PS 3218 1.10 Is Mathematics Natural?

Is Mathematics natural or nature Mathematical? Give some examples to illustrate your points.

By definition, mathematics is the body of knowledge centered on such concepts as quantity, structure, space and change and also the academic discipline that studies them. Benjamin Pierce called it "the science that draws necessary conclusions. Other mathematicians would define mathematics as the science of pattern, that mathematicians seek out patterns whether found in numbers, space, science, computers, imaginary abstractions.

The above definition shows that mathematics is natural because it relates to objects found in nature. Through the use of abstraction and logical reasoning, mathematics evolved from counting, calculation, measurement, and the systematic study of the shapes and motions of physical objects. In today's era, mathematics is used throughout the world in many fields, including natural science, engineering, medicine, and the social sciences. The statements that define mathematics and the way it is used shows that mathematics has everything to do with nature. Although some are not directly linked.

An example of mathematics that shows that nature is mathematical is the Fibonacci numbers and the golden ratio. Below are some examples which shows the plants and animals that is directly linked with Fibonacci numbers.

Fibonacci numbers are a series of whole numbers in which each number is the sum of the two preceding numbers. Beginning with 0 and 1, the sequence of Fibonacci numbers would be 0,1,1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, etc. using the formula n = n(-I) + n(-2), where the n(-I) means "the last number before n in the series” and n(-2) refers to “the second last one before n in the series.” The Fibonacci numbers were originally defined by the Italian mathematician Fibonacci, also known as Leonardo da Pisa, in the 13th century to model the growth of rabbit populations.