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Fibonacci Numbers and The Golden Ratio
Fibonacci Numbers and The Golden Ratio
Fibonacci Numbers and The Golden Ratio
1, 1
To get the next number we add the previous two
numbers together. So now our sequence becomes
1, 1, 2. The next number will be 3. What do you
think the next number in the sequence will be?
Remember, we add the previous two numbers to
get the next. So the next number should be 2+3, or
5. Here is what our sequence should look like if we
continue on in this fashion for a while:
Math GEEK
Leonardo Fibonacci
The relationship of this sequence to the
Golden Ratio lies not in the actual numbers
of the sequence, but in the ratio of the
consecutive numbers. Let's look at some of
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233, 377, 610…
the ratios of these numbers:
Since a Ratio is basically a fraction (or
a division problem) we will find the
ratios of these numbers by dividing
the larger number by the smaller
number that fall consecutively in the
series.
So, what is the ratio of the 2nd and
3rd numbers? 2/1 = 2.0
Well, 2 is the 3rd number divided by the 3/2 = 1.5
2nd number which is 1
5/3 = 1.67
2 divided by 1 = 2 8/5 = 1.6
And the ratios continue like this….
13/8 = 1.625
21/13 = 1.615
34/21 = 1.619
2/1 = 2.0 (bigger)
8/5 = 1.6(smaller)
13/8 = 1.625 (bigger)
Aha! Notice that as 21/13 = 1.615 (smaller)
we continue down 34/21 = 1.619 (bigger)
the sequence, the 55/34 = 1.618 (smaller)
ratios seem to be 89/55 = 1.618
converging upon one
number (from both
Fibonacci Number calculator
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
Notice that I have rounded my ratios to the third decimal
place. If we examine 55/34 and 89/55 more closely, we will
see that their decimal values are actually not the same. But
what do you think will happen if we continue to look at the
ratios as the numbers in the sequence get larger and
1
3 1.5000000000000000
5 1.6666666666666700
8 1.6000000000000000
13 1.6250000000000000
21 1.6153846153846200
34 1.6190476190476200
55 1.6176470588235300
89 1.6181818181818200
144 1.6179775280898900
233 1.6180555555555600
377 1.6180257510729600
610 1.6180371352785100
987 1.6180327868852500
1,597 1.6180344478216800
2,584 1.6180338134001300
4,181 1.6180340557275500
6,765 1.6180339631667100
10,946 1.6180339985218000
17,711 1.6180339850173600
28,657 1.6180339901756000
46,368 1.6180339882053200
75,025 1.6180339889579000
The Golden Ratio is what we call an
irrational number: it has an infinite
number of decimal places and it never
repeats itself! Generally, we round
the Golden Ratio to 1.618.
Here is the decimal value of Phi to 2000 places grouped in blocks of 5
decimal digits. The value of phi is the same but begins with 0·6..
instead of 1·6.. .
Read this as ordinary text, in lines across, so Phi is 1·61803398874...)
Dps: 1·61803 39887 49894 84820 45868 34365 63811 77203 09179 80576 50 28621 35448 62270 52604
62818 90244 97072 07204 18939 11374 100 84754 08807 53868 91752 12663 38622 23536 93179 31800
60766 72635 44333 89086 59593 95829 05638 32266 13199 28290 26788 200 06752 08766 89250 17116
96207 03222 10432 16269 54862 62963 13614 43814 97587 01220 34080 58879 54454 74924 61856 95364
300 86444 92410 44320 77134 49470 49565 84678 85098 74339 44221 25448 77066 47809 15884 60749
98871 24007 65217 05751 79788 400 34166 25624 94075 89069 70400 02812 10427 62177 11177 78053
15317 14101 17046 66599 14669 79873 17613 56006 70874 80710 500 13179 52368 94275 21948 43530
56783 00228 78569 97829 77834 78458 78228 91109 76250 03026 96156 17002 50464 33824 37764 86102
83831 26833 03724 29267 52631 16533 92473 16711 12115 88186 38513 31620 38400 52221 65791 28667
52946 54906 81131 71599 34323 59734 94985 09040 94762 13222 98101 72610 70596 11645 62990 98162
90555 20852 47903 52406 02017 27997 47175 34277 75927 78625 61943 20827 50513 12181 56285 51222
48093 94712 34145 17022 37358 05772 78616 00868 83829 52304 59264 78780 17889 92199 02707 76903
89532 19681 98615 14378 03149 97411 06926 08867 42962 26757 56052 31727 77520 35361 39362 1000
10767 38937 64556 06060 59216 58946 67595 51900 40055 59089 50229 53094 23124 82355 21221 24154
44006 47034 05657 34797 66397 23949 49946 58457 88730 39623 09037 50339 93856 21024 23690 25138
We work with another important
irrational number in Geometry: pi,
which is approximately 3.14. Since
we don't want to make the Golden
Ratio feel left out, we will give it its
own Greek letter: phi.
