Lesson 2: The Fibonacci Sequence and The Golden Ratio

In this lesson, I will present a general view of mathematical

sequence, Fibonacci sequence and Golden Ratio. I will also explain
the existence of Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio in nature.
Source: google.com

Sequence

What is a Sequence?

A sequence is an ordered list of numbers; the numbers in this ordered list are
called the elements or the terms of the sequence. The arrangement of these terms is
set by a definite rule. If a1, a2, a3, a4,……… etc. denote the terms of a sequence, then
1,2,3,4,…..denotes the position of the term.

A sequence can be defined based upon the number of terms i.e. either finite
sequence or infinite sequence. If a1, a2, a3, a4, ……. is a sequence, then the
corresponding series is given by
SN = a1+a2+a3 + .. + aN
EXAMPLES

 {1,2,3,4,…} is a very simple (sequence (and it is an infinite sequence)

 {20,25,30,35,…} is also an infinite sequence.

 {1,3,5,7} is the sequence of the first 4 odd numbers (and is a finite sequence)

 {1,2,4,8,16,32,…} is an infinite sequence where every term doubles

 {a,b,c,d,e} is the sequence of the first 5 letters alphabetically.

The two simplest sequences to work with are arithmetic and geometric
sequences.

1. Arithmetic Sequence

An arithmetic sequence is a list of numbers with a definite pattern.

If you take any number in the sequence then subtract it by the previous one, and the
result is always the same or constant then it is an arithmetic sequence.
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The constant difference in all pairs of consecutive or successive numbers in

a sequence is called the common difference, denoted by the letter dd. We use the
common difference to go from one term to another. How? Take the current term and
add the common difference to get to the next term, and so on. That is how the terms
in the sequence are generated.

Illustrative Example 1

Find the next term in the sequence below.

2, 5, 8,11,14, ___

We can see that the common difference of the sequence is 3, therefore the
next term will be 14 + 3 = 17

The answer is 17.

Illustrative Example 2

Find the common difference and the next term of the following sequence:
3, 11, 19, 27, 35, ...

To find the common difference, I have to subtract a successive pair of terms.

It doesn't matter which pair I pick, as long as they're right next to each other. To be
thorough, I'll do all the subtractions:

11 – 3 = 8
19 – 11 = 8
27 – 19 = 8
35 – 27 = 8

The difference is always 8, so the common difference is d = 8.

Five terms are given, so the sixth term of the sequence is going to be the very
next term. I find the next term by adding the common difference to the fifth term:

35 + 8 = 43

Then the answer is:

common difference: d = 8

sixth term: 43
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2. Geometric Sequence

A geometric sequence is a sequence of numbers where each term

after the first is found by multiplying the previous one by a fixed, non-zero number
called the common ratio.
A geometric sequence goes from one term to the next by always
multiplying (or dividing) by the same value. So 1, 2, 4, 8, 16,... is geometric, because
each step multiplies by two;

The number multiplied (or divided) at each stage of a geometric

sequence is called the "common ratio" r, because if you divide (that is, if you find the
ratio of) successive terms, you'll always get this common value.

Illustrative Example 3

Find the common ratio and the seventh term of the following sequence:

To find the common ratio, Divide a successive pair of terms. It doesn't matter
which pair you pick, as long as they're right next to each other. To be thorough, I'll
do all the divisions:

The ratio is always 3, so r = 3.

Since the problem has given the five terms, so the sixth term is the very next
term; the seventh will be the term after that. To find the value of the seventh term,
multiply the fifth term by the common ratio twice:

a6 = (18)(3) = 54
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a7 = (54)(3) = 162

Then the answer is:

common ratio: r = 3

seventh term: 162

The Fibonacci Sequence

What’s the Real Story behind this famous sequence?

