What is Patterns: Definition and 197 Discussions

A pattern is a regularity in the world, in human-made design, or in abstract ideas. As such, the elements of a pattern repeat in a predictable manner. A geometric pattern is a kind of pattern formed of geometric shapes and typically repeated like a wallpaper design.
Any of the senses may directly observe patterns. Conversely, abstract patterns in science, mathematics, or language may be observable only by analysis. Direct observation in practice means seeing visual patterns, which are widespread in nature and in art. Visual patterns in nature are often chaotic, rarely exactly repeating, and often involve fractals. Natural patterns include spirals, meanders, waves, foams, tilings, cracks, and those created by symmetries of rotation and reflection. Patterns have an underlying mathematical structure; indeed, mathematics can be seen as the search for regularities, and the output of any function is a mathematical pattern. Similarly in the sciences, theories explain and predict regularities in the world.
In art and architecture, decorations or visual motifs may be combined and repeated to form patterns designed to have a chosen effect on the viewer. In computer science, a software design pattern is a known solution to a class of problems in programming. In fashion, the pattern is a template used to create any number of similar garments.

View More On Wikipedia.org
Recent contents Top users
  1. L

    Discovering Patterns in Integrals: Investigating Families of Functions Using CAS

    Homework Statement Hi, I am doing this discovery project called patterns in integrals i found in my calculus textbook. I have to use a CAS (I'm using Maple) to investigate indefinite integrals of families of functions. Then by observing the patterns that occur in the integrals, i have to first...
  2. J

    Patterns in Matrices: P^n and S^n Calculations

    K guys here's the problem P= (3 1 1 3) S=(4 2 2 4) Calculate P^n and S^n for other values of n and describe any patterns you see. I tried this one for about an hour and got a little bit. I just want to see what you can get out of it. Maybe I missed something...
  3. G01

    Improving Sleep Patterns: Tips and Tricks for a Better Night's Rest

    My sleep patterns are all screwed up as of late. I'm tired when I need to be awake, and restless when I want to sleep. I've been going to bed sporadically between 11 and 3. 11 is not a problem, but I hate not falling until 11 when I have work the next day. Anyone have any suggestions on how...
  4. wolram

    Is Global Warming Causing Irreversible Damage to Traditional Crop Growth?

    Is there a long term trend for global weather change? if so then how will this effect traditional area crop growth?
  5. D

    Exploring Standing Sound Waves: Small Scale Patterns at Antinodes

    Homework Statement I just used the Kundt's tube to illustrate the effect of a standing sound wave in a glas tube. The characteristic nodes and antinodes were perfectly visible and some small scale striated vibration patterns at the antinodes were prominent. What is the physical explanation for...
  6. W

    Sustained interference patterns

    Homework Statement In order to produce a sustained interference pattern by light waves from multiple sources, which of the following conditions is sufficient? a. the sources are coherent b. the sources are monochromatic c. no more than two sources are allowed d. three or...
  7. daniel_i_l

    Double Slit Experiment with Interference Patterns

    If you take the normal double slit experiment but shine light on one of the slits so that it's possible to tell which slit each electron went through (by detecting scattered photons) then the "fringes" disappear amd you get constant light. If before the scattered photons hit the photon detector...
  8. W

    What is the key requirement for producing interference patterns with light?

    Homework Statement What characteristic of light is needed to produce interference patterns? ( like the grainly pattern of light demonstrated in lab) The Attempt at a Solution ok,, so i missed lab and did a makeup so I never saw what is being described. I am guessing that the grainy...
  9. R

    Understanding Standing Wave Patterns at 50Hz Frequency

    In a standing wave, if the fundamental frequency is 25hz but the frequency that is currently being fed to the string is 50hz how do i determine what the resulting wave will look like?
  10. R

    Modeling Tidal Patterns: Finding an Equation

    I need to determine an equation that models tidal patterns. High tide is at 12:00am Low Tide 6:10pm High tide returns at 12:24pm High tide is 5.4m and low tide is .1m Therefore the amplitude is (5.4-0.1)/2 = 2.65 The mean value is 2.65+0.1=2.75 Therefore y=2.65cos(Bx+c)+2.75 Im yet...
  11. C

    How many different color patterns are possible?

    Homework Statement A gardener has 12 tulip bulbs to plant in a box (4 columns by 3 rows). There are 4 white, 4 red and 4 yellow bulbs, and exactly one bulb is planted in each small square. a. How many different color patterns are possible? b. How many of these patterns have each row...
  12. W

    Talk about electrons, double slit, interface patterns

    Hello everyone. Very nice forum you have here. I came here to ask if someone can give me a few pointers on Physics. I am totally lost here. I found this page http://www.ictshirts.com/t-shirt/122/quantum-physics-electron-double-slit.htm and they talk about electrons, double slit, interface...
  13. E

