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Golden Ratio
Golden Ratio
http://farm2.static.ickr.com/1278/694780262_8874b4f225.jpg
The numbers of spirals in each direction are successive Fibonacci numbers (whose ratios have as limiting value the
number ): But theres more.
b)
b triangle is
1= 1
b
a
= (
b
a
1
1
) 1b
b b
= a b
b
= a
1
1
1
1
itself.
http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/images/GoldenSectionD.jpg
What
=
p sort of number is ? Once again recall that
1+ 5 and also that
is a limiting value of a sequence
2
of rational numbers, namely the ration of the successive
f
Notice that
1+ 5
a
=
2
b
p
2a
1+ 5 =
b
p
2a
5 =
b
2a
=
which is again a ratio of integers.
1
b
b
Similarly,
p
p
5 =
p
q
p
1+ 5 = 1+
q
q+p
=
q
p
1+ 5
q+p
=
:
2
2q
2):
Proof.
p
p p
p
q ( 5 2) 5 = q 5 5 q 5
p
= 5q q 5
p
which is positive because and q and 5 are positive and
p
p
5q > 5q: But 5q and 5q are integers because q is an
unusual integer, so their dierent is an integer.