NOTES IN MTHS101

The Nature of Mathematics

Mathematics in Our World

Fibonacci Sequence (Vila)

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597 infinite numbers……

The Fibonacci sequence is "an infinite sequence of natural numbers where the first value is 0, the
next is 1 and, from there, each amount is obtained by adding the previous two."

Fibonacci Spiral (Vila)

Nautilus Spiral (Vila) Golden Spiral (Vila)

Nautilus Shell (Vila) – neither a Fibonacci spiral nor a golden spiral

Golden Rectangle (Vila)

Golden Ratio (Vila)

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Relationship between Fibonacci sequence and Golden Ratio (Vila)

Which of the following is/are TRUE about the Golden ratio phi? (Let p = phi) *
 p = 1/(p - 1)

In Vila's short video "Nature by Numbers", what was used to illustrate the Golden
Angle? *
 Sunflower Seed Layout
In Vila's short video "Nature by Numbers", what was used to illustrate Voronoi
Tesellations and Delaunay Triangulation? *
 Sunflower Seed Layout

Golden Angle (Vila)

Arrangement of sunflower seeds (Vila)

Fibonacci numbers and the spiral patterns of sunflower seeds (Vila)

Voronoi Tesellation (Vila) Delaunay Triangulation (Vila)

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Delaunay Condition (Vila) Dragonfly Wing (Vila)

Mathematical Language and Symbols

Exercises
Translate each of the following phrases into a mathematical expression. Use as few
variables as possible.
1. the sum of a number and 6 x+6

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2. the product of two numbers xy
3. three times the sum of two numbers 3(x+y)
4. eight less than a number x-8
5. five more than four times a number 4x+5
6. the sum of the squares of two numbers x2+y2
7. one-eight of a number x/8
8. three less than twice a number 2x-3

One-half of Heather's age two years from now plus one-third of her age three years ago is twenty
years. Express this sentence in mathematical symbol. (Use the small letter "x" for the age).
Correct answers (1/2)(x + 2) + (1/3)(x - 3) = 20 or (1/2)(x+2)+(1/3)(x-3)=20

Express the phrase "nine less than the total of a number and five" as symbols. (Use small
letter "x" for the number). (x+5)-9

Express the phrase "the difference of 5 and y" as symbols. 5-y

Implications
Hypothetical
1.If a figure is a square, then it is a Sufficiency
rectangle. 6.A sufficient condition for a figure to be a
2.A figure is a square only if it is a rectangle. rectangle is that it be a square.
3.A figure is a rectangle whenever it is a
square. Conjunctive
7.A figure cannot be a square and fail to be a
Categorical rectangle.
4.All squares are rectangles.
Disjunctive
Necessity 8.A figure is either a rectangle or it is not a
5.For a figure to be a square, it must square
necessarily be a rectangle.

Functions
Afunction f assigns each element x of set A to a unique element, y
of set B, written, y = f (x ).

Example
y = f (x ) = x 2
Domain: {−2, −1, 0, 1, 2}
Range: {0, 1, 4}

Some difficulties in Mathematical Language

 the word "is" could mean equality, inequality, or membership of a set
 different uses of a number:
cardinal – no. of people inside a meeting
ordinal – 1st, 2nd, 3rd….
nominal – No. 8, 16,24 (naming)
 mathematical objects may be represented in many ways, such as sets and functions
 the word "and" (intersection ; in logic: conjunction) and "or" (union/disjunction) mean
differently in Mathematics from its English use

Mathematical Logic
Symbolic Logic
- allows us to determine the validity of arguments in and out of mathematics
- it illustrates the importance of precision and conciseness of the language of
mathematics

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Statement or Proposition
- a declarative sentence that is either true or false but not both true and false
- must express a complete thought

Simple Statements and Compound Statements

(Aufmann, et. al, 2013)

Simple Statement- a statement that conveys a single idea

Compound Statement- a statement that conveys two or more ideas
Example:
simple: I will attend the meeting simple: I will go to school.
compound: I will attend the meeting or I will go to school.

Logical Connectives and Symbols

Statement Connective Symbolic form Type of statement
not p not ¬p negation
p and q and p∧q conjunction
p or q or p∨q disjunction
If p, then q If · · · then p→q conditional
p if and if and only if p↔q biconditional
only if q

Truth Value and Truth Tables

The truth value of a simple statement is either true (T) or false (F).
The truth value of a compound statement depends on the truth values of its simple
statements and its connectives.
A truth table is a table that shows the truth value of a compound statement for all possible truth
values of its simple statements.

Truth Tables

Compound Statements and Grouping Symbols

Symbolic Form The parentheses indicate that:
p ∧ (q ∨ ¬r ) q and ¬r are grouped together.
(p (p ∧ q) ∨ r p and q are grouped together.
∧ ¬q) → (r ∨ s) rp and ¬a q are grouped together.
and s re also grouped together.

English sentence The comma indicates that:

p, and q or not r. q and ¬r are grouped together because
they are both on the same side of the comma.
p and q, or r. p and q are grouped together because
they are both on the same side of the comma.

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 If p and not q, p and q are grouped together because
then r or s. they are both to the left of the comma. r
and s are grouped together because they
are both to the right of the comma.
Inductive Reasoning

Conditional and Biconditional Statement

Conditional:( p → q)
 1.If n is a prime number greater than 2, then n is an odd number.
 2.If 6 > 5, then 2 + 3 = 7
 3.If 1 is a negative number, then 3 > 5.
Biconditional: (p ↔ q)
 x + 5 = 8 if and only if x = 3
 x 2 = 25 if and only if x = 5.