The exact origination of the Fibonacci sequence is unknown. It was believed

the contribution of the theory began in 200 BC by Indian mathematics whose studies
were based on Sanskrit prosody. Many sources claim it was first discovered or
"invented" by Leonardo Fibonacci. The Italian mathematician,
who was born around A.D. 1170, was originally known as
Leonardo of Pisa. In 1202 Leonardo of Pisa published the
massive tome "Liber Abaci". "Liber Abaci" laid out Hindu-
Arabic arithmetic useful for tracking profits, losses, remaining
loan balances and so on. In the "Liber Abaci," Fibonacci poses
this mathematical problem: if a pair of rabbits breeds once a
month, and each pair they produce can also breed new pairs at
one month old, how many pairs of rabbits will be bred in a
year, starting with the one pair? The answer is contained in a
sequence that begins 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 and continues, working out
to 377 pairs by the end of the year. The principal of the
sequence is that it is built by adding two adjacent terms to get
the next term to add to the series. Indian scholars had already
studied the sequence in the century before Fibonacci published
A page of Fibonacci's Liber Abaci from
the Biblioteca Nazionale di Firenze showing the the "Liber Abaci" and he didn't claim it as his own, but
Fibonacci sequence (in the box on the right)."
because he introduced it to the West, the sequence is
associated with him. It was French mathematician Edouard
Lucas who named it the Fibonacci sequence in the late 1800s.
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What is Fibonacci Sequence?

The Fibonacci sequence is a set of numbers that starts

with a one or a zero, followed by a one, and proceeds based
on the rule that each number (called a Fibonacci number) is
equal to the sum of the preceding two numbers. If the
Fibonacci sequence is denoted F (n), where n is the first
term in the sequence, the following equation obtains for n =
0, where the first two terms are defined as 0 and 1 by
convention:

F (0) = 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55 ...

In some texts, it is customary to use n = 1. In that case, the first two terms are
defined as 1 and 1 by default, and therefore:

F (1) = 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55 ...

The next number is found by adding up the two numbers before it:

 the 2 is found by adding the two numbers before it (1+1),

 the 3 is found by adding the two numbers before it (1+2),
 the 5 is (2+3),
 and so on!

Example: the next number in the sequence above is 34 +55 = 89

Remember. The Fibonacci

sequence is the series of numbers:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, ...

Source: google.com
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The Fibonacci Spiral

The Fibonacci spiral also known as golden spiral has an

association with the golden mean, and it is based on the Fibonacci
sequence. Fibonacci spiral is also reefed to as golden spiral. In
logarithm, it means a logarithmic spiral which gets wider by a
factor of ɸ after making a quarter turn. A Fibonacci spiral having
an initial radius of 1 has a polar equation similar to that of other
logarithmic spirals
Fibonacci spiral is based on Fibonacci numbers, which are
set of numbers arranged in integer sequences referred to as the Fibonacci sequence.
These numbers are characterized in such a way that each of the numbers after the
first two numbers represent the sum of two numbers before it.

The first two numbers in the sequence can either be 0 and 1 or 1 and 1. The
starting point notwithstanding, the subsequent number is always the sum of the two
numbers before it. The sequence of these numbers can be defined by what is termed
the Recurrence Relation.

Did You know that Fibonacci Sequence is Everywhere?

Fibonacci's sequence is all around us. In nature, the number of

petals on a flower is usually a Fibonacci number, the branches of the tress
follows the Fibonacci sequence, and the spiraling growth of a sea shell
progresses at the same rate as the Fibonacci sequence, in art, music and
architecture

Fibonacci in Flowers petals. Fibonacci in Tree Branches Fibonacci in Music

https://r.search.yahoo.com/_ylt=AwrwJTRKxw9fLlIA https://botanicamathematica.files.wordpress.com/2014 https://fibonacci.com/wp-

;_ /04/fibonacci-tree.png content/uploads/2019/01/Piano-Keys-Fibonacci.png
KoxmIYpQ
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The Golden Ratio

What’s the Golden Ratio?

Golden ratio, also known as the golden section, golden mean, or divine
proportion, in mathematics, the irrational number (1 + √5)/2, often denoted by the
Greek letter ϕ or τ, which is approximately equal to 1.61803 39887 49894 84820. In
the world of mathematics, the numeric value is called "phi", named for the Greek
sculptor Phidias.

