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Recurrence relation
Albert Girad (1595-1632), a French-born
mathematician, established recurrence Fig. 5: Fibonacci spirals in a pineapple
relation in Fibonacci numbers
F1 = F2 = 1 l One set of five parallel spirals ascends
Fig. 3: Fibonacci numbers in spiral
Fn = Fn-1 + Fn-2 {for all n ≥ 3 ………..(i)} at a shallow angle to the right
For n = 3 we have l A second set of eight parallel spirals
F3 = F2 + F1 {Substituting in (i)} = 2 The spiral itself is a series of connected ascends more steeply to the left
For n = 4 we have quarter-circles drawn inside an array l And the third set of 13 parallel spirals
F4 = F3 + F2 {Substituting in (i)} = 3 of squares with Fibonacci numbers for ascends very steeply to the right
Similarly, for n = 5, 6, 7 ………… dimensions. This is illustrated in Fig. 4. In pinecones there are eight and
we have thirteen spirals opening to the left and
F5 = 5 right eight and thirteen are consecutive
F6 = 8 Fibonacci numbers. Fibonacci spiral can
F7 = 13 be found in snails and sea shells (Fig. 6).
Hence we have Fibonacci sequence as The resemblance with the spiral of Fig. 3 is
1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55... remarkable. Fibonacci spirals can be found
in cauliflower too.
Binet’s Formula
Once the Fibonacci sequence has been
defined recursively, then, in order to find
each term of the series using the definition, Fig. 4: Fibonacci spiral as a series
we have to find all the terms that precede of connected quarter-circles
it. This makes finding the nth term very
difficult for large values of n, as we must find Fibonacci series in nature
every term that comes before. However, there The rabbit breeding problem that caused
could be a way to find Fibonacci numbers Fibonacci to write about the sequence in Liber
without using the definition. If this were abaci may be unrealistic, but the Fibonacci
possible, one would be able to find the nth numbers really do appear in nature. For
term of the series simply by plugging n into example, some plants branch in such a way Fig. 6: Fibonacci spiral in a Nautilus sea shell
a mathematical formula. In 1843, Jacques that they always have a Fibonacci number
Philippe Marie Binet discovered just such of growing points. Flowers often have a Human hand and fingers
a formula for finding the nth term of the Fibonacci number of petals; daisies can have The Fibonacci numbers exist in human
Fibonacci series. 34, 55 or even as many as 89 petals. hand and fingers. For example, a person
The arrangements of the seeds in a has two hands, which contain five fingers.
Fibonacci spiral sunflower appear to be spiralling outwards Each finger has three parts separated by two
The Fibonacci spiral is a geometric spiral both to the left and the right. In fact there is knuckles.
(Fig. 2) whose growth is regulated by the a Fibonacci number of spirals. It seems that
this arrangement keeps the seeds uniformly Arrangements of
packed no matter how large is the seed petals on a flower
head. The number of petals on a flower is often
one of the Fibonacci numbers. For example,
Pineapples l Two-petalled flowers are those of
Fibonacci sequence is found in pineapples. Crown of thorns.
Pineapple scales are also patterned into l Three-petalled flowers are quite
spirals. Because they are roughly hexagonal common, viz., trillium and iris. There
in shape there are three distinct sets of are hundreds of species, both wild
spirals that can be observed (Fig. 5). They and cultivated, with five petals, viz.,
Fig. 2: Fibonacci spiral are as follows columbine, pinks.