The Nature of Mathematics

Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences

College of Arts, Sciences and Education

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 Objectives

Math is all around us, in everything we do, the backbone

of whatever we use, including mobile devices,
architecture (ancient and modern), art, money,
engineering, and even sports. The needs of math arose
based on the wants of society. The more complex a
society, the more complex the mathematical needs.

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 Objectives

At the end of this section, you are expected to:

1 Identify patterns in nature and regularities in the
world.
2 Argue about the nature of mathematics, what is it,
how it is expressed, represented, and used.
3 Apply geometric concepts, especially isometries in
describing and creating designs.
4 Articulate the importance of mathematics in one’s
life.

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 What is Mathematics?

What is Mathematics?

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 What is Mathematics?

”Human mind and culture have developed a formal

system of thouhgt for recognizing, classifying, and
exploiting patterns called mathematics (Stewart, p.1)

The origin of counting

Geometric patterns
Patterns of movements
A tool to quantify, organize and control our world,
control phenomena, and make life easier for us

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 Where is Mathematics?

Where is Mathematics?

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 Where is Mathematics?

We see hints or clues of it in nature

In our daily routine
In our work
In people and communities
In events

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 What is Mathematics for?

What is Mathematics
for?

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 What is Mathematics for?

helps unravel the puzzles of nature, a useful way to

think about nature
helps organize patterns and regularities as well as
irregularities in the world
helps predict the behavior of nature and phenomena
in the world
helps control nature and occurrences in the world
for our own ends as weather and epidemics
provides tools for calculations
provides new questions to think about
Mathematics has numerous applications in the world
making it indispensable

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 What is Mathematics about?

What is Mathematics
about?

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 What is Mathematics about?

Numbers, symbols, notations

Operations, equations, and functions
Proof - a story rather than a sequence of statements

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 What is Mathematics about?

Example:
For all x in A there exists y in B, such thatf (x) = y .

∀x ∈ A ∃y ∈ B, 3 f (x) = y

where
∀ ”for all”
∈ ”in or element”
∃ ”there exists/for some”
3 ”such that”

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 How is Mathematics done?

How is Mathematics
done?

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 How is Mathematics done?

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

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 Who uses Mathematics?

Who uses Mathematics?

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 Who uses Mathematics?

mathematicians: pure and applied

scientists: natural and social
EVERYONE but, different people use different
mathematics at different times, for different
purposes, using different tools

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 Why is Mathematics importnat to know?

Why is Mathematics
importnat to know?

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 Why is Mathematics importnat to know?

it puts order in disorder

it helps us to become a better persons
it helps make the world a better place to live

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 The Nature of Mathematics

The Nature of
Mathematics

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Fibonacci sequence,

0+1=1
0 1+1=2
0 1 1+2=3
0 1 1 2+3=5
0 1 1 2 3+5=8
etc.

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

610 987
The Fibonacci sequence is ”an infinite sequence of natual numbers
where the first value is 0, the next is 1 and from there, each amount
is obtained by adding the previous two.”

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Fibonacci Sequence
The Fibonacci sequence was invented
by the Italian Leonardo Pisano Bigollo
(1180-1250), who is known as in mathematical
histroy by several names: Leonardo of Pisa
(Pisano means ”from Pisa”) and Fibonacci
(which means ”son of Bonacci”).
The Fibonacci sequence was the outcome
of a mathematical problem about rabbit
breeding.

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Fibonacci Sequence
THE PROBLEM
WITH RABBIT

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Fibonacci Sequence
PUZZLE: Form a rectangle using all of the squares.

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Fibonacci Sequence
PUZZLE: Correct Answer!.

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Fibonacci Sequence

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Fibonacci Sequence
Fibonacci Spiral (Vila)

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Nautilus Spiral (Vila)

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Golden Spiral (Vila)

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Nautilus Spiral (Vila)

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Golden Ratio

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Golden Ratio
Relationship between fibonacci sequence and golden ratio

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Golden Ratio
Golden Ratio is a proportion equal to 1:1.618

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Golden Ratio (In Structure)

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Golden Ratio (In Nature)

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Golden Ratio (Face)

Get a ruler then measure the distance from your eyes
to nose base, let us say that is B, then measure the
distance from your nose base to bottom lips, let us say
A. Or measure the distance from your eyes to lips,
say B, then from lips to bottom chin, say A. If the
quotient between B and A, B A
is equal to 1.618 then
you have” a perfect face or ”certified beautiful!

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Geometry in Painting

The Bayeux Tapestry (11th century)

work before the introduction of geometry (people are as tall as the

castle)

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Geometry in Painting

Leonardo da Vinci, ”The Last Supper” (c. 1498)

Painting on a canvas (2D) with (3D) effect.

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Supplementary Materials:
https://www.mathsisfun.com/numberpatterns.html
https://math.temple.edu/ reich/Fib/fibo.html

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 The Nature of Mathematics

TASK 1

This activity allows you to see the mathematics present/used in a

chosen object or activity.
Upload a picture of you and the object/activity. You may
show in the picture how/where/what is the mathematics
present in it or you may write 2-3 sentences explaining the
mathematics in it.
Filename: Task Section FAMILY NAME (Task1 E2 Guevarra)
July 8, 2022
To submit not later than February 28, 2022
Submission Platform: MS Teams Assignment

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 The Nature of Mathematics

Samples!

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Samples!

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Samples!

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Samples!

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TASK 2

In not more than 5 sentences, answer the question:

After reading the material and complying your task 1, what is
it about mathematics that might have changed your thoughts
about it?
Submit a pdf or a picture of handwritten reflection.
Filename: Task Section FAMILY NAME (Task2 E2 Guevarra)
June 29, 2022
To submit not later than February 28, 2022
Submission Platform: MS Teams Assignment

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