    Examples of Perceived Patterns Proven Wrong

    Dear All, Could you give me examples of conjectures based on perceived patterns but proved to be wrong? Fermat numbers, with Fermat's conjecture that all Fermat numbers are primes, would be one example that I know of. I would appreciate elementary examples which are easy to understand. The...
  14. DaveC426913

    Of sailing and relativity and titillating patterns

    (This is about SR. Really.) While learning sailing the other day, I was told I was understeering when tacking. Here's my problem: 1] "Close haul" is a Point-of-Sail less than ~30 degrees (or so) from head-to-wind. (i.e. if the wind is coming an angle less than 30 degrees off the bow, you...
  15. I

    Weather Patterns: Effect of Vertical Earth Rotation

    Could anybody say please, what change might occur in our current weather conditions, if the Earth rotated vertically, instead of the current angle of 22 1/2 degrees.
  16. H

    What is the pattern in the zeta function for consecutive even numbers?

    I'm experimenting with zeta function right now, and I assume there must be some kind of patter in zetas of consecutive (even) numbers. For example when we do, \zeta(2)=\pi^2 /6 \zeta(4)=\pi^4/90 \zeta(6)=\pi^6/945 \zeta(8)=\pi^8/9450 However, \zeta(12)=691\pi^{12}/638512875 So, Can...
  17. T

    Exploring Design Patterns: Is It Worth the Effort?

    Hiya, so, design patterns: worth taking a look into it, or a dead-end street? I thought it sounded very interesting, but then I read this on Wikipedia: Any thoughts from people with more expertise?
  18. K

    Master Factoring Patterns: Ace Your Test Tomorrow with These Simple Steps!"

    Help! Factoring Patterns ok i need help asap! test tomarrow and have no clue what to do! :bugeye: i need someone to help me understand the steps! ex problem 10x[squared]+6x-28 answer 2(5x-7)(x+2) what i need to know is what steps do i take to get the answer?
  19. R

    Possible webpage title: What are the Known Patterns in Prime Numbers?

    Hi, I just wondered what patterns are known about the prime numbers ? cheers roger
  20. D

    Solve Confusing Pattern: 10,17,26,37,50,65

    these pattener are cofusing please help i coml=pleted the first one 10,17,26,37,50,65 1,3/2, ____, 7/8, 9/16 243, 324, 403, _____, 567 234;________; 23,481; 234,819; 2,348,200.
  21. I

    Antennae radiation patterns

    ok, so for an isotropic antennae the radiation pattern is uniform in all directions (i.e. a sphere). So for this pattern, is there a formula for determining the diameter of the sphere, or is such a measurement meaningless? also, suppose a ground-plane an arbitrary height below the antennae...
  22. E

    Where Do You Publish New Patterns?

    Suppose you discover a pattern involving prime numbers, or some other pattern in numbers that may be important to some mathematicians, but the pattern is so simple and straight forward that it does not really rate a whole paper to be written about it. Where do you submit simple patterns for...
  23. R

    How can I identify patterns in math sequences?

    I have no clue what pattern in these sequences have (help): (i)5,4,9,13,22 (ii)1,2,2,4,8 (iii)1,8,27,64 and can someone give me some advice how to notice patterns.
  24. Y

    Write a paper on ecological patterns

    Hello, I've been searching all over the internet and looking through my ecology book to help me write a paper on ecological patterns. However, I'm not sure what an ecological pattern is. Does anyone have any examples I can work off of? Thanks, Yorkie6
  25. P

    Single Slit Diffraction Patterns: When & Why?

    When do single slit diffraction patterns occur (i.e. when is the formula sin(theta)=(lamda)/b applicable)? Is it only when the light gets put through a lens and focused on a single point at different angles, or is it generally. My textbook derives it for when the light is focussed, but my...
  26. N

    Exploring Patterns in Sygma Formulas

    I have a tricky question here... Please just feed in any comments, anything you can spot that I can't I have been asked to compare the formulae of Sygma (k=1 until n value) of k, Sygma (k=1 until n value) of k(k+1) and Sygma (k=1 until n value) of k(k+1)(k+2)? Hence comparing these...
  27. M

    Finding the Longest Wavelength for Interference Patterns

    I have a problem in which there are two radio broadcasting towers places a given distance apart (136 m). Each tower is broadcasting at the same frequency as the other one, but the frequency (or rather the wavelength is what I am concerned about) can be adjusted to alter the interference at a...
  28. T

    Random questions + Geometric multidimensional patterns.

    I was reading through various books about black holes, time warps, and multiple dimensions, and now I am simply asking for clarification on a few things, and previous discoveries on something I noticed while looking at geometric patterns via different dimensions. Last part first. Let me...
  29. A

    Complete Number Pattern: 400,000; 300,000; 199,800;

    I have a number pattern I need help with... can someone complete the pattern and explain the process: 700,500; 600,200; 499,900; __________; ___________; _____________ Pattern explain:________________________________________________________...
  30. D

    Solving Diffraction Patterns: Investigating Central Spot Intensity/Radius

    Hi hoping someone can help me with this problem. If I block plane monochromatic light (wavelength lambda) with a circular disc of radius r, and then look at the diffraction pattern on a screen placed a distance x behind the disc, I get a bright spot in the centre of the shadow. All well and...
  31. Janus

    Producing 3D Art with POV-Ray: Spirograph-like Patterns

    Okay, I'm sure that most of you are familiar with Spirograph. You could make all kinds of neat patterns with it. Well, the other day I was doing some playing around with my ray-tracer (POV-Ray), and after a while I came up with something that reminded me of one of those Spirogragh drawings...
  32. N

    SINGLE e-/photon diffraction patterns.

