LA CARLOTA CITY COLLEGE

La Carlota City
Education Department
Module in GE 4 (Mathematics in the Modern World)
1st Semester, AY 2020-2021
MA. QUINCY D. DONES, PhD
Contact #: 09393847372
Email: [email protected]
Facebook Account: Kwency Dones

I. COURSE TITLE: GE 4 (Mathematics in the Modern World)

II. COURSE CREDIT/UNIT : 3 Units
III. COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course deals with nature of mathematics, appreciation of its practical, intellectual, and aesthetic dimensions
and application of mathematical tools in daily life.

This course begins with an introduction to the nature of mathematics as an exploration of patterns (in nature and
the environment) and as an application of inductive and deductive reasoning. By exploring these topics,
students are encouraged to go beyond the typical understanding of mathematics as merely a set of formulas but
as source of aesthetics in patterns of nature, for example and a rich language in itself (and of science) governed
by logic and reasoning.

This course then proceeds to survey ways in which mathematics provides a tool for understanding and dealing
with various aspects of present-day living, such as managing personal finances, making social choices,
appreciating geometric designs, understanding codes used in data transmission and security, and dividing
limited resources fairly. These aspects will provide opportunities for actually doing mathematics in a broad
range of exercises that bring out the various dimensions of mathematics as a way of knowing, and test the
students’ understanding and capacity. (CMO No. 20, series of 2013)

IV. COURSE OUTCOMES:

At the end of the semester, the students can:
1. Identify patterns in nature and regularities in the world.
2. Explain the importance of mathematics in one’s life.
3. Express appreciation for mathematics as a human endeavor.
4. Evaluate mathematical expressions correctly.
5. Recognize that mathematics is a useful language.
6. Apply inductive and deductive reasoning to solve problems.
7. Apply a variety of statistical tools to process and manage numerical data.
8. Use the methods of linear regression and correlations to predict the value of a variable given certain
conditions.
9. Recognize the importance of statistics
10. Apply the different apportionment methods in solving problems
11. Distinguish simple interest from compound interest.
12. Solve problems on simple and compound interest
V. COURSE OUTLINE:
A. Midterm Period
Module 1. Nature of Mathematics
Topic 1.1 Patterns in Nature and the Regularities in the World
Topic 1.2. Importance of Mathematics in life
TOPIC 1.3 Appreciating Mathematics as a Human Endeavor

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Module 2. Mathematical Language and Symbols
Topic 2.1 The Language of Mathematics Summary
Topic 2.2 Translation of English Phrase to Mathematical Phrase
and English Sentence to Mathematical Sentence
Topic 2.3 Connectives & Propositions
a. Propositions
b. Negation
c. Conjuction
d. Disjunction
e. Conditional
If –then form
Converse
Contra-positive
Inverse
f. Bi-conditional
g. Exclusive Or
h. Major Connectives
i. Taulology/Contradictory/Contingent statements
Topic 2.4 Sets & Operations on sets
Definition
Ways of Describing Sets
Equal & Equivalent
Finite & Infinite
Subsets
Joint & Disjoint
Operations on Sets (Union, Intersection, Set difference, symmetric difference,
Complement)
Problems involving Sets using Venn diagram
B. Semi-Final Period
Module 3. Problem Solving & Reasoning
Topic 3.1 Inductive Reasoning
Topic 3.2 Deductive Reasoning
Topic 3.3 Problem solving with Patterns
Topic 3.4 Polya’s Problem-Solving Strategy
Module 4 Mathematics as a Tool
Topic 4.1 Gathering & Organizing data
Topic 4.2 Measures of Central Tendency
Topic 4.3 Measures of Variability
Topic 4.4 Correlation analysis
Topic 4.5 Linear Regression
Topic 4.6 Testing of Hypotheses
C. Final Period
Module 5. The Mathematics of Graphs
Topic 5.1 Basic Concepts
Topic 5.2 Graphs & Euler Circuits
Topic 5.3. Weighted Graphs

