BULACAN STATE UNIVERSITY

COLLEGE OF SCIENCE

MMW 101
MATHEMATICS IN THE MODERN WORLD

Module 1
Patterns and Numbers in Nature
and the World
“Seeing a New Yet the Same World
Through Mathematics”
 1

Overview

To most of us, the common concept of mathematics is that it is all about

numbers and their operations. The usual reaction is that mathematics is a difficult
subject, disliked, and even hated.
However, that concept is just one aspect of mathematics because it also
pertains to

As we journey in this module, be aware and open

a study of patterns,
a language,
your mind to the different patterns around you.
a set of problem-solving tools,
a process of thinking, and
an art.

Have you ever tried counting the petals of flower blossoms around your
community? How you ever wondered why bees made honeycombs in such shape and
structure? Do you admire the architectural design, the design motifs, or the textiles'
intricate patterns? Was there ever a time when you are amazed and expressed
appreciation for the beauty of things around you, especially in nature?

If not, you are welcome to take a closer look at your surroundings. Discover the
patterns, relationships, and connections explored and studied by mathematicians to
show the roles that mathematics plays in human beings' lives and undertakings.
Let us create a new look and understanding of the world by going through this
module.

Objectives of the Module

At the end of the module, you should be able to:
1. identify patterns seen in the environment,
2. distinguish and analyze the different types of patterns, and
3. analyze logic and number patterns.
 2

1. Patterns in Nature
We see a great diversity of living things all around us, from the microscopic to
the gigantic, from the simple to the complex, from bright colors to dull ones. Do you
agree that the most intriguing things we see in nature are patterns? But before
answering that question, let me give you a hint:
The regularities that we see in the forms of the things in the natural world are
considered patterns in nature. 1

The following are some natural patterns that we can observe in our
environment.

Types of Natural Patterns

1. Symmetry. There is symmetry if an imaginary line is drawn across an object,
the resulting parts are mirrors of each other, like the following figures.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mjUn-SyYEio/TVePvtg-_pI/AAAAAAAAAgo/RpQz3e8GzS4/s1600/symmetry.JPG

2. Spiral. It is a curved pattern that focuses on a center point and a series of

circular shapes that revolve around it.2 This is common in plants and some
animals.

3. Meander is a series of regular sinuous curves, bends, loops, turns, or windings

in the channel of a river, stream, or other watercourses. It is produced by a
stream or river swinging from side to side as it flows across its floodplain or
shifts its channel within a valley.3

1"Patterns in nature - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patterns_in_nature. Accessed 12 Sep.

2020.
2 "Math Patterns in Nature | The Franklin Institute." https://www.fi.edu/math-patterns-nature. Accessed 12 Sep.
2020.
3 "Meander - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meander. Accessed 10 Aug.
2020.
 3

4. Cracks are linear openings that form in materials to relieve stress. The pattern
of cracks indicates whether the material is elastic or not. 4
5. Stripe is a strip or band that has a different color from the surface surrounding
it. This may be seen in various living things, especially animals.

Examples: Look at some of the typical examples of natural patterns in the following:
Symmetry
Amazon Lily Pad Butterfly Dragon Fly

https://www.reddit.com/r/oddlysatisfying/comment https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/454582774 https://i.pinimg.com/736x/75/98/f0/7598f

s/a34icr/bottom_of_an_amazon_lily_pad/ 62777265/ 050a5efe4442259c6f53f1a3932--teal-
blue-bokeh.jpg

Spirals
Aloe polyphylla Tendrils Navy red flower

https://bozannical.com/2011/09/20/fibonacci- https://www.pinterest.ph/joannehunt22/te https://tse3.mm.bing.net/th?id=OIP.za_hi3OxvVUc

fascination/fiboromanesque/ ndrils-and-ferns/ FltuRr4qRQAAAA&pid=Api&P=0&w=198&h=159

Millipede Chameleon’s tail Ram’s horns

https://fineartamerica.com/featured/curled- https://www.wikiwand.com/en/Patterns_in_nature https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/2111131045242170/

millipede-james-l-davidson.html

Meander

https://geography-revision.co.uk/a-level/physical/meander/ https://dissolve.com/stock-photo/Meandering-river-aerial-Tambopata-
National-Reserve-rights-managed-image/102-D1024-58-596

