ANC
HLL
HUNT/FISH
RES STEW
COOK_OFF
ANC
HLL
HUNT/FISH
RES STEW
COOK_OFF
Investigate the Fibonacci SequenceThe Fibonacci sequence is a number pattern that can be connected to the way some plants, animals, and inanimate objects such as waves behave in nature. You can find the pattern in your outdoor classroom sunflower garden!
The Fibonacci sequence is a number pattern that can be connected to the way some plants, animals, and inanimate objects such as waves behave in nature. You can find the pattern in your outdoor classroom sunflower garden!
Sunflower
Dreamstime
The Fibonacci Sequence:
Leonardo Pisano, better known as Fibonacci, was an Italian mathematician (someone who studies math) who conducted experiments relating to this special series of numbers in 1202. Although mathematicians in India knew about this sequence before he did, Fibonacci is credited with making it popular around this time.
His experiment was based on breeding rabbits. He wondered how many pairs of rabbits could be produced from a single pair of rabits in ideal conditions.
The first assumption of the experiment was that female rabbits always give birth to one male and one female bunny (which is not true in real life). The second assumption was that rabbits do not reproduce in the first month.
Statue of Fibonacci
Wikimedia
Following this pattern:
Fibonacci Sequence with Rabbits
The Fibonacci sequence is: 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144… to infinity. To find the next number, add up the two previous numbers.
The Golden Ratio:
The ration between consecutive numbers is consistantly very close to 1.618. The ratio is calculated by dividing a number in the sequence by the number before it.
For example, 89/55=1.618.
This is the golden ratio, also known as the number phi. This ratio can be used along with the numbers of the sequence to create a golden rectangle, a rectangle whose length divided by its width is the golden ratio.
A golden spiral (one whose growth factor is the golden ratio) can be drawn through the rectangle (see image to the right):
This ratio and spiral can be found throughout nature!
Golden Rectangle
Golden Spiral
In many cases, the connection between the Fibonacci sequence, golden spiral, golden ratio, and nature may just be coincidence. In other situations, the ratio exists because that particular growth pattern evolved as the most effective. The text (not photos) below comes from HowStuffWorks.com.
White-nose Syndrome – Little Brown Bat
USFWS – Moriarty Marvin
Highlighting to show spirals
Dreamstime
Flowers and branches:
Some plants express the Fibonacci sequence in their growth points, the places where tree branches form or split. One trunk grows until it produces a branch, resulting in two growth points. The main trunk then produces another branch, resulting in three growth points. Then the trunk and the first branch produce two more growth points, bringing the total to five. This pattern continues, following the Fibonacci numbers. Additionally, if you count the number of petals on a flower, you’ll often find the total to be one of the numbers in the Fibonacci sequence. For example, lilies and irises have three petals, buttercups and wild roses have five, delphiniums have eight petals and so on.
Backside of Pinecone
Dreamstime
Honeybees:
A honeybee colony consists of a queen, a few drones and lots of workers. The female bees (queens and workers) all have two parents, a drone and a queen. Drones, on the other hand, hatch from unfertilized eggs. This means they have only one parent. Therefore, Fibonacci numbers express a drone’s family tree in that he has one parent, two grandparents, three great-grandparents and so forth.
Sunflower Seed Head
Dreamstime
The human body:
Take a good look at yourself in the mirror. You’ll notice that most of your body parts follow the numbers one, two, three and five. You have one nose, two eyes, three segments to each limb and five fingers on each hand. The proportions and measurements of the human body can also be divided up in terms of the golden ratio. DNA molecules follow this sequence, measuring 34 angstroms long and 21 angstroms wide for each full cycle of the double helix [source: Jovonovic].
Pineapple Skin
Dreamstime
Website Design and Digital Marketing by