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Topic 5.4 Euler’s Formula
Topic 5.5 Graph Coloring
Module 6. Apportionment & Voting
Module 7. Mathematics & finance
Topic 6.1 Simple & compound Interest
Module 8. The Mathematics of Patterns & Symmetries
Topic7.1 Transformation & Isometries
Topic 7.2. Symmetry
Topic 7.3 Tesselations
Topic 7.4 Fractals
Module 9. Linear Programming
Topic 9.1 Basic Concept of Linear Programming
Topic 9.2 Solution of LP by Graphical Method

VI - CONTENT DISCUSSION:
Module 1
THE NATURE OF MATHEMATICS
Mathematics is the useful way to think about nature and our world. The nature of mathematics
underscores the exploration of patterns (in nature and the environment). Mathematics exist everywhere and
it is applied in the most useful phenomenon. Even looking by just an ordinary part of the house, the room and
the street, mathematics is there. This is one subject thought as the sole objective language that people in the
modern world understand each other.

The origin of mathematics can be traced to the history and significance of patterns and numbers. It
deals with ideas translated to objects and concepts created by humans. They are invented to link the meaning
of pattern which result experiences associated with the counting, sequences, and regularities.

Mathematics is an integral part of daily life, formal and informal. It is used in technology, business,
medicine, natural and data sciences, machine learning, and construction. It helps organize patterns and
regularities in the world, predict the behavior of nature and phenomenon in the world, control nature and
occurrences in our world for our end. Mathematics has numerous applications in the world making it
indispensable.

Like any other languages, mathematics has its own symbols, syntax and rules characterized as precise,
concise, and powerful mathematical language. It distinguishes expressions from sentences. It discusses the
conventions in the mathematical language. It gives emphasis on four basic concepts: sets, functions, relations,
binary operations. It includes elementary logic, connectives, quantifiers, negation and variables with formality.

Mathematics is not just about numbers. Much of it is problem solving and reasoning-inductive and
deductive. It also discusses intuition, proof, and certainty. It utilizes Polya’s 4 steps in problem solving, varied
problems solving strategies, mathematical problems involving patterns and recreational problems using
mathematics.

Topic 1.1 Patterns in Nature and the Regularities in the World

Patterns and counting are correlative. Counting happens when there is pattern. When there is
counting, there is logic. Consequently, pattern in nature goes with logic or logical set-up. There are reasons

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behind a certain pattern. That’s why oftentimes, some develop an understanding of patterns, relationships,
and functions and use them to represent and explain real-world phenomena. Most people say that
mathematics is the science behind patterns. Mathematics exists everywhere as patterns do in nature. Not
only do patterns take many forms within the range of school mathematics, they are also a unifying
mechanism.

Number patterns- such as 2,4,6,8 – are familiar to us since they are among the patterns first learned in
our younger years. As we advance, we experience number patterns again through the huge concept of
functions in mathematics inside and outside school. But patterns are much broader and common anywhere
anytime.

Patterns can be sequential, spatial, temporal, and even linguistic. The most basic pattern is the
sequence of the dates in the calendar such as 1 to 30 being used month after month; the seven (7) days in a
week i.e. Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday; and twelve (12) months i.e.
January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November, December; and the
regular holidays in a year i.e New Year’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Holy Week, Labor Day, Independence Day,
National Heroes Day, Ramadan, All Saint’s Day, Bonifacio Day, Christmas Day and Rizal Day. These are
celebrated in the same sequence every year. All these phenomena create a repetition of names or events
called regularity.

In this world, a regularity (Collins 2018), is the fact that the same thing always happen in the same
circumstances. While a pattern is discernible regularity in the world or in a man-made design. As such, the
elements of a pattern repeat in a predictable manner. Patterns in nature (Wikipedia) are visible regularities of
form found in a natural world. These patterns recur in different contexts and can sometimes be modelled
mathematically. Natural patterns include symmetries, trees, spirals, meanders, waves, foams, tessellations,
cracks and stripes. A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes and typically repeated
like a wallpaper design. In Algebra, there are two common categories of patterns, the repeating pattern and
the growing pattern. Regularity in the world states the fact that the same thing always happens in the same
circumstances.
According to Ian Stewart (1995), we live in a universe of patterns. Every night the stars move in circles
across the sky. The seasons cycle at yearly intervals. No two snowflakes are ever exactly the same, but they
all have a six-fold symmetry. Tigers and Zebras are covered in patterns of stripes, leopards and hyenas are
covered in patterns of spots. Intricate trains of waves march across the ocean; very similar trains of sand
dunes march across the desert. Colored arcs of light adorn the sky in the form of rainbows, and a bright
circular halo sometimes surrounds the moon on winter nights. Spherical drops of water fall from clouds.
Human mind and culture have developed a formal system of thought for recognizing, classifying, and
exploiting patterns. We call it mathematics. By using mathematics to organize and systematized our ideas
about patterns we have discovered the great secret: nature’s patterns are not just there to be admired, they
are vital clues to the rules that govern natural processes.

