GE 1108 – Mathematics in the Modern World Ateneo de Davao University

Lesson I: Patterns in Nature and Regularities in the World

Student Learning Outcomes

1. identify patterns in nature and regularities in the world

2. articulate and argue about the importance of mathematics in one’s life
3. solve problems involving patterns in nature and regularities in the world

Try These!

A. Identify the next element for each set.

1. 3, 6, 9, 12, _____
2. 12, 21, 39, 75, _____
3. 41, 39, 37, 34, 32, 30, 27, _____
4. N2, M4, L8, K16, _____

B. Which number replaces the question mark?

9 3 7

13 20 29

2 5 8 4 ? 6

C. Which is the next logical image in the sequences

(Practice Aptitude Tests – 2019/2020 edition)

A B C D E

C. E; the black and white dots are alternating between 5 and 7 in number

get the middle number

B. 5; multiply top number and left base number, then subtract the right base number to

4. J32; letters decrease by 1, numbers double

3. 25; alternately subtract 2 twice, then subtract 3 once
2. 147; add 9, then add 18 (9 x 2), then add 36 (18 x 2), then add 72 (36 x 2)
1. 15; add 3 to the previous number
A.

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GE 1108 – Mathematics in the Modern World Ateneo de Davao University

Fibonacci Numbers and Golden Ratio

Who was Fibonacci?

§ Born in Pisa, Italy in 1175 AD

§ Full name was Leonardo Pisano
§ Grew up with a North African education under the Moors
§ Traveled extensively around the Mediterranean coast
§ Met with many merchants and learned their systems of arithmetic
§ Realized the advantages of the Hindu-Arabic system
§ Introduced the Hindu-Arabic number system into Europe - based on ten digits and a
decimal point
§ Europe previously used the Roman number system. Consisted of Roman numerals
§ Persuaded mathematicians to use the Hindu-Arabic number system
§ Wrote five mathematical works. Four books and one preserved letter
o Liber Abaci (The Book of Calculating) written in 1202
o Practica geometriae (Practical Geometry) written in 1220
o Flos written in 1225
o Liber quadratorum (The Book of Squares) written in 1225
o A letter to Master Theodorus written around 1225

The Fibonacci Rabbit Problem & The Fibonacci Sequence

Fibonacci Rabbit Problem: Under ideal circumstances, how fast rabbits could breed?

Rabbit Breeding Rules

1. All pairs of rabbits consist of a male and female

2. One pair of newborn rabbits is placed in hutch on January 1
3. When this pair is 2 months old they produce a pair of baby rabbits
4. Every month afterwards they produce another pair
5. All rabbits produce pairs in the same manner
6. Rabbits don’t die

Rabbits Pairs Number of

Date
(exponent = months old) Rabbit Pairs
0
Jan 1 1

1
Feb 1 1

2 0
Mar 1 2

3 1 0
Apr 1 3

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Rabbits Pairs Number of

Date
(exponent = months old) Rabbit Pairs
4 2 1 0 0
May 1 5

5 3 2 1 1 0 0 0
June 1 8

Analyzing, the following equations are generated:

o Number of pairs this month = Number of pairs last month + Number of pairs of
newborns
o Number of pairs this month = Number of pairs last month + Number of pairs 2
months ago

Continuing the pattern on the number of rabbit pairs per month, we get

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, …

These numbers form the Fibonacci sequence and they follow the rule “Every term is the
sum of the two preceding terms”.

However, Fibonacci introduced these numbers in his book Liber Abaci (The Book of
Calculating) beginning with 0 and 1.

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, …

The numbers follow the formula F(n + 2) = F(n + 1) + F(n). This means that if you are
looking for F(11) or the 11th term, F(11) = F(9 + 2). Giving n = 9.

F(11) = F(9 + 1) + F(9)

= F(10) + F(9)
= 34 + 21 = 55

Example 1:

The 16th term of the Fibonacci sequence is 987 and the 17th term is 1597. What is the
19th term?

19th term = 17th term + 18th term

= 17th term + (16th term + 17th term) = 1597 + (987 + 1597)
= 1597 + 2584
= 4181

Therefore, the 19th term of the Fibonacci sequence is 4181.

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GE 1108 – Mathematics in the Modern World Ateneo de Davao University

Example 2:

Change Fibonacci’s problem slightly so that each pair of adult rabbits produces 2 pairs
per litter. Which recursion formula best describes the rabbit population?

