Math in Nature

Nature is full of beautiful math. Flowers have petals in special numbers. Snowflakes have perfect symmetry. Pinecones and seashells grow in spirals. Math is everywhere you look outside.

Spirals and Sequences

Many plants grow in spiral patterns. Sunflower seeds spiral out from the center. Pinecone scales spiral too. These spirals often follow the Fibonacci sequence.

The Fibonacci sequence is 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, and so on. Each number is the sum of the two before it. Many flowers have a Fibonacci number of petals.

Symmetry in the Wild

Symmetry means both sides match. Butterflies have symmetry because their wings look the same on the left and right. Starfish have a different kind of symmetry. They look the same when you turn them around their center.

Snowflakes always have six sides. Each one is unique, but they all have six-fold symmetry. Nature loves patterns and balance.

Fun Facts

• Most flowers have 3, 5, 8, 13, or 21 petals, all Fibonacci numbers.
• A nautilus shell grows in a perfect spiral shape.
• Honeybees build hexagon shapes because hexagons fit together with no gaps.

Did You Know?

Romanesco broccoli looks like a natural fractal. Each little bump is shaped just like the whole vegetable, only smaller!