4 "Crack Propagation - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics." https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-

planetary-sciences/crack-propagation. Accessed 12 Sep. 2020.
 4

Cracks

https://stockfresh.com/image/5456010/the-cracks-texture https://www.squaretrade.com/en-gb/node/663

Stripes
emperor angelfish zebra tiger heliconius charithonia

https://www.fishkeepingworld.com https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/a http://www.catherinejenkins.com/cre https://www.pikist.com/free-photo-

/wp- rticle-2908552/So-S-zebra-got-stripes- ative-academic-writing-animals- xmvug
content/uploads/2018/04/Emperor Alternating-pattern-absorbs-reflects-heat- different-stripes/
-Angelfish-Three.png create-air-conditioning.html

Notes:
1. Some patterns cannot be seen because they are already parts of human
experience like, for example, the water cycle of evaporation, condensation, and
precipitation. With this knowledge, people were able to understand the world better
and make intuitive decisions to improve the ability to forecast weather, climate, water
resources, and the ecosystem's health.
2. Regardless of the purpose by which natural patterns served, such as for
camouflage, for adaptation to the environment, or they are caused by natural
phenomena, all of them are considered to be closely related to mathematics.

2. Other Types of Patterns

Aside from the natural patterns, you can also come across four (4) main types
of patterns in which you are also familiar with or if not, now is the time to know them.
 5

2.1 Logical Patterns

Logic reasoning and pattern observing are the first two math standards, which
are the most important measurement of IQ and the core component of many careers. 5
Logical patterns are usually the first to be observed since making categories or
classification comes before numeration. For children, logical patterns include studying
shapes and colors. For older ones, logic tests can be seen on aptitude tests wherein
takers are shown a sequence of pictures and asked to select which figure comes next
among several choices.

To identify logic patterns, you have to look out four (4) things, namely:
(1) rotating shapes
(2) increase and decrease in numbers of shapes or patterns
(3) alternating patterns, colors, and shapes
(4) mirror images or reflections
In solving problems in logical reasoning, you have to look for patterns or rules
and identify which object does follow those patterns or rules.
Here are some examples.
1.) Identify the missing square.

In this item, you have to look for the following:

1. Relative Positional Rule: This is how the black square is positioned
inside each box.

5 "Common Core State Standards for Mathematics." http://www.corestandards.org/wp-

content/uploads/Math_Standards.pdf. Accessed 6 Aug. 2020.
 6

2. Movement Rule: This pertains to how the square moves in each box, in
the clockwise direction.
3. The arrows in the first and third columns are reflections of one another.
Considering the above conditions, C is the missing square in the last
row.6

2.) Which figure completes the sequence?

In this item it is observed that the rectangles are positioned from top to bottom
alternately. The number of squares increase by one in each frame. The correct
answer is A.
3.) Which frame comes next?

In each frame, black and white squares are placed alternately from top to
bottom while the number of squares is increasing by one from the first to the fourth
frame. The answer is A.

4.) Which frame will complete the statement?

Here you have to consider the rotation of the elements. Notice that the elements
rotate in a counterclockwise direction. The answer, therefore, is C.

6 "Logical Reasoning Test ▷ 10 Practice Questions & 5 Key Tips." 27 Jul. 2020,
https://www.wikijob.co.uk/content/aptitude-tests/test-types/logical-reasoning/. Accessed 3 Aug. 2020.
 7

5.) Which figure completes the grid?

Notice the following from the given:

● Each column consists of four shapes: circle, diamond, crescent, and
square.
● In each row, a shape is repeated. Take note of the repeated shapes:
square in row 1, diamond in row 2, square in row 4. This leads us to
choices A and B.
● Since the four shapes must be present in each column, therefore the
answer is A.7

Aside from the examples presented above, there are still numerous examples
under the first type of pattern. Can you think of your own example of this type of
pattern?

2.2 Geometric Patterns

A geometric pattern consists of shapes like

polygons and circles that are repeated to
create a design.8 Geometric patterns can be
seen in nature and in different artworks.
Examples of these patterns are also found in
textiles, floor tiles, paintings, and wallpapers.

https://www.skillshare.com/classes/Geometric-Patterns-101-
Triangular-Patterns/2067034929?via=blog-
internal&coupon=blog1month

7 "Abstract Reasoning Tests: 90 Free Questions With ... - WikiJob." 12 Jun. 2020, https
://www.wikijob.co.uk/content/aptitude-tests/test-types/abstract-reasoning/. Accessed 3 Aug. 2020.
8 "40 Beautiful Geometric Patterns and How to Apply Them to ...." https://visme.co/blog/geometric-patterns/.
Accessed 5 Aug. 2020.
 8

Presented in the succeeding pages are examples of Geometric Patterns.