A. This month = Last month + Two months ago

B. This month = Last month + 2(Two months ago)
C. This month = 2(Last month) + Two months ago

To do this, the following conditions will be observed.

o The letters indicate the pair of rabbits where a consecutive letter is the offspring of
the preceding letter.
o Exponents refer to the age, in months, of the pair of rabbits.

1st month A0 1 pair

2nd month A1 1 pairs
3rd month A2 B0 B0 3 pairs
4th month A3 B1 B1 B0 B0 5 pairs
5th month A4 B2 B2 B1 B1 B0 B0 C0 C0 C0 C0 11 pairs

Substituting the number of pairs of rabbits to the equations, the correct answer is B.

Example 3:

What is the 25th Fibonacci number?

By listing method:

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610, 987, 1597, 2584, 4181,
6765, 10946, 17711, 28657, 46368, 75025, 121393, …

Therefore, the 25th Fibonacci number is 75025.

While listing method is easy, but it is not convenient at all times. When the required
Fibonacci number is on higher position, listing method is taxing. Binet’s formula (when F1 & F2 =
1) may be used as the alternative.
' '
!" √% !( √%
" # $" #
& &
𝐹! =
√&

&% &%
!" √% !( √%
" # $" #
& &
𝐹'& = = 75025
√&

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GE 1108 – Mathematics in the Modern World Ateneo de Davao University

Relationship Between Fibonacci Numbers and Golden Ratio

Given two values, their quantitative relationship (as signified by their quotient) is termed
ratio. Actual numbers of the Fibonacci sequence do not directly show the sequence’s relationship
with the Golden Ratio, rather from the ratios of the consecutive numbers.

((!*+)
The relationship will be used to determine the ratio at F(n + 1). The table below
((!)
shows the ratio until the 16th Fibonacci number. A line graph displays the correspondence
between the Fibonacci number and its consequent ratio.

Fibonacci Ratio Fibonacci Ratio

Numbers (rounded off) Numbers (rounded off)
1 55 55/34 = 1.61764706
1 1/1 = 1 89 89/55 = 1.61818182
2 2/1 = 2 144 144/89 = 1.61797753
3 3/2 = 1.5 233 233/144 = 1.61805556
5 5/3 = 1.66666667 377 377/233 = 1.61802575
8 8/3 = 1.6 610 610/377 = 1.61803714
13 13/8 = 1.625 987 987/610 = 1.61803279
21 21/13 = 1.61538462 1597 1597/987 = 1.61803445
34 34/21 = 1.61904762 2584 2584/1597 = 1.61803345

Ratio values alternately increases and decreases. However, the ratio appears to converge
upon one number (as shown in the line graph). Continuing the process, the value 1.618 emerges.
This is the rounded value of the Golden ratio.

Golden Ratio

§ Represented by the Greek letter phi (𝜙 𝑜𝑟 𝜑)

+* √&
§ It is an irrational number with a value 𝜑 = '
§ Ratio of phi is 1 : 1.618 or 0.618 : 1
§ Mathematical definition is 𝜑' = 𝜑 + 1
§ Euclid showed how to find the golden section of a line

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GE 1108 – Mathematics in the Modern World Ateneo de Davao University

./ /0
.0
= ./ Ratio is built on length over direct longer
length
1 +$1
+
= 1
Substitution
2
g =1–g Cross multiplication
g2 + g – 1 = 0

Using quadratic formula: a=1 b=1 c=-1

$2 ±√2 & $456 $+ ±7+& $4(+)($+) $+ ±√+*4 $+ ±√&

g= '5
= '(+)
= '
= '

$+*√&
g1 = '
≈ 0.618
$+$√&
g2 = '
≈ - 0.618 discarded; measure is negative

AG is 0.618 units long and the ratio between lengths AG and AB is 0.618 : 1. Moreover,
$+*√& +* √&
the accepted value of g, that is '
, is less than 1. Unlike 𝜑 = '
, 𝜑 has a value greater than
1.

Golden Ratio in Nature

Nature presents the Golden Ratio or the Fibonacci numbers is varying ways. One of which
is through the number of clockwise and counter clockwise spirals of some flower heads. These
spirals will have counts observing Fibonacci numbers, even if the flower is still growing. Other
examples of Golden Ratio in nature include number of petals, the ratio between the lengths of
some body parts, and the number of spirals of a pinecone.