It is the ratio of a line segment cut into two pieces of different lengths such
that the ratio of the whole segment to that of the longer segment is equal to the ratio
of the longer segment to the shorter segment. The origin of this number can be traced
back to Euclid, who mentions it as the “extreme and mean ratio” in the Elements.

The Equation form of the Golden Ratio is

where a is the longer segment and b is the shorter segment

What is the relationship of the Golden Ratio and Fibonacci

Sequence?

The relationship of the Fibonacci sequence to the Golden Ratio lies not in
the actual numbers of the sequence, but in the ratio of the consecutive numbers.
Since a Ratio is basically a fraction (or a division problem). The ratios of
these numbers by dividing the larger number by the smaller number that falls
consecutively in the series.
Considering the numbers in the Fibonacci Sequence, the ratio will look like
this
2/1 = 2.0
3/2 = 1.5
5/3 = 1.67
8/5 = 1.6
13/8 = 1.625
21/13 = 1.615
34/21 = 1.619
55/34 = 1.618
89/55 = 1.618
….
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Did You know that the Golden Ratio is Everywhere?

The famous Fibonacci sequence has captivated mathematicians, artists,

designers, and scientists for centuries. Also known as the Golden Ratio, its ubiquity
and astounding functionality in nature suggests its importance as a fundamental
characteristic of the Universe.

The number of petals in flowers, spiraling patterns of seeds like sunflower,

pinecones, tree branches, shells, the spiraling patter of galaxies, hurricanes, human
face and fingers, animal bodies, and even the DNA molecules are just few examples
that exhibits the golden ratio (Dvorsky, 2013).

1. Golden Ratio in Humans

The golden ratio is supposed to be at the heart of many of the

proportions in the human body. These include the shape of the perfect face and also
the ratio of the height of the navel to the height of the body. Indeed, it is claimed that
just about every proportion of the perfect human face has a link to the golden ratio.

The body has many possible ratios, lots of which lie somewhere
between 1 and 2. If you consider enough of them then you are bound to get numbers
close to the value of the golden ratio (around 1.618). Pictures below show some
examples of golden ratio in the human body.

Golden ratio in the Human finger Human Body Parts in the Human Body
https://www.goldennumber.net/wp- https://www.goldennumber.net/wp-
content/uploads/finger-golden-ratio.jpg content/uploads/finger-golden-ratio.jpg

2. Golden Ratio in Architecture and Engineering

Architects keep the golden ratio in mind when it comes time

to decide how a building’s floor plan will flow. It’s used when determining features
such as how to properly determine a buildings layout, space out windows, and
determine where a door should be placed in a room. While these proportions are
considered of secondary importance to the building’s structural integrity, adherence
to the ratio increases chances that people will find the building aesthetically pleasing.
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Taj Mahal
https://www.goldennumber.net/wp-
content/uploads/finger-golden-ratio.jpg

3. Golden Ratio in Arts and Design

The golden ratio has been used by artists to locate aesthetically pleasing
areas to place our subjects and distribute weight in our paintings. It appears to have
been used in this famous paintings by Michelangelo as well as the paintings of
Leonardo the Vinci.

Michelangelo, The Creation of Adam, Leonardo the Vinci, ,Monalisa

1512

4. Golden Ratio in Nature

Nature is filled with patterns – spirals, in particular, are

especially noticeable in species of plants and animals.

Sunflowers seed are arranged in spiral pattern. Snail

shells, too, show growth rings that become gradually
larger as they spiral away from the shell’s center.
Evergreen cones, heads of broccoli and cauliflower, and
tree branches all display noticeable iterations of this
spiraling pattern.
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Scientists speculate that plants that grow in spiral formation do so in Fibonacci

numbers because this arrangement makes for the perfect spacing for growth.

In summary, Fibonacci numbers are present throughout the world in which

we live, and the patterns which can be formed from them both astonish and perplex
the mind. The Fibonacci numbers are beautiful to study in and of themselves, but
there is a higher beauty to them as well. These numbers highlight the incredible order
and mathematical complexity of the world we live in.

Now pause for a while, then

answer the second self-test