If you said Fibonacci numbers, then you are correct! The Fibonacci numbers are scrolling across your screen right now. The first term is 1. The second term is 1. The third term is 2. The fourth term is 3. Then 5. Then 8. Then 13. Then 21. And so on. So what is the pattern?
Each term in the Fibonacci sequence is the sum of the previous two terms. In other words, F(n) = F(n-1) + F(n-2).
Who started all this jazz anyway, and why is it so cool? Well, it all began with a man named Leonardo de Pisa. Click on his picture to learn more about him.
If you count the petals on an iris or a daisy, you would find a Fibonacci number. If you count the number of leaves on a clover...Fibonacci. You can see Fibonacci numbers in the spiraling of all of these things:
You may also find it interesting to know that Fibonacci numbers can be found in the family tree of a honeybee. You would even find that rabbits have a relationship with Fibonacci numbers. There is an age-old problem that you can read about that was solved by Leonardo de Pisa.
The ancient Greeks found the ratio of consecutive Fibonacci numbers to be aesthetically pleasing. That's why they used it in their art and architecture. In order to understand, you will need to know more about the Golden Ratio. Read on..
OK, so I know absolutely nothing about music, but I do know that Fibonacci numbers appear there, too! Musical scales, musical fequencies, and even musical instruments rely on Fibonacci numbers and/or the Golden Ratio.
Did you know that the sum of the squares of the first n Fibonacci numbers is the
product of F( n ) and F( n + 1)?
Hey, and you want to see something else freaky? Use long division to change the fraction 1/89 into
a decimal. Look at your answer...doo doo doo doo. Then look at the leading digit in the difference
at each step. Whoa! You're going to have to check this one out on your own.
And can you believe we've only scratched the surface? There's still more...here's a few more items to pique your curiosity. Click on each picture to learn more. Have fun learning about the most magnificent pattern in the world!!