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Golden Ratio in Music

The Fibonacci series appears in the foundation of aspects of

art, beauty and life. Even music has a foundation in the series, as:

• There are 13 notes in the span of any note through its

octave (chromatic scale).
• A scale is composed of 8 notes (octave), of which the 5th
and 3rd notes create the basic foundation of all chords, and
are based on a tone which are combination of 2 steps and
1 step from the root tone, that is the 1st note of the scale.

In Mozart’s 18 sonatas, three movements were included –

Exposition, Development and Recapitulation. The sonatas were
composed such that the Golden Ratio was observed. Mozart Sonata
279 No. 1 has 100 measures. The first movement, the Exposition, was
38 measures. The second and third movements have 62 measures.
This gives a ratio of 62 to 100, nearly the Golden Ratio.

Golden Ratio in Architecture

One fascinating idea on Golden Ratio is its implementation on early architectures despite
the absence of knowledge of decimals or tools to exactly measure nearly 1.618. Some of the best
examples are Greece’s Parthenon and the Pyramids in Egypt.

Built from 447 to 438 BC by the ancient Greeks, the Parthenon in Athens illustrate Golden
Ratio or golden section application in its design.

The Parthenon picture on the right shows the golden rectangle. The ratio between its
length and width follows the golden ratio. When a square is cut from a golden rectangle, the
resulting (remaining) rectangle’s dimensions still follows the golden ratio. Continuing the process
to every rectangle will still yield the golden ratio.

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GE 1108 – Mathematics in the Modern World Ateneo de Davao University

Ratio taken between lengths of some

edges of the three pyramids of the Giza
pyramid complex reflects the Golden ratio. The
pyramids are named Great Pyramid, Khafre
and Menkaure.

Golden Ratio in Art

Leonardo da Vinci made use of the Golden Ratio in his

paintings. Created in around 1490, the Vitruvian Man shows
proportion of the human body according to Vitruvius.

The Annunciation was painted by da Vinci and Andrea del

Verrocchio. Forming a square from the left side of the painting and
marking it with a vertical line, the resulting rectangle is a Golden
Rectangle. Important parts of the painting are highlighted when you
draw horizontal lines 61.8% down from the top of the paint and another
one 61.8% upward from the base, and vertical line 61.8% across both
from left and right.

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GE 1108 – Mathematics in the Modern World Ateneo de Davao University

Golden rectangles are also present in da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and the Last Supper. Mona
Lisa’s face was painted in a certain angle such that it reflects the golden ratio. The horizontal and
vertical lines of the golden rectangle fall on important facial details, such as the alignment of the
eyes, nose bridge and lips. In the Last Supper, the golden ratio or divine proportions is featured in
various designs and architectural elements.

Constructing a Golden Rectangle

Method 1:
Divide the square in half. Measure the diagonal of the resulting rectangle. Use the
length to extend the base of the square from its midpoint. Complete the rectangle.

Method 2:

1. Draw a square (1 unit x 1 unit)

2. Draw congruent square right next to the first one (1 unit x 2 units)

3. Draw a 2-unit by 2-unit square on top of the figure.

(2 units x 3 units)

4. Draw a 3-unit by 3-unit square. (3 x 5)

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GE 1108 – Mathematics in the Modern World Ateneo de Davao University

5. Draw a 5-unit by 5-unt square. (5 x 8)

6. Continue to the right with a square with side 8. The new rectangle has a width of 8
and a length of 13. Extending the rectangle following the pattern will still produce
golden rectangles.

Golden Spiral

Using a growth factor of 𝜑, the golden spiral widens by 𝜑 for every quarter turn. The golden
spiral is drawn by connecting opposite vertices of the squares by a smooth curve as shown below.

Golden Spiral in Nature

Aside from the Golden Ratio or Fibonacci Numbers, nature

also use the golden spiral. Some examples are leaves, shells,
fingerprints, hurricanes, spiral galaxies and eggs.

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GE 1108 – Mathematics in the Modern World Ateneo de Davao University

Golden Spiral in Movies

Several movie scenes observe the golden spiral concept to improve its visual appeal. This
is shown in the pictures below.

Learn more from these links:

1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVTPwPh7ioU (only up to 13:52)

2. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bRVhNLYKnoI

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