Fibonacci

biography
Fibonacci was born in 1170 to Guilielmo, a member of the Bonacci family.
Guilielmo held a position as a secretary of the Republic of Pisa , in the Province
of Tuscany, which at the time was part of the Holy Roman Empire, and today is in
northern Italy. In approximately 1192 Guilielmo was posted to a trading center in
the city of Bugia .Guilielmo brought Fibonacci to Bugia when he accepted this
position. In Bugia Fibonacci learned a great many things notably, from the point
of view of the history of mathematics, the Indian numerals. Fibonacci wrote of his
stay in Bugia in the Liber abbaci as follows:
In his travels Fibonacci learned a great deal of mathematics, including the Indian
numerals, and also a great many of the Greek classics which had been lost to the
west, but whose Latin translations had been preserved in the east through the
long endurance of the Roman empire in Constantinople . Fibonacci ended his
travels in approximately 1200 and settled down in Pisa, where for the next twenty
five years he composed a number of texts in which he did important work in
number theory and the solution of algebraic equations among other important
things. He also came upon the series of numbers known today as the Fibonacci
numbers. Fibonacci gained recognition in the court of Emperor Frederick II.
Fibonacci is believed to have died around 1250, but in any case some time after
1240; there are no records of him after this date
 Important Works
Fibonacci's first major work was the Liber abbaci The Book of Calculations
written in 1202. The Liber abbaci was subsequently re-edited by Fibonacci
himself in 1228. In the Liber abbaci Fibonacci presents an overview of basic
arithmetic and algebra. First he discusses common finger computations and
the use of Roman numerals, which were common computational methods in
Europe at that time. Next he introduces the Indian numerals. The Liber
abbaci begins"These are the nine figures of the Indians: 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. With
these nine figures, and with the sign 0 which in Arabic is called zephirum, any
number can be written as will be demonstrated ." Next he explains the Arabic
rules for working with the Indian Numerals . Fractions are placed to the left of
integers, and the fraction bar is used. The examples are based on examples in
the Dictionary of Scientific Biography, and Lüneburg
 Main Achievements
The most well known of Fibonacci's achievements is definitely the Fibonacci
sequence. The Fibonacci sequence was the first recurrence series, other such
series as the Lucas series are modeled on it. Fibonacci numbers have applications
in modern mathematics. They are often used in modern computer science, as a
part of number theory, and in the counting of mathematical objects.
• In his work, Fibonacci put forth not so much an original exposition as a compilation
of the techniques of Arabic arithmetic and algebra.
• Interestingly enough Fibonacci was also responsible for the introduction of Arab
mathematics to the Arabs as well. Arabic mathematics were originally in use only
by scientists and mathematicians but not by the Arab businessman.
• Fibonacci can rather be credited with the introduction of scientific calculating
techniques into general business practice .
• These are really only a few of Fibonacci's many achievements, A student both of
the algebraic heritage of the east and a scholar of the ancient Greeks, He joined
the theoretical traditions of the Hellenes and the algebraic traditions of the Arabs
and established them in Europe. Fibonacci has been called "the first great
mathematician of the Christian West. It seems an accurate title for the man who
had a major part in recognizing the usefulness of and introducing the system the
system of numbers we use still today, for the man who has provided a foundation
for modern number theory, and many other useful parts of mathematics.