Some examples of patterns in nature

Symmetry (Wikipedia) means agreement in

dimensions, due proportion and arrangement. In everyday
language, it refers to a sense of harmonious and beautiful
proportion and balance. In mathematics, “symmetry“ means
that an object is invariant to any various transformations
including reflection, rotation or scaling.

Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man showing the proportions and symmetry of the human body

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There are other types of symmetry depending on the number of sides or faces that are symmetrical. Take a
look at these images.

Spiderwort with three-fold symmetry This starfish has a five-fold symmetry

Notice that if you rotate the spiderwort and starfish above by several degrees, you can still have achieve the
same appearance as the original position. This is known as rotational symmetry. The smallest angle that a
figure can be rotated while still preserving the original formation is called the angle of rotation. For the
spiderwort, the angle of rotation is 120 0while the angle of rotation for the baby starfish is 72 0.
A more common way of describing rotational symmetry is by order of rotation.
ORDER OF ROTATION
A figure has a rotational symmetry of order n (n-fold rotational symmetry) if 1/n of a complete turn
leaves the figure unchanged. To compute for the angle of rotation, we use the following formula:
Angle of rotation = 3600/ n
Consider this image of a snowflakes,

It can be observed that the patterns on a snowflake repeat six times, indicating that there is a six-fold
symmetry. To determine the angle of rotation, we simply divide 360 0by 6 to get 60 0. Many combinations and
complex shapes of snowflakes may occur, which lead some people to think that “no two alike”. If you look
closely, however, many snowflakes are not perfectly symmetric due to the effects of humidity and
temperature on the ice crystal as it forms.

A spiral is a curve which emanates from a point,

moving farther away as it revolves around the point.
Cutaway of a nautilus shell shows the chambers
arranged in an approximately logarithmic spiral.

A meander is one of a series of regular sinuous curves,

bends, loops, turns, or windings in the channel of a
river, stream, or other watercourse.

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A wave is a disturbance that transfers energy through
matter or space, with little or no associated mass
transport. Wave consist of oscillations or vibrations of
physical medium or a field, around relatively fixed
locations. Surface waves in water show water ripples.

Foam is a substance formed by trapping pockets of

gas in a liquid or solid. A bath sponge and the head
on a glass of beer are examples of foams. In most
foams, the volume of gas is large, with thin films of
liquid or solid separating the regions of gas. Soap
foams are also known as suds

A tessellation of a flat surface is the tiling of a plane

using one or more geometric shapes called tiles, with
no overlaps and no gaps. In mathematics,
tessellations can be generalized to higher dimensions
and a variety of geometries.

A fracture or crack is the separation of an object or

material into two or more pieces under the action of
stress. The fracture of a solid usually occurs due to
the development of certain displacement
discontinuity surfaces within the solid. If a
displacement develops perpendicular to the surface
of displacement, it is called a normal tensile crack or
simply a crack.

Stripes- are made by a series of bands or strips, often

of the same width and color along the length.

A fractal is a never –ending pattern. Fractals are infinitely

complex patterns that are self-similar across different scales. They are
created by repeating a simple process over and over in an ongoing
feedback loop. Driven by recursion, fractals are images, dynamic
systems – the pictures of chaos. Geometrically, they exist in between
our familiar dimensions. Fractal patterns are extremely familiar, since
nature is full of fractals. For instance; trees, rivers, coastlines,
mountains, clouds, seashells, hurricanes, etc.

