GE 3 │ MATHEMATICS IN THE

MODERN WORLD

WEEK: _1__

STUDENT’S NAME: __________________________________________

YEAR AND SECTION: __________________________________________

DATE RECEIVED: __________________________________________

TEACHER’S NAME: __________________________________________

 I. Overview

Although Mathematics is possibly one of the most underappreciated sciences, it is inseparable

part of our lives, no matter where we are. Whether you aspire to study sociology, psychology, physics,
biology or even economics, Math is taken in high regard, and you will be called on to solve various Math
problems, as part of your work. It helps us do many different tasks every day in our home, school,
community and the likes, whether you notice it or not.

Can you relate Mathematics in the given figures below? If yes, then it shows that Mathematics is
indeed everywhere in this world.

Even without doing anything at all, we can still appreciate Math in everything we see around us
through the patterns in nature and environment.

II. Learning Outcomes

At the end of the session, the learners are expected to:

1. Identify patterns in nature and regularities in the world.
2. Articulate the importance of Mathematics in one’s life.
3. Argue about the nature of Mathematics, what it is, how is it expressed, represented and used.

III.Discussion and
Self-Assessment
Activities(SAA)

What patterns
can we find in
nature?

Nature abounds in spectral colors and intricate shapes- the zebra’s coat, sunflower arcs or spirals,
ripples of desert dunes, the repeating patterns of ferns and a lot more. These creations challenge our
understanding as to how these patterns or regular, repeated, recurring forms or designs are formed.

Many patterns we can see around us have symmetry like the following illustrations.
 We may have often heard of the term ‘symmetry’ in our life which means a balanced and
proportionate similarity found in two halves of an object (one-half is the mirror image of the other half or
made up of exactly similar parts facing each other or around an axis). And a shape that is not symmetrical
is referred to as asymmetrical.

Line of symmetry is the imaginary line or axis along which you fold a figure to obtain the
symmetrical halves. It basically divides an object into two mirror-image halves. The line of symmetry can be
vertical, horizontal or diagonal. There may be one or more lines of symmetry.

Symmetry could either be reflexive or rotational. Reflexive symmetry (reflective or line symmetry) is
present if an object is symmetrical about a dotted line which divides it into two equal halves while rotational
symmetry is present when an object is rotated about an axis and it appears exactly the same as it did before
rotation.
The fixed point (which the rotation occurs) around an object with rotational symmetry is called the centre
of rotation. The angle of turning during rotation is called the angle of rotation. A square that is rotated by 90
degrees appears the same after rotation. This means, the angle of rotation for a square is 90 degrees. Likewise,
a regular hexagon has an angle of symmetry as 60 degrees and so on. Do you have any idea what is the angle
of rotation of a regular heptagon? The number of positions in which a figure can be rotated and still appears
exactly as it did before the rotation, is called the order of symmetry. The order of symmetry of a starfish is 5
since it can be rotated 5 times along its tip and look at the same every time.

Reflexive

Rotational

Another amazing pattern seen in nature is the hexagonal honeycombs.

Bees could build honeycombs But, still, they always choose Can you tell us why we
from rectangles or squares or the perfect hexagons, that is, all always have to choose
triangles. six sides are of equal length. the perfect hexagon?

You can watch the video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrfoYiVnWCg. (This part is optional)

 We can say that hexagonal formation is more optimal in making use of available space which
answered the packing problem of bees.Mathematically speaking, using hexagons will cover a larger area
than when using squares or other shapes.

On many plants, the number of petals has a pattern.

Furthermore, when one observes the heads of sunflowers, one notices two series of curves, one
winding in one sense and one in another; the number of spirals not being the same in each sense. The
same for pinecones and diagonals of a pineapple: why do they have either 8 spirals from one side and 13
from the other, or either 5 spirals from one side and 8 from the other? These are Fibonacci numbers and
belong to Fibonacci sequence. Each number in the sequence is the sum of the two numbers that precede
it. So, the sequence goes: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34 and so on. The mathematical equation describing it
is Xn+2= Xn+1 + Xn. Can you figure out the next few numbers?

When we make squares with those widths, we get a nice spiral which is a pattern observed in
snail’s shell.

Surprisingly, we can calculate Fibonacci numbers using the golden ratio (φ=1.618034…)
φ𝑛 −(1−φ)𝑛
xn =
√5

Example: What is the 12th Fibonacci number?

1.61803412 −(1−1.618034)12
x12=
√5

321.993815...
=
√5

= 144.000011

Which is approximately equal to 144.

