Understanding the Fibonacci Sequence
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ScribdTranslationsUnderstanding the Fibonacci Sequence
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ScribdTranslationsFibonacci Sequence
The mathematician Leonardo of Pisa, known as Fibonacci, proposed in the 13th century,
the numerical sequence below:
(1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, ...)
This sequence has a simple formation rule: each element, starting from the
third, it is obtained by adding the two previous ones. See: 1+1=2, 2+1=3, 3+2=5
and so on.
Since the 13th century, many mathematicians, besides Fibonacci himself,
they dedicated themselves to the study of the sequence that was proposed, and were found
countless applications for it in the development of explanatory models of
natural phenomena.
See some examples of the applications of the Fibonacci sequence and understand why
that it is known as one of the wonders of Mathematics:
Golden Rectangle:
From two squares with a side of 1, we can obtain a rectangle with sides 2 and
1. If we add to this rectangle a square with a side of 2, we obtain a new
rectangle 3x2. If we now add a square with side 3, we obtain a
rectangle 5x3. Observe the figure below and see that the sides of the squares
what we add to determine the rectangles form the sequence of
Fibonacci.
If we use a compass and draw the quarter of the inscribed circumference in
In each square, we will find a spiral formed by the agreement of
arcs whose rays are the elements of the Fibonacci sequence.
The Parthenon was built in Athens by the famousarchitectGreek Fidia. A
the main facade of the building, now in ruins, was a rectangle that contained
a square with a side equal to the height. This shape has always been considered
satisfactory from an aesthetic point of view due to its proportions being called
golden rectangle or rectangle of gold.
Since the two rectangles indicated in the figure are similar, we have:
How:
Substituting (2) into (1) we have:
Solving the equation:
Logo:
This number is known as the golden number and can be represented by:
Every rectangle where the ratio between the longest and the shortest side is equal to Φ is
called the golden rectangle such as in the case of the facade of the Parthenon.
Trunks of branches in trees:
Certain plants display the Fibonacci numbers in the growth of their
branches. Let's assume that a new sprout grows from a branch every month, being
that a bud takes two months to produce its first sprout.
There are several plants whose growth resembles what is described here. The
The plant Achillea ptarmica has these characteristics.
Rabbit pair problem:
How many pairs of rabbits can be generated from one pair of rabbits in a
What? A man has a pair of rabbits in an entirely
closed. We would like to know how many pairs of rabbits can be generated from this.
but in a year, if in a natural way the production of a occurs each month
A pair of rabbits starts to produce offspring when they reach two months of age.
As the adult pair produces a new pair every 30 days, at the beginning of the second
In the month, there will be two pairs of rabbits, one pair of adults and another of
young rabbits, thus at the beginning of month 1 there will be 2 pairs: 1 adult pair + 1 pair
newborn.
At the beginning of the 3rd month, the adult pair will produce another pair again while
the young bird will have completed 1 month of life and will not yet be able to produce,
thus at the beginning of the third month there will be three pairs of rabbits, being: 1 pair
adult + 1 pair with 1 month old + 1 pair newborn.
At the beginning of the 4th month, there will be two adult pairs, each already
produced a new pair and a new pair that completed 1 month, soon we will have 5
pares: 2 pares adultos + 1 par com 1 mês + 2 pares recém nascidos.
At the beginning of the 5th month, there will be three adult pairs, each already
produced a new pair and two new pairs that completed 1 month of life,
so we will have 8 pairs: 3 adult pairs + 2 pairs (1 month) + 3 newborn pairs
born.
At the beginning of the 6th month, there will be five adult pairs, each of which has already
produced a new pair and three new pairs that completed 1 month, thus
There will be 13 pairs: 5 adult pairs + 3 pairs with 1 month + 5 newborn pairs
born.
This process continues through various months until completing a year.
This formation can be observed in the graph with circles, but it can also be
to realize that the numerical sequence, known as the Fibonacci sequence,
indicate the number of pairs at the end of each month.
(1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89,... )
Applications of the Fibonacci sequence
Does this numerical sequence appear in other situations in life? A
the response is positive and is astonishing due to the great number of situations where
it happens. We present a modest list that can be expanded
easily if the visitor searches more in the literature.
1. Genealogical study of rabbits
2. Genealogical study of bees
3. Behavior of light
4. Behavior of atoms
5. Plant Growth
[Link] and fall in stock markets
7. Probability and Statistics
[Link] with a spiral shape such as: Nautilus (marine), galaxies,
mountain goat horns, elephant tusks, phyllotaxy, tail of
seahorse, wave in the ocean, hurricane, etc.
Connection of the Fibonacci sequence with the golden number:
In what way does this connection with the golden ratio Phi occur? In fact, the
the Fibonacci sequence is given by:
1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, ...
and the terms of this sequence are called Fibonacci numbers. One can
take the definition of this sequence for all natural n, as:
u(1)=1, u(2)=1
u(n+1) = u(n-1) + u(n)
This sequence is not upper bounded, but there is an interesting fact:
Taking the ratios (divisions) of each term by its predecessor, we obtain
another numerical sequence whose general term is given by:
u(n+
f(n) 1)
=
u(n)
what is a bounded sequence. If we consider the Fibonacci sequence
like a set of the form {1,1,2,3,5,8,13,...} and the division of each number
by its predecessor, we will obtain another sequence:
1/1=1, 2/1=2, 3/2=1.5, 5/3=1.666..., 8/5=1.6, ...
It is easy to understand what happens when we put these successive reasons.
(heights) in a graph where the horizontal axis indicates the elements of
Fibonacci sequence:
The reasons are getting closer to a particular value, known as Number
Golden Ratio (Golden Number), which is often represented by the Greek letter
Phi
As n approaches infinity, the limit is exactly Phi, the golden number.
u(n+
Ph Li 1) 1.61803398874
= =
i m 9895
u(n)
There are many sequences with the same properties as the sequence of
Fibonacci.
Examples:
The sequence below indicated with the letter L is called a sequence of
Lucas.
1. L = {1, 3, 4, 7, 11, 18, 29, 47, 76, ...}
2. A = {5, 9, 14, 23, 37, 60, 97, ...}
3. B = {-8, -4, -12, -16, -28, -44, ...}
We can build a very general Fibonacci sequence z=z(n), where
z(1)=a, z(2)=b and taking for all natural n:
z(n+1) = z(n-1) + z(n)
We will then obtain:
a, b, a+b, a+2b, 2a+3b, 3a+5b, 5a+8b, 8a+13b, ...
It becomes easy to observe that
z(n) = a u(n-2) + b u(n-1)
where u=u(n) is the normal Fibonacci sequence.
The differences between them are related to the issue of convergence.
the reasons for their general terms by the respective antecedents, but the value
It is exactly the same in any case.
References:
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