use of symbols representing mathematical
objects.

Language – is a systematic way of communicating with other people by the use of sounds or
conventional symbols. It is a system of words used in a particular discipline.

Importance of Language

Language was invented to communicate ideas to others (to transmit information), to

understand the expressed ideas, to acquire knowledge or information and to construct social
identity.
Characteristics of the Mathematics Language

 Precise – able to make very fine distinctions or definitions.

 Concise – able to say things briefly.
 Powerful – able to express complex thoughts with relative ease.

Components of the Language of Mathematics

1. Discreteness – conveys that language consists of minimal units.

2. Grammar – tells that language consists of rules and patterns to arrange units.
3. Productivity – shows that languages create totally novel statements that could be
understood.
4. Displacement – reveals that language can convey imaginary, distant, past, present, and
future statements.

The Vocabulary of Mathematics

The language of mathematics has an abundant vocabulary of specialist and technical terms and
also uses symbols instead of words which are essential to the power of modern mathematics.
Some of the symbols commonly used in mathematics are the following:
 The 10 digits: 0, 1, 2,…9
 Symbols for operations and sets: +, -, x, ÷, ∩, ∪, ⊂ , ⊃,etc.
 Symbols that “stand in” for values: x, y, …
 Special symbols: π ,=,< ,≤ , …
 Logic symbols: ˄ ,˅ , ϵ ,𝝨, etc.
 Set notations: N, Z, R, Q, C, etc.

Characteristics and conventions mathematics in the modern world

Characteristics of Modern Mathematics
● Applicability and Effectiveness is a recurring characteristic of mathematics:
mathematical truth turns out to be applicable in very distinct areas of application in
phenomena from across the universe to across the street. 

● Abstraction and Generality is the generalization of myriad particularities. It is the

identification of the essence of the subject, together with a systematic organization
around this essence. By appropriate generalizations, the many and varied details
are organized into a more manageable framework. Work within particular areas of
detail then becomes the area of specialists.
● Simplicity, is a characteristic of mathematics. Yet, for the practitioner of
mathematics, simplicity is a strong part of the culture. Simplicity in what respect?
The mathematician desires the simplest possible single exposition. Through greater
abstraction, a single exposition is possible at the price of additional terminology and
machinery to allow all of the various particularities to be subsumed into the
exposition at the higher level.

●Logical Derivation, Axiomatic Arrangement, inherited from the ancient Greek

tradition of Thales and Pythagoras and are epitomized in the presentation of
Geometry by Euclid (The Elements).

It has not always been this way. The earliest mathematics was firmly empirical,
rooted in man’s perception of number (quantity), space (configuration), time, and
change (transformation). But by a gradual process of experience, abstraction, and
generalization, concepts developed that finally separated mathematics from an
empirical science to an abstract science, culminating in the axiomatic science that it
is today.

● Precision, Correctness, Evolution through Dialectic.

The Language of Mathematics.  

Over the course of the past three thousand years, mankind has developed
sophisticated spoken and written natural languages that are highly effective for
expressing a variety of moods, motives, and meanings. The language in which
Mathematics is done has developed no less, and, when mastered, provides a highly
efficient and powerful tool for mathematical expression, exploration, reconstruction
after exploration, and communication. Its power (when used well) comes from
simultaneously being precise (unambiguous) and yet concise (no superfluities,
nothing unnecessary). But the language of mathematics is no exception to being
used poorly. Just as any language, it can be used well or poorly.

Once correctness in mathematics is separated from empirical evidence and moved

into a model-based or axiomatic framework, the touchstone for correctness
becomes other, carefully selected, statements that capture the essential elements
of the underlying reality: definitions, axioms, previously established theorems. The
language of mathematics, and logical reasoning using that language, form the
everyday working experience of mathematics.

Symbolical mathematics.  

In earlier times, mathematics was in fact, fully verbal. Now, after the dramatic
advances in symbolism that occurred in the mercantile period (1500s),
mathematics can be practiced in an apparent symbolic shorthand, without really the
need for very many words. This, however, is only shorthand. The symbols
themselves require very careful and precise definition and characterization in order
for them to be used, computed with, and allows the results to be correct.

The modern language of working mathematics, as opposed to expository or

pedagogical mathematics, is symbolic, and is built squarely upon the propositional
logic, the first order predicate logic, and the language of sets and functions. 2 The
symbolical mode is one which should be learned by the student and used by the
practitioner of mathematics. It is the clearest, most unambiguous, and so most
precise and therefore demanding language. But, one might say it is a “write only”
language: you don’t want to read it. So, once one has written out ones ideas
carefully this way, then one typically switches to one of the other two styles: direct
or expository, these being the usual methods of communicating with others. 3

Evolution Through Dialectic  

Mathematical definitions, mathematical notions of correctness, the search for First
Principles (Foundations) in Mathematics and the elaboration of areas within
Mathematics have all proceeded in a dialectic fashion, alternating between periods
of philosophical/foundational contentment coupled with active productive work on
the one hand, and the discovery of paradoxes coupled with periods of critical
review, reform, and revision on the other. This dialectical process through its
history has progressively raised the level of rigor of the Mathematics of each era. 4

The level of precision in mathematics increased dramatically during the time of

Cauchy, as those demanding rigor dominated mathematics. There were simply too
many monsters, too many pitfalls and paradoxes from the monsters of functions in
the function theory to the paradoxes and strange nesses in the Fourier analysis and
infinite series, to the paradoxes of set theory and modern logic. The way out was
through subtle concepts, subtle distinctions, requiring careful delineations, all of
which required precision.

A Culture of Precision  
 Mathematical culture is that what you say should be correct. What you say should
have a definition. You should know the definition and limits of what you are saying,
stating, or claiming. The distinction is between mathematics being developed
informally and mathematics being done more formally, with necessary and
sufficient conditions stated up front and restricting the discussion to a particular
class of objects.

Thus, I would argue that the modern mathematical culture of precision arises
because:

1. mathematics has developed a precise, highly symbolic language,

2. mathematical concepts have developed in a dialectic manner that allows
for the adaptation, adjustment and cumulative refinement of concepts
based on experiences, and
3. Mathematical reasoning is expected to be correct.

Four basic concepts of mathematics-addition, subtraction, multiplication, and

division--have application even in the most advanced mathematical theories.

Logic and Formality

What is Logic?
Logic is the study of how to critically think about propositions or statements
that are either true or false. ... This is the way logic works. Logic is very useful in the
world of mathematics. Mathematicians use logic all the time to prove theorems and
other mathematical facts. Logic is the study of formal reasoning based upon
statements or propositions.
Our logical reasoning tips and advice
1. Start with the easiest pattern. In most logical reasoning questions, there will be
multiple logical variables going on in order to determine the correct answer. ...
2. Check the Pattern Works Forwards and Backwards. ...
3. Be Aware of Time. ...
4. Lots of practice.
Mathematical logic used in real life

We can use extremely secure building techniques, but if we use bricks made of

polystyrene we'll never get a very strong building. However, understanding
mathematical logic helps us understand ambiguity and disagreement. It helps us
understand where the disagreement is coming from
What is formality in mathematics in the modern world?
A scientific theory is called "formal" when it is expressed in a form (usually
mathematical) such that there is no ambiguity as to the meaning and implications of its
expressions. ... However, the definition itself contains new expressions which need to
be defined themselves.