Another way to solve for the Fibonacci number is by multiplying the previous Fibonacci
number by the golden ratio.

What is x12 if x11=89?

x12= 89 x 1.618034…= 144.005026 or approximately 144.

Mathematics has numerous applications in the world making it indispensable. It helps organize
patterns and regularities in the world, control nature and occurrences in the world for our own ends and
predict the behavior and nature of phenomena in the world. One of which concerns the world population.

According to the most recent United Nations estimates elaborated by Worldometer, the current
human world population as of August 2020 is 7.8 billion. This concept is modelled in Mathematics.
 From the given chart, we can say that there is an increasing trend every year in the number of
population. According to Snider, “studying how and why populations grow (or shrink!) helps scientists make
better predictions about future changes in population sizes and growth rates. This is essential for
answering questions in areas such as biodiversity conservation and human population growth (how fast will
the human population grow, and what does that mean for climate change, resource use, and biodiversity).”

Here is a very useful equation that will help us solve problems involving population growth.
A= Pert
where A= size of the population after it grows
P= the initial number of people
r= rate of growth
t= time
e= Euler’s constant equivalent to an approximate value of 2.718

Example: The exponential growth model A= 30e0.02t describes the population of a city in the
Philippines in thousands, t years after 1995.
a. What was the population of the city in 1995?
Solution: Here t= 0 (Why?)
0.02(0)
A= 30e
A= 30e0 (Why?)
A= 30(1) (Why?)
A= 30 thousands or 30, 000
b. What will be the population in 2017?
Solution: Here t= 22 (Why?)
A= 30e0.02(22)
A= 30e0.44 (Why?)
A= 30(1.55) (Why?)
A= 46.58 thousands or 46,580

With the help of Mathematics, we can predict future population size. Thus, we can plan the
necessary actions ahead of time.
 IV. Summary/Key
Points

In general, nature or environment makes use of patterns, like the tiger’s stripes and hyena’s spots, the
snowflakes, honeycomb, sunflower, snail shell and even the world’s population and weather. By exploring the nature,
we go beyond the typical understanding of Mathematics as a set of formulas but a source of aesthetics. Finding out
what the rules and the physical laws that generate the patterns is what mathematicians are looking for. All what is
required is to detect a pattern and then ask the question "why”?

V. End of Module
Assessment (EMA)

A. Identify what symmetry is observed in each item. Write reflective or rotational. If the
figure illustrates rotational symmetry, identify its order and angle of rotation.
1 2 3 4 5

B. A= 50e0.07t describes the population of the city in the Philippines in thousands, t years after 1997.
6. What is the population after 20 years?
7. What is the population in 2037?

C. In a clean short bond paper, create your own design/ pattern illustrating rotational symmetry whose order is not
less than 5.

RUBRICS

CRITERIA POINTS
Creativity (unique, detailed, interesting, own idea) 3
Craftsmanship (neat, clear, consistent) 3
Colorful (balanced, meaningful, appropriate) 2
Completeness (followed directions) 2
TOTAL 10

VI. Looking Ahead

List down 10 symbols used in Mathematics.

VII. Self and Module

Evaluation

Rate your learning experience in using this module according to the following scale.

Put a check mark on your response.

 4 – I learned a lot from this module.

 3 – I learned just right.
 2 – I still need guidance on certain topics.
 1 – I did not understand anything.
VIII. References

Retrieved from:

https://www.niu.edu/mathmatters/everyday-life/index.shtml
https://www.superprof.co.uk/blog/maths-in-daily-life/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symmetry
https://byjus.com/maths/symmetry/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrfoYiVnWCg
https://www.npr.org/sections/krulwich/2013/05/13/183704091/what-is-it-about-bees-and-hexagons
https://www.popmath.org.uk/rpamaths/rpampages/sunflower.html
https://www.livescience.com/37470-fibonacci-sequence.html
https://ourworldindata.org/world-population-growth
https://www.worldometers.info/world-population/
https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/library/an-introduction-to-population-growth-84225544/
https://euro-math-soc.eu/review/beauty-numbers-nature
https://www.google.com/search?q=rubrics+for+artwork&tbm=isch&hl=en&chips=q:rubrics+for+artwork,g_1:simple
:iIddtDSXTEg%3D&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj7zObj8KTrAhUnzIsBHUPvDrEQ4lYoAXoECAEQFw&biw=1349
&bih=657#imgrc=DnINIjO-mcOoLM