CHAPTER ONE

The Nature of Mathematics

Part 1- PATTERNS IN NUMBERS

What is Mathematics?

 Mathematics is an ART.

 Mathematics is a LANGUAGE.

 Mathematics is a SET OF PROBLEM SOLVING TOOLS.

 Mathematics is a STUDY OF PATTERNS.

 Mathematics is a PROCESS OF THINKING.

 “Mathematics is the alphabet with which GOD has written the universe.” - Galileo Galilei

 Mathematics is universal.

 Mathematics is defined as the study of numbers and arithmetic operations. (focusing on “how many”
and “how much” questions)

 Mathematics is an art that studies patterns for predictive purposes and a special language which deals
with form, size and quantity.

What is a pattern?

 repeated decorative design

 regular arrangement

 consistent and recurring characteristics

 mathematical objects arranged according to a rule or sequence

Advantages of Studying Patterns

 Studying patterns allows one to observe, hypothesize, discover and create

 It reveals patterns that help individuals better understand the world (present), predict what comes
next (future), imagine what came before (past), and estimate when the same pattern will occur when
variables are changed.

 Reasoning about sequences of attributes reinforces understanding of number and function. Reasoning
about attributes also leads to better understanding of logic.

 Finding patterns is the “heart” of Mathematics.

Kinds of Patterns

1. Logic Patterns

Logic patterns are usually the first to be observed. Usually as young children we first look at logic
patterns. After all, making categories—doing classification—comes before numeration. We have to be able to
tell which things are blocks before we can learn to count blocks.
 One kind of logic pattern deals with the characteristics of various objects. Another kind deals with
order: there's a sequence of objects and a pattern in the attributes the objects possess. We see this type of
pattern on aptitude tests wherein takers are shown a sequence of pictures and asked to select which figure
comes next among several choices.

Examples:

2. Number Patterns

It is a list of numbers that follow a certain sequence or order. Mathematics is sometimes called the
"Science of Pattern", in the sense of rules that can be applied wherever needed. For example, any sequence of
numbers that may be modelled by a mathematical function can be considered a pattern. Mathematics can be
taught as a collection of patterns.

Examples:

What comes next in the sequence 1, 2, 5, 10, 17, 26 ,…?

What comes next in the sequence 50, 49, 47, 44, 40, 35,…?

What is the missing number in 1, 4, 9, x, 25, 36,…?

3. Geometric Patterns

A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes and typically repeated like a
wallpaper design. Any of the senses may directly observe patterns. Visual patterns are observed in regular
manner. They appear in paintings, drawings, tapestries, wallpapers, tilings and carpets. A pattern does not
need to repeat exactly as long as it provides a way of organizing the artwork.

Example: Piles of Tiles

4. Word Patterns

Often, in mathematics education, we forget how many connections we can make to language arts.
The metrical patterns of poems and the syntactic patterns of how we make nouns plural or verbs past tense
are both word patterns, and each supports mathematical as well as natural language understanding. Patterns
can also be found in language like morphological rules and metrical rules in poetry.

Examples: a) Analogy

leaf: leaves loaf: loaves elf:________

pretty: prettier lovely: lovelier happy:_______

b) Rhyming Pattern in Poetry

Roses are a treat, A

Violets are blue. B

Sugar is sweet, A

And so are you! B

Part 2- FIBONACCI SEQUENCE

Who is Fibonacci?

 Leonardo Pisano (Leonardo of Pisa), better known as Fibonacci (a shortened word for the Latin term
“filius Bonacci” meaning son of Bonaccio), was an Italian mathematician who is most famous for his
Fibonacci sequence and for popularizing the Hindu-Arabic numeral system in Europe.

 In 1225, Fibonacci completed Liber Quadratorum (Book of Square Numbers) which is considered his
masterpiece. The book is a collection of theorems and examines several topics in number theory.

 He was well known during his time, became a guest of Emperor Frederick II and was honored by the
Republic of Pisa. Before Fibonacci, Europe used Roman Numerals which make modern mathematics
almost impossible. He advocated the use of the digits 0–9, and of place value. His also made an
important contribution to the spread of decimal numerals. He is considered “the most talented
Western mathematician of the Middle Ages”.