Affine Transformations – these are the processes of rotation,

reflection, and scaling. Many plant forms utilize these processes to
generate their structure. In the case of Broccoli and Cauliflower
heads, it can readily be seen that there is a type of pattern, which also
shows some spiraling in the case of Broccoli

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THE FOLLOWING SHOW PATTERNS AND REGULARITIES IN NATURE

Another marvel of nature’s design is the structure and shape of a honeycomb. People have long
wondered how bees, despite their very small size, are able to produce such arrangement while humans would
generally need the use of a ruler and compass to accomplish the same feat. It is observed that such formation
enables the bee colony to maximize their storage of honey using the smallest amount of wax.

You can try it out for yourself. Using several coins of the same size, try to cover as much area of a
piece of paper with coins. If you arrange the coins in a square formation, there are still plenty of spots that are
exposed. Following the hexagonal formation, however with the second row of coins snugly fitted between the
first row of coins, you will notice that more area will be covered.

Translating this idea to three dimensional space, we can conclude that hexagonal formations are more optimal
in making use of the available space. These are referred to as packing problems. Packing problems involve
finding the optimum method of filling up a given space such as a cubic or spherical container. The bees have
instinctively found the best solution, evident in the hexagonal construction of their hives. These geometric
patterns are not only simple and beautiful, but also optimally functional.

Tigers’ Stripes and Hyenas’ Spot

Patterns are also exhibited in the external appearances of animals. We are familiar with how a tiger
looks—distinctive reddish orange fur and dark stripes. Hyena, another predator from Africa, are also
covered in patterns of spots. This seemingly random designs are believed to be governed by
mathematical equations. According to a theory by Alan Turing, the man famous for breaking the
Enigma code during World War II, chemical reactions and diffusions processes in cells determine
these growth patterns. More recent studies addressed the question of why some species grow vertical
stripes while others have horizontal ones. A new model by Harvard University researchers predicts
that there are three variables that could affect the orientation of these stripes--- the substance that
amplifies the density of stripes patterns; the substance that changes one of the parameters involved in
stripe formation; and the physical change in the direction of the origin of the stripe.

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The Sunflower

Looking at a sunflower up close, you will notice that there is a definite pattern of clockwise and
counterclockwise arcs or spirals extending outward from the center of the flower. This is another
demonstration of how nature works to optimize the available space. This arrangement allows the
sunflower seeds to occupy the flower head in a way that maximizes their access to light and necessary
nutrients.

The Snail’s Shell

We are also very familiar with spiral patterns. The most common spiral patterns can be seen in the
whirlpools and in the shells of snails and other similar mollusks. Snails are born with their shells,
called protoconch, which start out as fragile and colorless. Eventually these original shells harden as
the snails consume calcium. As the snail grow, their shells also expand proportionately so that they
can continue to live inside their shells. This process results in a refined spiral structure that is even
more visible when the shell is sliced. This figure, called an equiangular spiral, follows the rule that as
the distance from the spiral center increases (radius), the amplitudes of the angles formed by the radii
to the point and the tangent to the point remain constant. This is another example of how nature seems
to follow a certain set of rules governed by mathematics.

Flower Petals

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Flowers are easily considered as things of beauty. Their vibrant colors and fragrant odors made them
very appealing as gifts or decorations. If you look more closely, will note the different flowers have
different number of petals. Take the iris and trillium, for example. Both flowers have only 3 petals.

Iris Trillium
Flowers with five petals are said to be most common. These include buttercup, columbine, and
hibiscus. Among those flowers with eight petals are clematis and delphinium, while ragwort and
marigold have thirteen. These numbers are all Fibonacci numbers.

Buttercup Columbine

Hibiscus Clematis

Delphinium Ragwort
FIBONACCI SEQUENCE
Another one in this world that involves pattern is the Fibonacci number (Grist, 2011). These
numbers are nature’s numbering system. They appear everywhere in nature, from the leaf
arrangement in plants, to the pattern of the florets of a flower, the bracts of a pinecone, or the scales of
a pineapple. The Fibonacci numbers are therefore applicable to the growth of every living thing,
including a single cell, a grain of wheat, a hive of bees and even all of mankind.
In Mathematics, (Wikipedia) The Fibonacci numbers are the numbers in the following integer
sequence, called the Fibonacci sequence, and characterized by the fact that every number after the first
two is the sum of the preceding ones; 1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89, 144,…
Just copy the link and open it in google.