Tessellations
A tessellation is a pattern that is formed by repeating polygons to cover a plane
so that there are no gaps or overlaps. Some examples showing tessellations are the
honeycombs made by honey bees and scales of fish.

http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/articles/he https://i.pinimg.com/736x/37/ee/55/37ee5583d
alth_and_science/science/2015/07/150721_SCI_H 54187db47e3d7a2aaf592f5.jpg
ex-Honeycomb.jpg.CROP.promo-large.jpg

It may be a regular tessellation (where a regular polygon is repeated) or a semi-

regular tessellation (with two or more regular polygons being repeated).9

https://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/tessellation.html

Fractals
A fractal is a never-ending pattern. It can be formed by continuously repeating
something.10 Because of these continuous repetitions, fractals are considered to be
self-similar. Each part of the object is similar to the whole object.
Some famous fractals are the Sierpinski Triangle, Pascal's Triangle, Koch
Snowflake, and Fractal Tree.

Sierpinski Triangle

The Sierpinski triangle is a fractal that is named after the Polish mathematician
Waclaw Franciszek Sierpinski.

9 https://www.mathsisfun.com/geometry/tessellation.html
10 https://study.com/academy/lesson/fractals-in-math-definition-description.html
 9

To draw the Sierpinski triangle, start with an equilateral triangle. Mark the
midpoint of each side and connect these points. Four triangles are now formed.
Repeat the procedures to each of the triangles formed except for the middle triangle.

https://fractalformulas.wordpress.com/2017/12/18/sierpinski-triangle/

Pascal's Triangle
The Pascal's triangle contains the numerical coefficients of binomial
expansions. The triangle below shows the coefficients of (𝑥 + 𝑦)0 up to (𝑥 + 𝑦)17 .

https://byjus.com/maths/pascals-triangle/
 10

In the Pascal's triangle, the Sierpinski triangle can also be drawn by connecting
or shading the odd numbers.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/87/Sierpinski_Pascal_triangle.svg/220px-Sierpinski_Pascal_triangle.svg.png

Fractal Tree
To construct a fractal tree, start at some point and draw a line segment. From
an endpoint, draw two branches at a certain angle. Repeat the previous step to the
new endpoints and continue the process to make more branches. 11

Bricault, S. (2016). Basic Fractal Tree. Sarah Bricault. Retrieved July 6, 2022, from http://bricault.mit.edu/recursive-
drawing?fbclid=IwAR0a1v_KjUy6xOUiTClSL94PhuruNmqGKO5QHs2Y42ruabVB7UfPZhNqu9Q

11 (2020, March 1). How to Make a Tree With Fractals | WIRED. Retrieved August 6, 2020, from
https://www.wired.com/story/how-to-make-a-tree-with-fractals/
 11

Koch Snowflake
In drawing a Koch Snowflake, one needs to start by drawing an equilateral
triangle. Then, divide each side into three equal parts. After that, draw an equilateral
triangle on each middle part.

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/3b/9d/58/3b9d5827fbc4b0291eca7ec233c42663.jpg

Then divide each outer side into thirds and again, draw an equilateral triangle
on the middle part.

Repeat until you're satisfied with the number of iterations, like the example below.

https://orderinchoas.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/biomimicry-koch-snowflake-537x402.jpg
 12

2.3 Word Patterns

Word patterns can be found in giving the plural of nouns, in forming the past
tense of verbs, and in word analogy. They can also be found in the meters of poetry
and in the rhythm of the words.

These are examples of word patterns.

1.) Plural of Nouns

student-students bench- benches ox - oxen

school- schools goddess- goddesses child - children
subject-subjects match- matches loaf - loaves

2.) Past Tense of Verbs

bake - baked watch - watched write- wrote

fake - faked walk- walked go - went
trade - traded push - pushed seek- sought

3.) An analogy compares two different things, showing the relationship between
them. The colons stand for words; single colon reads as “is to”, double colon
reads “as”.

