Maths in Nature and in Art
Books in the Senior Library
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Math Stuff by Call Number: Library - Non Fiction 510ISBN: 1884550266Published: 2002-09-18There is an interesting section from page 44 - 49, which includes information on symmetry and also Fibonacci. -
50 mathematical ideas you really need to know by Call Number: Library - Non Fiction 510ISBN: 1847240089
Interesting articles about maths and birds
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Wind farms not 'major bird mincers'This article discusses whether bird farms affect bird numbers.
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Emperor penguins counted from spaceUK, US and Australian scientists used satellite technology to trace and count the iconic birds, finding them to number almost 600,000.
Maths in Art
When you visit the African Waterfall Aviary you will see lots of examples of African art.
Think about the mathematical aspects of the art you see, such as shapes and symmetry.
Tessellation is an interesting way to use mathematics in art, here is an example of tessellation using birds:
Find books on African art in the Senior Library, here are a few examples:
Pi in nature
Find out basic information about pi on the BBC KS3 Bitesize website.
Listen to this podcast from the BBC all about Pi.
Fibonnaci and the golden ratio in nature
Fibonacci numbers are all around us in nature. Find out about Fibonacci and the golden ratio below and think about where you may see examples in the Bird Park.
(source of picture: Phi-The Golden Number)
Explore these websites to find out about the golden ratio and Fibonacci numbers in nature:
How stuff works: Fibonacci numbers in nature
The 'How stuff works' website includes information on Fibonacci numbers and how they are expressed in nature.
Maths is Fun: Nature, The Golden Ratio and Fibonacci too
Explore the Maths is Fun website and have a go at creating your own Fibonacci patterns.
BBC podcast : The Golden Ratio
Listen to this 14 minute podcast to find out more about the Fibonacci sequence
This short video was inspired by numbers and geometry in nature.
(Source of video: you tube)
Exploring symmetry in nature
Another fantastic 'Painting with numbers' video, this one looks at symmetry in nature.
Explore these websites to find information on symmetry, think about where you can see symmetry in nature:
Brush up your symmetry skills using the BBC KS3 Bitesize website's interactive activities.
This website includes information on symmetry and links to pages on reflectional symmetry, rotational symmetry and translational symmetry. The website has been created by the University of Minnesota.
Click on the image above to investigate reflectional symmetry using the interactive shape.
After you are done, close the shape without saving your changes!
(Source of interactive shape: University of Minnesota)
Try drawing a symmetrical cartoon turkey!
Have a go at drawing this cartoon turkey - make sure it's symmetrical!