NishMath

Recent research highlights the mathematical principles underlying natural phenomena, including the spiral patterns observed in plant growth. A new book, "Do plants know math?", delves into the fascinating world of phyllotaxis, which is the arrangement of leaves on a plant stem. The book explores the connection between the positioning of leaves, scales on cones, and the patterning of flower heads with mathematical concepts like the Fibonacci sequence and divergence angles. These concepts are explained alongside other essential phyllotaxis terminology within the book, showcasing the technical nature of the subject.

In other mathematical developments, mathematicians are using quaternions to analyze spherical trigonometry. This involves an extension of complex numbers which are non-commutative. Quaternions have properties like associative multiplication and the existence of multiplicative inverses. The exploration of these mathematical constructs provide insights into rotations and relationships in space, adding another dimension to mathematical analysis. Additionally, basic mathematical concepts, such as place value and face value, are also being explored. Place value refers to the value of a digit based on its position in a number, while face value is simply the digit itself.

ImgSrc: plantcuttings.uk

References:

• What's new - Quaternions and spherical trigonometry - 11d
• @tao - In my most recent blog post I show how quaternions can be used to derive the equations of spherical trigonometry, and as an example derive the sunrise equation relating the time of sunrise or sunset t - 9d

Classification:

• HashTags: AppliedMath PlantMath Quaternions
• Target: MathConcepts
• Product: AppliedMath
• Feature: Applications
• Type: Research
• Severity: Informative