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The Fibonacci Numbers
The numbers are:
Definition
The nth Fibonacci number is written as Fn .
F3 = 2, F5 = 5, F10 = 55
Fn = Fn−1 + Fn−2
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, . . .
euphorbia
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, . . .
Let’s look at these Fibonacci numbers in nature.
How many petals are on each of these flowers?
trillium
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, . . .
Let’s look at these Fibonacci numbers in nature.
How many petals are on each of these flowers?
columbine
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, . . .
Let’s look at these Fibonacci numbers in nature.
How many petals are on each of these flowers?
bloodroot
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, . . .
Let’s look at these Fibonacci numbers in nature.
How many petals are on each of these flowers?
black-eyed susan
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, . . .
Let’s look at these Fibonacci numbers in nature.
How many petals are on each of these flowers?
shasta daisy
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, . . .
Let’s look at these Fibonacci numbers in nature.
How many petals are on each of these flowers?
field daisies
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, . . .
Let’s look at these Fibonacci numbers in nature.
How many petals are on each of these flowers?
fuschia
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, . . .
Another pinecone:
Find and count the number of spirals:
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, . . .
Another pinecone:
Find and count the number of spirals:
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, . . .
Another pinecone:
Find and count the number of spirals:
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, . . .
Fn = Fn−1 + Fn−2
The Fibonacci Numbers
For example, let’s look at the sum of the first several of these
numbers.
What is F1 + F2 + F3 + F4 · · · + Fn = ???
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, . . .
F1 + F2 = 1 + 1 = 2
F1 + F2 + F3 = 1 + 1 + 2 = 4
F1 + F2 + F3 + F4 = 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 = 7
F1 + F2 + F3 + F4 + F5 = 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 5 = 12
F1 + F2 + F3 + F4 + F5 + F6 = 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 5 + 8 = 20
See a pattern?
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, . . .
It looks like maybe the sum of the first few Fibonacci numbers is
one less another Fibonacci number!
F1 + F2 + F3 + F4 = 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 = 7 = F6 − 1
The sum of the first 4 Fibonacci numbers is one less the 6th
Fibonacci number!
F1 + F2 + F3 + F4 + F5 + F6 = 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 5 + 8 = 20 = F8 − 1
The sum of the first 6 Fibonacci numbers is one less the 8th
Fibonacci number!
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, . . .
It looks like the sum of the first n Fibonacci numbers is one less
the (n + 2)nd Fibonacci number.
That is,
F1 + F2 + F3 + F4 + · · · + Fn = Fn+2 − 1
Conjecture
For any positive integer n, the Fibonacci numbers satisfy:
F1 + F2 + · · · + Fn = Fn+2 − 1
We know F3 = F1 + F2 .
So, rewriting this a little:
F1 = F3 − F2
Also: we know F4 = F2 + F3 .
So:
F2 = F4 − F3
In general:
Fn = Fn+2 − Fn+1
Trying to prove: F1 + F2 + · · · Fn = Fn+2 − 1
F1 = F3 − F2
F2 = F4 − F3
F3 = F5 − F4
F4 = F6 − F5
.. ..
. .
Fn−1 = Fn+1 − Fn
Fn = Fn+2 − Fn+1
Adding up all the terms on the left sides will give us something
equal to the sum of the terms on the right sides.
Trying to prove: F1 + F2 + · · · Fn = Fn+2 − 1
F1 = F3 − F2
F2 = F4 − F3
F3 = F5 − F4
F4 = F6 − F5
.. ..
. .
Fn−1 = Fn+1 − Fn
+ Fn = Fn+2 − Fn+1
Trying to prove: F1 + F2 + · · · Fn = Fn+2 − 1
F1 = /F//3 − F2
F2 = F4 − /F//3
F3 = F5 − F4
F4 = F6 − F5
.. ..
. .
Fn−1 = Fn+1 − Fn
+ Fn = Fn+2 − Fn+1
Trying to prove: F1 + F2 + · · · Fn = Fn+2 − 1
F1 = /F//3 − F2
F2 = /F//4 − /F//3
F3 = F5 − /F//4
F4 = F6 − F5
.. ..
. .
Fn−1 = Fn+1 − Fn
+ Fn = Fn+2 − Fn+1
Trying to prove: F1 + F2 + · · · Fn = Fn+2 − 1
F1 = /F//3 − F2
F2 = /F//4 − /F//3
F3 = /F//5 − /F//4
F4 = F6 − /F//5
.. ..
. .
Fn−1 = Fn+1 − Fn
+ Fn = Fn+2 − Fn+1
Trying to prove: F1 + F2 + · · · Fn = Fn+2 − 1
F1 = /F//3 − F2
F2 = /F//4 − /F//3
F3 = /F//5 − /F//4
F4 = /F//6 − /F//5
.. ..
. .
Fn−1 = Fn+1 − /F//n
+ Fn = Fn+2 − Fn+1
Trying to prove: F1 + F2 + · · · Fn = Fn+2 − 1
F1 = /F//3 − F2
F2 = /F//4 − /F//3
F3 = /F//5 − /F//4
F4 = /F//6 − /F//5
.. ..
. .
Fn−1 = F //// − /F//n
//n+1
+ Fn = Fn+2 − F
//n+1
////
Trying to prove: F1 + F2 + · · · Fn = Fn+2 − 1
F1 = /F//3 − F2
F2 = /F//4 − /F//3
F3 = /F//5 − /F//4
F4 = /F//6 − /F//5
.. ..
. .
Fn−1 = F //// − ///
//n+1 Fn
+ Fn = Fn+2 − F
//////
n+1
F1 + F2 + F3 + · · · + Fn = Fn+2 − F2
Trying to prove: F1 + F2 + · · · Fn = Fn+2 − 1
F1 = /F//3 − F2
F2 = /F//4 − /F//3
F3 = /F//5 − /F//4
F4 = /F//6 − /F//5
.. ..
. .
Fn−1 = F //// − ///
//n+1 Fn
+ Fn = Fn+2 − F
//////
n+1
F1 + F2 + F3 + · · · + Fn = Fn+2 − 1
Trying to prove: F1 + F2 + · · · + Fn = Fn+2 − 1
F1 + F2 + F3 + · · · + Fn = Fn+2 − 1
An example
What about the first few Fibonacci numbers with even index:
F2 , F4 , F6 , . . . , F2n , . . .
Tonight, try to come up with a formula for the sum of the first few
“even” Fibonacci numbers.