Analogy How to read

mother is to home as teacher is to

mother: home:: teacher: school
school

entry is to exit as arrival is to

entry: exit:: arrival: departure
departure

obese: fat:: skinny: thin obese is to fat as skinny is to thin

4.) Rhyme Scheme is the rhymes' pattern at the line of a poem or song (often in
nursery rhymes). Can you recall some nursery rhymes? Letters are used to
indicate the lines that rhyme.
 13

A Haiku may be considered as a pattern concerning words. It is a Japanese

poem, typically about nature, with 17 syllables divided into three lines of 5, 7, and 5
syllables. 12

An old silent pond... 5

A frog jumps into the pond, 7
splash! Silence again. 5
— Matsuo Basho

2.4 Number Patterns

A number pattern is a list of numbers that follow a particular sequence or order.

Consider the given sequence of numbers: 23, 30, 37, 44, 51, 58, 65 and 72.
The illustration below will help us see the relationship of the numbers in the sequence.

23 30 37 44 51 58 65 72

+7 +7 +7 +7 +7 +7 +7

For this number pattern, the next number is determined by adding seven to the
previous number. This also shows that the difference between two consecutive
numbers is seven.

In determining the number pattern, it is important to examine the interval or the

difference between the consecutive numbers in the sequence. This will show the rule,
the trend, or the pattern in the sequence.

Other Examples of Number Patterns

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

Solution:
Given sequence: 1, 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, …

+1 +3 +5 +7 +9 +11
1, 2, 5, 10, 17, 26, 37

It is observed that the terms in the sequence are found by adding consecutive
odd integers.

12 "Haiku: Definition and Examples | LiteraryTerms.net." https://literaryterms.net/haiku/. Accessed 6 Aug. 2020.

 14

2.) What comes next in the sequence 50, 49, 47, 44, 40, 35, …?
Solution:

Given sequence: 50, 49, 47, 44, 40, 35, …

-1 -2 -3 -4 -5 -6
50, 49, 47, 44, 40, 35, 29
In this example, the terms in the sequence are found by adding consecutive
negative integers.

3.) What is the missing number in the sequence 1, 4, 9, x, 25, 36, …?

Solution:
Given sequence: 1, 4, 9, x, 25, 36, …
In this item we are looking for the fourth term in the sequence.
Since the numbers in the sequence are all perfect squares, then the answer
should be 16.

4.) Determine the value of R and S in the sequence.

90, 86, 82, 78, 74, 70, 66, 62, R, 54, 50, S
Solution:
Given sequence: 90, 86, 82, 78, 74, 70, 66, 62, R, 54, 50, S

You can observe that each number in the sequence is decreasing by 4. Since
the number before R is 62, then R = 62 - 4 = 58. For S, we have S = 50 - 4 = 46.

Example number 4 is an arithmetic sequence, where the difference between

two consecutive terms is called the common difference.

A geometric sequence is a sequence where a term is multiplied by a constant,

called the common ratio, to get the next term.

The following image shows geometric sequences with three (a whole number)
and one-half (a fraction) as common ratios.
 15

There are other types of number patterns aside from arithmetic and geometric
sequences. These other types of number patterns are as follows:

Triangular Numbers: The terms of a triangular sequence are related to the number
of dots needed to create a triangle. Begin forming a triangle with three dots; one on
top and two on the bottom. The next row would have three dots, making a total of six
dots. The next row in the triangle would have four dots, making a total of 10 dots. The
following row would have five dots, for a total of 15 dots. Therefore, a triangular
sequence begins: "1, 3, 6, 10, 15…"

Square Numbers: In a square number sequence, the terms are the squares of their
position in the sequence. A square sequence would begin with "1, 4, 9, 16, 25…"

Cube Numbers: In a cube number sequence, the terms are the cubes of their position
in the sequence. Therefore, a cube sequence starts with "1, 8, 27, 64, 125…" 13

Fibonacci Numbers. (An in-depth lesson for this number pattern is in the next
module.)

13 "Types of Number Patterns in Math - Sciencing." https://sciencing.com/types-number-patterns-math-

8093943.html. Accessed 4 Aug. 2020.
 16

References

Nocon, R. & Nocon, E. (2018). Essential Mathematics for the Modern Word. C & E
Publishing, Inc.

Baltazar, E., Ragasa, C., & Evangelista, J. (2018). Mathematics in the Modern World.
Quezon City: C & E Publishing, Inc.