MATHMW1
Mathematics in the Modern World
WEEK1 – LESSON 1
PATTERNS IN NATURE
Patterns in nature are visible regularities or repeated arrangements of shapes, forms, or colors found in the natural
world. These patterns recur across different contexts and can often be described or modeled mathematically. Many
patterns follow mathematical rules such as fractals, logarithmic spirals, and the Golden Ratio, which govern how
forms grow and repeat. Patterns in nature are consistent, non-random arrangements that emerge from the interplay
of mathematical laws, physical processes, and biological evolution. They are not only visually striking but also
serve crucial ecological and functional roles in the natural world.
TYPES OF PATTERNS IN NATURE
1. Fractals are detailed pattern that looks similar at any scale and repeats itself over time. It gets more complex
as it is observed at larger scales. Fractals are repeating, self-similar patterns at different scales, such as
snowflakes, branching trees, and blood vessels.
Snowflakes Tree Branches Ferns Lightnings
Blood Vessel
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Mathematics in the Modern World
2. Spirals are curved pattern that focuses on a center point and a series of circular shapes that revolve around it.
Common in shells like the nautilus, plant growth (e.g., sunflower heads), and even galaxies, spirals arise from
radial growth processes and mathematical rules like the Golden Ratio.
Pine cones Sunflower seeds Pineapple
Hurricane/Cyclone Chameleon Cactus ornamental plant. Chayote tendrils
Tail
3. A Voronoi diagram is a specific type of tessellation (aka Voronoi tessellation or Dirichlet tessellation), is
a way of dividing the plane into regions based on proximity to a given set of points (called seeds, sites, or
generators). Each region, or voronoi cell, consists of all points closer to its associated seed than to any other
seed. The pattern can be found in nature, such as in cells and a giraffe’s skin, architecture, art and computer
science. The pattern can be found in nature, such as in cells and a giraffe's skin, architecture, art and computer
science. In mathematics, a tessellation (or tiling) is a partition of a space (such as the plane) into a set of
regions that cover the space without overlaps or gaps.
Voronoi pattern. Giraffe’s skin Dry land
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Cells of a leaf Foam Bubbles. Garlic Cross Section. Dragonfly’s Wing
A tessellation (or tiling) is a pattern that covers a plane with shapes (called tiles) that fit together without any
gaps or overlaps. Repeated shapes fitting together without gaps, exemplified by snake skin, honeycomb hexagons,
corn on a cob and fish scales.
Snake skin Honeycomb Corn on a cob Fish Scales
4. Symmetry is when different sides of something are alike. This
produces mirror images with only two sides, like the two sides of our
bodies; they may be symmetrical on several sides, like the inside of an
apple sliced in half; or they might be symmetrical on all sides, like the
different faces of a cube. Seen in animals, flowers, and leaves,
symmetry provides balance and functionality, such as the bilateral
symmetry of mammals or radial symmetry in flowers
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Mathematics in the Modern World
Radial symmetry Bilateral symmetry
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