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nt2OlMAJj6o

Topic 1.2. IMPORTANCE OF MATHEMATICS IN LIFE

According to Katie Kim (2015), Math is a subject that makes students either jump for joy or rip their
hair out. However, math is inescapable as you become an adult in the real world. From calculating
complicated algorithms to counting down the days till the next Games of Thrones episode, math is versatile
and important, no matter how hard it is to admit. Before you decide to doze off in math class, consider this list
of reasons why learning math is important to you and the world.

1. Restaurant Tipping
After you have finished eating at a restaurant, it is common courtesy to pay your waiter a generous tip. You
need to have the most basic math skills to calculate how much a 15% or 20% tip would be. Tipping your
waiter shows your appreciation for his service and ultimately benefits the restaurant, too.

2. Netflix film viewing

Let’s say you have approximately one hour until you have to leave to go somewhere very important, like
your job or your grandmother’s birthday party. You really want to fit in the couple Netflix episodes before
you leave, but you don’t know how many you will be able to watch. You need math to figure that out! For
example, an episode of friends on Netflix is about 20 minutes… so you would be able to fit 3 episodes in
that hour. As simple as it is, math just made your hour 100 times better.

3. Calculating Bills
If you aren’t already, we will be home- owners and car-owners one day. With ownership comes the major
responsibility of staying on top of mandatory payments like taxes, mortgage, and insurance. Math is
required to calculate these payments and subtract them from your savings.

4. Computing Test Scores

It is towards the end of May, and for all high school students, the school year is coming to an end very
soon. That also means final report cards will be coming out. In order to finish with an A in that tough class,
you need to know what to get in the next test to keep your average up. You need math to calculate that
test score (and maybe even to ace the test) to know what your final grade can be.

5. Tracking Career

Math is needed for almost every single profession in the world. If you want to be a CEO, a real estate agent,
a biologist, or even a rocket scientist, it is without a doubt that numbers will be utilized. Basically, you will
NEVER be able to escape math and you might as well accept it and have fun learning it while you career
does not depend on it.

6. Doing Exercise

Getting in shape and staying fit means achieving your health goals! Maybe you want to meet a personal
goal by the end of the month. You need math to know how many more reps to curl, or how many seconds
to cut off your mile time, or how many more pounds to lose to achieve that goal.

7. Handing Money

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Another aspect of growing up into a young adult is opening and managing a bank account. It is important
to be accurate in math to care for your precious savings, making sure there are no mistakes.

8. Making Countdowns

For many, this will be the most important reason on this list to know math: so you can countdown the
days until the school is over and summer starts!

9. Baking and Cooking

Baking and cooking are hobbies enjoyed by many. In order to prevent unexpected results, you have to
know the difference between a quarter of a cup from a quarter of a teaspoon. Baking + cooking =
fractions= math!

10. Surfing Internet

Ultimately, without math, how could you be reading this article online at this exact moment? How would
you be able to tweet to your friends or post on Instagram from last night? We have math to thank for
establishing technology and the social media that consumes our lives.

TOPIC 1.3 Appreciating Mathematics as a Human Endeavor

In order to appreciate mathematics much better, every person should have the trough understanding
of the discipline as a human endeavor. Mathematics brings impact to the life a learner, worker, or an
ordinary man in society. The influences of mathematics affect anyone for a lifetime. Mathematics works
in the life of all professionals.

Mathematics is appreciated as human endeavor because all professionals and ordinary people apply
its theories and concepts in the office, laboratory and market place. According to Mark Karadimos (2018),
the following professions use Mathematics in their scope and field of work:

Accountants assist businesses by working on their taxes and planning for upcoming years. They work with
tax codes and forms, use formulas for calculating interest, and spend a considerable amount of energy
organizing paperwork.

Agriculturist determine the proper amounts of fertilizers, pesticides, and water to produce bountiful
amounts of foods. They must be familiar with chemistry and mixture of problems.

Architects design buildings for structural integrity and beauty. They must know how to calculate loads for
finding acceptable materials in design which involve calculus.

Biologists study nature to act in concert with it since we are very closely tied to the nature. They use
proportions to count animals as well as use statistics/ probability.