Truth Value of the Conditional Statement

The conditional p → q is false if p is true and q is false. It is true in
Truth Value of a Conjunction
The conjunction p ∧ q is true if and only if both p and q are true.
Truth Value of a Disjunction
The disjunction p ∨ q is true if and only if p is true, q is true, or both

Related Statements to Conditional Statement

The converse of p → q is q → p.
The inverse of p → q is ¬p → ¬q.
The contrapositive of p → q is ¬q → ¬p.

Conditional Statements
Implication: If P then Q
 P is the antecedent or hypothesis
 Q is the consequent or conclusion
Converse: If Q then P
Inverse: If not P then not Q
Contrapositive: If not Q then not P
Example:
If you are more than 60 years old, then you are entitled to a Senior Citizen’s card.
Converse: If you are entitled to a Senior Citizen’s card, then you are more than 60 years
old.
Inverse: If you are 60 years old or below, then you are not entitled to a Senior Citizen’s card.
Contrapositive: If you are not entitled to a Senior Citizen’s card, then you are 60 years
old or below.

Problem Solving and Reasoning

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Inductive Reasoning
Inductive Reasoning is the process of reaching a general conclusion by
examining specific examples.

Example:
1. Find the next number in the following number sequences.
a.13 , 14, 18, 27, 43, 68
b.7 , 16, 29, 46, 67, 92
c.0 , 6, 24, 60, 120, 210

2. Use inductive reasoning to make a conjecture.

Pick a number. Multiply the number by 8, add 6 to the product, divide the sum by 2,
and subtract 3.
Solution:
Suppose I pick 8 as my original number. Then the procedure would produce the following
results:
Original number: 8
Multiply by 8: 8x8 = 64
Add 6: 64+6 = 70
Divide by 2: 70/2 = 35
Subtract by 3: 35-3 = 32
CONJECTURE: Given this procedure produces a number that is four times the original
number.

3. A tsunami is a sea wave produced by an underwater Velocity Height

earthquake. The height of a tsunami as it (feet per second) (feet)
approaches land depends on the velocity of the
tsunami, given in the table 6 4
a.What happens to the height of a tsunami
when its velocity is doubled? WHEN 9 9
THE VELOCITY IS DOUBLED, THE 12 16
HEIGHT INCREASES FOUR TIMES 15 25
b.What should be the height 18 36
of a tsunami if its velocity is 30 feet per 21 49
second? 100
24 64

Deductive Reasoning
Deductive Reasoning is the process of reaching a conclusion by
applying general assumptions, procedures, or principles.

Example:
1. Use deductive reasoning to show that the following procedure produces a number
that is four times the original number.
Procedure: Pick a number. Multiply the number by 8, add 6 to the product, divide the
sum by 2, and subtract 3.
Solution:
Let n represent the original number. Then the procedure would produce the following results:
Original number: n
Multiply by 8: 8n
Add 6: 8n + 6
8n + 6
Divide by 2: = 4n + 3
Subtracted by 3: 4n + 3 − 3 = 4n

2.Each of four neighbors, Sean, Maria, Sarah, and Brian, has a different occupation (editor,
banker, chef, or dentist). From the following clues, determine the occupation of each

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 neighbor.
a.Maria gets home from work after the banker but before the dentist.
b.Sarah, who is the last to get home from work, is not the editor. c.The dentist and
Sarah leave for work at the same time.
d.The banker lives next door to Brian.
Editor Banker Chef Dentist
Sean ♠ ♥ ♠ ▲
Maria ♥ ♣ ♠ ♣
Sarah □ □ ♥ ♠
Brian ♠ ▲ ♠ ♥

Inductive Reasoning vs Deductive Reasoning

Determine whether each of the following arguments is an example of inductive reasoning
or deductive reasoning.
1. During the past 10 years, a tree has produced plums every other year. Last year the tree
did not produce plums, so this year the tree will produce plums. INDUCTIVE
2. All home improvements cost more than the estimate. The contractor estimated
that my home improvement will cost $35,000. Thus my home improvement will
cost more than $35,000. DEDUCTIVE
3. All Gillian Flynn novels are worth reading. The novel Gone Girl is a Gillian Flynn
novel. Thus Gone Girl is worth reading. DEDUCTIVE
4. I know I will win a jackpot on this slot machine in the next 10 tries, because it has
not paid out any money during the last 45 tries. INDUCTIVE

KenKen Puzzle
 An arithmetic-based logic puzzle that was
invented by the Japanese mathematics teacher
Tetsuya Miyamoto in 2004.
 The noun “ken” has “knowledge” and
“awareness” as synonyms (KenKen ~
knowledge squared or awareness squared).
 Similar to Sudoku puzzles, but they also
require you to perform arithmetic to solve the
puzzle.

Problem Solving with Patterns

Definition
Y Asequenceis an ordered list of numbers.
Y The numbers in a sequence that are separated by commas are
thetermsof the sequence (we usean to designate the nth term of a
sequence).

Assume the pattern shown by the square tiles in the following figures continues.
a.What is the nth term formula for the number of tiles in the nth figure of the sequence?

b.How many tiles are in the eighth figure of the sequence?

c.Which figure will consist of exactly 320 tiles?

Determine the nth-term formula for the number of square tiles in the nth figure.

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