Page 15 - Math 21 Module_Chapter One

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8. Cracks can also be found on the barks of trees which show some sort of
weakness in the bark. A meander on the other hand is one of a series of
regular sinuous curves, bends, loops, turns, or windings in the channel of
the body of water.

Geometric Patterns in Nature and Around Us

Mathematics is all around us. Did you know that you can describe your
environment mathematically? As one learns and discovers more about the
environment, one gets to learn how to mathematically describe the
environment. The beauty of a flower, the wonderful animal coverings, the rock
formations and even the trees around exhibit nature’s sense of symmetry. Have
you ever thought about how nature likes to arrange itself in patterns in order
to act efficiently? These patterns tell something important about the nature
aside from telling everyone that nature is indeed a beautiful art to watch.

Geometric patterns in nature are visible regularities that can be
observed from the environment. These patterns can be modelled
mathematically and these includes natural patterns like symmetries,
tessellations, meanders, waves, fractals, stripes, cracks and trees. The early
Greek philosophers such as Plato and Pythagoras used patterns to understand
the laws of nature. Over time, the study of patterns and their uses in
understanding phenomena have developed progressively.

Types of Patterns
A. Symmetry – refers to an object that is invariant to various forms of
transformations. This exists whenever a figure or an object looks the same under
a transformation. Symmetry in everyday language refers to a sense of
harmonious and beautiful proportion of balance. The common kinds of
symmetry are reflection/reflective symmetry and rotational symmetry.