Φ φ Phi
which is equal to:
One more interesting thing about Phi is its
reciprocal. If you take the ratio of any number in
the Fibonacci sequence to the next number (this is
the reverse of what we did before), the ratio will
approach the approximation 0.618. This is the
reciprocal of Phi: 1 / 1.618 = 0.618. It is highly
unusual for the decimal integers of a number and
its reciprocal to be exactly the same. In fact, I
cannot name another number that has this
The Golden Ratio is not just some number that math
teachers think is cool. The interesting thing is that it keeps
popping up in strange places - places that we may not
ordinarily have thought to look for it. It is important to note
that Fibonacci did not "invent" the Golden Ratio; he just
discovered one instance of where it appeared naturally. In
fact civilizations as far back and as far apart as the Ancient
Egyptians, the Mayans, as well as the Greeks discovered
the Golden Ratio and incorporated it into their own art,
architecture, and designs. They discovered that the Golden
Ratio seems to be Nature's perfect number. For some
reason, it just seems to appeal to our natural instincts. The
Look at the following rectangles:
index card
photograph
picture frame
textbook
door frame
computer
screen
TV screen
Further classic subdivisions of the rectangle align perfectly with major architectural features of the structure.
The Golden Ratio in Art
Now let's go back and try to
discover the Golden Ratio in art.
We will concentrate on the works of
Leonardo da Vinci, as he was not
only a great artist but also a genius
The Annunciation - Using the left side of the painting as a
side, create a square on the left of the painting by inserting
a vertical line. Notice that you have created a square and a
rectangle. The rectangle turns out to be a Golden
Rectangle, of course. Also, draw in a horizontal line that is
61.8% of the way down the painting (.618 - the inverse of
the Golden Ratio). Draw another line that is 61.8% of the
way up the painting. Try again with vertical lines that are
61.8% of the way across both from left to right and from
right to left. You should now have four lines drawn across
the painting. Notice that these lines intersect important
The Mona Lisa - Measure the length and
the width of the painting itself. The ratio is,
of course, Golden. Draw a rectangle around
Mona's face (from the top of the forehead to
the base of the chin, and from left cheek to
right cheek) and notice that this, too, is a
Golden rectangle.
Leonardo da Vinci's talent as an artist may well
have been outweighed by his talents as a
mathematician. He incorporated geometry into
many of his paintings, with the Golden Ratio being
just one of his many mathematical tools. Why do
you think he used it so much? Experts agree that
he probably thought that Golden measurements
made his paintings more attractive. Maybe he was
just a little too obsessed with perfection. However,
Constructing A Golden Rectangle
21
Do the Math!! 34 divided by 21 =1.61904761904
Remember that the farther into the sequence we
go the closer the ratio gets to being perfect!
This rectangle should seem very
well proportioned to you, i.e. it
should be pleasing to the eye. If it
isn't, maybe you need your eyes
checked!
Constructing a Golden Spiral
a/g = cm
b/d = cm
i/j = cm
i/c = cm
e/lapplet
face = cm
f/h = cm
The blue line defines a perfect square
of the pupils and outside corners of
the mouth. The golden section of
these four blue lines defines the nose,
the tip of the nose, the inside of the
nostrils, the two rises of the upper lip
and the inner points of the ear. The
blue line also defines the distance
from the upper lip to the bottom of the
chin.
The yellow line, a golden section of
the blue line, defines the width of the
nose, the distance between the eyes
and eye brows and the distance from
the pupils to the tip of the nose.
The green line, a golden section of the
yellow line defines the width of the
eye, the distance at the pupil from the
eye lash to the eye brow and the
distance between the nostrils.
The magenta line, a golden section of
the green line, defines the distance
from the upper lip to the bottom of the
nose and several dimensions
Even when viewed
from the side, the
human head
illustrates the
Divine Proportion.
The first golden section
(blue) from the front of the
head defines the position of
the ear opening. The
successive golden sections
define the neck (yellow), the
back of the eye (green) and
the front of the eye and back
of the nose and mouth
(magenta). The dimensions
of the face from top to
bottom also exhibit the
Divine Proportion, in the
positions of the eye brow
(blue), nose (yellow) and
mouth (green and magenta).
The ear reflects the shape of
a Fibonacci spiral.
The front two incisor teeth form a
golden rectangle, with a phi ratio in the
heighth to the width.
The ratio of the width of the first tooth
to the second tooth from the center is
also phi.
The ratio of the width of the smile to
the third tooth from the center is phi as
well.
Visit the site of Dr. Eddy Levin for more
on the Golden Section and Dentistry.
Your hand shows Phi and the Fibonacci Series