    Is it true that firing SINGLE electrons or photons at a double slit over a time interval will create diffraction patterns? And does anyone know of articles where particles can create diffraction patterns.
  33. JamesU

    Solving Number Patterns in Notpr0n Level 79

    I know that the game notpr0n has been posted here before, and I'm on stage 3 of level 79. I need to solve 2 number patterns: 6, 5, 9, 10, 4, ?, 5 and 501, 10, 999, 4, 1, ?, 11, 500 I need to fill in the question marks :smile:
  34. N

    Causes of Diffraction Patterns

    Take a two-slit diffraction experiment. From what I've read or gathered, it is supposed to be caused by the geometry of the setup, and the frequency of the light (maybe a few more things). But, it is talked about in terms of the geometry, and no cause attributed to interactions between the...
  35. D

    Why Are These Number Patterns So Confusing?

    I've been trying to figure out this number pattern in the image below...Can anyone help please? My head is spinning :rofl: Thanks :)
  36. E

    Patterns of Solution Sets of a System of Linear Equations

    I'm reading through the book "Linear Algebra", by Jim Hefferon (which you can download for free!). In section I.3, he describes that the pattern of solutions for a system of linear equations: "They have a vector that is a particular solution of the system added to an unrestrictred combination...
  37. A

    How do photons make interference patterns

    I understand that the consensus of opinion regards photons as particles. My difficulty is in picturing how particles can produce interference patterns, even if only one photon is involved? In the double slit experiment for instance?
  38. A

    Mysterious Freezing Patterns: What Causes Them?

    The last few days have been very cold and when I come back to my car, water has condensated (to solid phase) in the windows. I have noted that the ice seems to form in lines that cross each other (forming seemingly random patterns made of almost perfectly straight lines) Of course there is...
  39. C

    Why do patterns exist in the universe?

    The universe must either have: A start and an end. A start and no end. No start and an end. No start and no end Or a combination thereof. I believe there are limits to complexity, I believe complexity to be a product of thought, if something appears complex its yet to be understood...
  40. wolram

    Shed any light on future weather patterns

    Can anyone shed any light on future weather patterns for the uk In our local paper it is reported that we may be in for the coldest winter since records began, is this due to the ice caps melting, or is it a local phenomena?
  41. W

    Fixed action patterns Qand hopefully A.

    Hey people :rofl: , I have a question. Here is the Q: Question 3: (4 points) Many baby birds have specific feeding responses that are fixed action patterns elicited by a particular sign stimulus. Nestling starlings are more likely to make a fixed action pattern orienting response...
  42. G

    Programs to find number patterns

    Are there any programs that can be used to find out what numbers have in common? eg, 748805534073 408986296450 445580425891 399528663101 571646773773 can't find anything to do it :confused: cheers
  43. H

    Finite hyperbolic universe and large scale structure patterns

    This paper : Hyperbolic Universes with a Horned Topology and the CMB Anisotropy http://arxiv.org/astro-ph/0403597 ...press release: http://www.newscientist.com/news/news.jsp?id=ns99994879 proposes a universe with the shape of a horn. This is a hyperbolic space with negative...
  44. 8

    Communicating with non-terminating, alternating value patterns

    In researching the patterns in numbers that develop from expressing the relationship a number has with itself (1/n=N, NX2,3,4...n),in decimal form, I found a very interesting one. If you have read my threads on resonance in vibration, and the values of prismatic color, it will help with...
  45. Hydr0matic

    Exploring Wave Behaviour of EM Waves Based on Oscillation Patterns

    I have an idea that I've tried to express on this forum before but without success. There's a lot of reasoning behind the idea so it won't do no good just blurting it out. I want to lead you and see if you reach the same conclusion... So here goes... First question... In classical physics...
  46. C

    Calculating Tidal Patterns in a Harbour

    In a harbour, the time between successive high tides is 10 hours. On a day when the height of high tide above low tide is 8.0m, find (i) the angular frequency of the tides; (ii) the time interval within a cycle during which the sea-water is more than 5.0m above the low tide; (iii) the...
  47. Hydr0matic

    Exploring the Mysterious Rainbow Patterns of a Soap Bubble

    To know what I'm talking about you'll have to do a little experiment... Go to your bathroom, take some soap and foam up your hands. Make a "bubble" with your index finger and your thumb, then reflect the light from a lamp in the "bubble". After a little while oil-like rainbowcolored patterns...
Back
Top