Chemists find ways to use chemicals to assist people in purifying water , dealing with waste
management , researching superconductors, analyzing crime scenes, making food products and in
working with biologists to study the human body.

Computer programmers create complicated sets of instruction called programs/software to help us. Use
computers to solve problems. They must have a strong sense of logic and have critical thinking and
problem solving skills.

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Engineers (Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Industrial, Material) build products/ structures/systems like
automobiles, buildings, computers, machines and planes. To name just a few examples they cannot
escape the frequent use of the variety of calculus. Geologists use mathematical models to find oil and
study earthquakes.

Lawyers argue cases using complicated lines of reason. That skill is nurtured by high level math courses.
They also spend a lot of times researching cases, which means learning relevant codes, laws and
ordinances. Building cases demands a strong sense of language with specific emphasis on hypotheses
and conclusions.

Managers maintain schedules, regulate worker performance and analyze productivity.

Medical Doctors must understand the dynamic system of the human body. They research illnesses
carefully, administer the proper amounts of medicine, read charts/tables, and organize their workload
and manage the duties nurses and technicians.

Meteorologists forecast the weather of agriculturists, pilots, vacationers and those who marine-
dependent. They read maps, work with computer models, and understand the mathematical laws of
physics.

Military Personnel carry out a variety of tasks ranging from aircraft maintenance to following detailed
procedures. Tacticians utilize a branch of mathematics called linear programming.

Nurses carry out the detailed instructions doctors given them. They adjust intravenous drip rates, take
vitals, dispense medicine, and even assist in operations.

Politicians help solve the social problems of our time by making complicated decisions within the confines
of the law, public opinion, and (hopefully) budgetary restraints.

Salespeople typically work on commission and operate under a buy low, sell high profit model. Their job
requires good interpersonal skills and the ability to estimate basic math problems without the need of
paper/pencil.

Technicians repair and maintain the technical gadgets we depend on like computers, televisions, DVD’s,
cars, refrigerators. They always read measuring devices, referring to manuals, and diagnosing system
problems.

Tradesmen (carpenters, electricians, mechanics, and plumbers) estimate job costs and use technical math
skills specific to their field. They deal with slopes, areas, volumes, distances and must have an excellent
foundation in math.

To realize the love for and interest in Mathematics, Annenberg Learner shared the following notes that
mathematics is everywhere ad is always an integral part of human endeavor.

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WHAT IS MATHEMATICS?
- Science of numbers and their operations, interrelations, combinations, generalizations
and abstraction and of space configurations and their structure, measurement ,
transformations and generalizations (Merriam Webster)
We have developed a formal system of thought for recognizing, classifying and
exploiting patterns called mathematics. (Stewart, p.1)
- Origins of counting -Geometric patterns
-Wave patterns in water and land -Patterns of movement
-Fractals: the new science of irregularity, a never ending pattern

MATHEMATICS IS A/AN
-study of patterns -language
-Process of thinking -Art of problem solving
Mathematics- is an expression of the human mind reflects the active will, the contemplative
reason, and the desire for aesthetic perfection. Its basic elements are logic and intuition, analysis
and construction, generally and individuality. (Courant & Robbins, 1996)
WHERE IS MATHEMATICS?
- we see hints and clues of it in nature - in our daily routine
-in our work -in people & communities
-in events -it is everywhere
WHAT IS MATHEMATICS FOR?
- to help us unravel the puzzles of nature, a useful way to think about nature.
- organize patterns & regularities as well as irregularities
-to be able to predict
-to help us control epidemics.
-provides tools for calculations
-rovides new questions to think about.
WHAT IS MATHEMATICS ALL ABOUT?
-numbers, symbols, notations
-operations, equations & functions
-processes of ‘thingification” of processes (that are abstraction)
-Proof a story rathen than a sequence of statements.
WHO USES MATHEMATICS?
- mathematicians (pure and applied) - scientist (natural and social)
-practically everyone
But different people use different mathematics at different purposes, using different
tools with different attitudes.
WHY IS MATHEMATICS IMPORTANT TO KNOW/LEARN?

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-it puts order in our life
-it puts order in disorder
-it helps us become better person
-it helps make a world a better place to live in.

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