MATH IN FOOD
The province of Nueva Vizcaya in the Philippines is known as the Citrus Capital of the country. It is renowned for its high-quality citrus fruits, particularly oranges, and has become a significant center for citrus production due to its favorable climate and soil conditions. The province's agricultural practices and dedication to citrus farming have earned it this title.
The shape of a CITRUS exemplifies key mathematical properties such as symmetry, surface area, and volume. Oranges exhibit reflective symmetry, as they can be divided into mirror-image halves along a vertical axis, and rotational symmetry, maintaining their appearance after being rotated around their central axis. These symmetries not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of oranges but also play a role in their growth patterns and structural integrity.
Nueva Vizcaya's growth of ferns is facilitated by its tropical climate with high humidity and significant rainfall, the mountainous and forested terrain providing cooler and shaded environments, and rich, moisture-retentive soil that offers essential nutrients. The region's diverse ecosystem supports various plant species, and conservation efforts, including protected areas and sustainable practices, help preserve natural habitats. Additionally, traditional knowledge from indigenous communities contributes to the sustainable use and conservation of ferns in the province.
Ferns are quintessential examples of fractals in nature, exhibiting self-similarity, iterative growth patterns, and complex structures that can be modeled mathematically using L-systems and affine transformations. Their fractal nature showcases the inherent mathematical beauty and complexity found in natural growth processes.
Bagabag, Nueva Vizcaya is known for being rich in coconut. Through the abundance of coconut in the area, it became the source of income and part of the culture of Vizcayanos in maintaining and producing more buko products. Because of this, in order for the locals to sustain their needs, they started to make buko pies and sell it on highways. Later on these products became famous for its good taste. But the G&B buko pie tops the other makers for “pasalubong” since the tourists or locals travelling from Manila to Tuguegarao route prefers the taste of G&B that later became famous in the Province of Vizcaya and to other places.
Pies are inherently mathematical due to their geometric properties, the need for precise measurements and proportions in recipes, and the application of arithmetic in cost and time calculations. They serve as practical examples for teaching and understanding various mathematical concepts, making them a math-related thing.