The Fibonacci Sequence

The Fibonacci sequence is a series of numbers where a number is found by adding up the two numbers before
it.

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597, 2584, 4181, 6765, …

Where is Fibonacci Sequence?

Its application can be seen

on the human body, phenomena, in
nature and in photographs.
Part 3- THE GOLDEN RATIO

What is the golden ratio?

 The golden ratio ϕ (symbol is the Greek letter "phi") is a special number approximately equal to
1.61803398874989484820... named after the Greek sculptor Phidias.

 This is an approximation of the actual golden ratio, which is an irrational number with an infinite
number of digits that is equal to (√5+1)/2.

 the Golden Ratio is also equal to 2 × sin(54°)

 The ratio itself has earned names like Divine and Golden because it has very unique properties in
mathematics and geometry and appears surprising numbers of places in nature.

Where is the golden ratio?

Many buildings and artworks have the Golden Ratio in them, such as the Parthenon in Greece, the
Great Pyramid of Giza, in the human body, in photographs and in sculptures.

The Golden Ratio in Mathematics

1
 it can be defined in terms of itself 𝜙 =1+
𝜙

 It can be expanded into this fraction that goes on forever (called

a "continued fraction") which makes it “the most irrational
number”.

Fibonacci Sequence and the Golden Ratio

 When we take any two successive (one after the other) Fibonacci Numbers, their ratio is very close to
the Golden Ratio. The bigger the number, the closer the fraction to the golden ratio.

Where is Golden Ratio?

 Some artists and architects believe the Golden Ratio makes the most pleasing and beautiful shape.
 Many buildings and artworks have the Golden Ratio in them, such as the Parthenon in Greece, but it is
not really known if it was designed that way.
 Proportions of the human body, such as the face, follows the Divine Proportion; the closer the
proportion of the body parts is to the Golden Ratio, the more aesthetic and beautiful the body is.
Part 4- FRACTALS

What are fractals?

 Fractals are mathematical constructs characterized by self-similarity. Two objects are self-similar if
they can be turned into the same shape by either stretching or shrinking (and sometimes rotating).

 A fractal is “a geometric pattern that is repeated at ever smaller scales to produce irregular shapes
and surfaces that cannot be represented by classical geometry.”

 It comes from Latin adjective “fractus” and verb “frangere” – to break.

Some Popular Fractals

a. The Sierpinski Triangle

 a fractal described in 1915 by Waclaw Sierpinski

 it is a self- similar structure that occurs at different levels of

iterations, or magnifications

b. Pascal’s Triangle

 a pyramid of number starting from one whose elements is from adding the two consecutive numbers
immediately above it
c. Koch Snowflakes d. Fractal Tree e. Barnsley Fern

 Besides beauty, fractals offer mathematical explanations about nature. If you look, you can see fractal
patterns in landscapes, plants and more.

CRITERIA EXEMPLARY
5 4
Procedure The student not only elicits
the correct ideas and
shows evidence of
internalizing these, and
consistently contributes
additional thoughts to the
core idea.
Explanation Explanation is detailed and
Performed clear
Neatness and The work is presented in a
Organization neat/ detailed and
organized fashion that it is
easy to read
Authenticity The output is original and is
not common. Students
show uniqueness in
preparing the output
Conformity The output strictly follows
the given instructions.
RUBRICS FOR GRADING
SATISFACTORY DEVELOPING BEGINNING
3 2
The student not only The student elicits the The student do not
elicits the correct ideas correct ideas and shows elicit the correct ideas
and shows evidence of correct understanding. and do not show
internalizing these. correct
understanding.
Explanation is clear Explanation is a little too Explanation is difficult
difficult to understand to understand
The work is presented The work is presented in The work appears
in a neat and organized a neat and organized sloppy and
fashion that it is easy to fashion but maybe hard unorganized. It is hard
read to read to know what
information goes
together
The output is original The output is not There is no evidence
but is commonly original and is commonly of authenticity.
observed. observed.
The output follows the The output contains Majority of the input
instructions but missing or excessive does not follow the
contains some input. given format.
information irrelevant
to the topic.