Golden Ratio Project

Alejandra Zepeda
TC-Stats (Day)

Abstract: The experiment was conducted in attempt to obtaining information about distributions of human arms lengths. The motivation behind this experiment is to nd out if the a golden ratio is found in the arm lengths of college and high school students. The golden ratio has been thought of a universal ratio found in our daily lives. We collected data from male and female college and high school students to conduct our experiment. Our experiment consisted of a population sample of 25 male and 25 female students. The variable we measured was the ratios found in the arm segments for the males and females. The study consists of ratio scale data and a continuous variable. We did several tests and assumptions to make sure our data gave us the best results. From our results we found out that males consist of the golden ratio but it was not found in the female population. Introduction: An Italian mathematician by the name Leonardo Fibonacci discovered a number sequence. The unique sequence is called the Fibonacci sequence. The numbers in the sequence are obtained by getting the sum of the preceding two numbers. However, there was another special pattern found within those numbers. He noticed that by dividing one number by the number before it, the quotients were close to each other. There was in fact a more interesting discovery; it was that after the 13th number in the sequence that a xed quotient, 1.618, appeared. That special number is known as the Golden Ratio or Golden mean. This proportion is found in the human body, design, architecture, and in nature. The golden ratio found in the human body is based on the ideal human form that scientist and researchers have agreed upon ("Golden ratio in," 2008). The use of the golden ratio goes back to the years of the Greeks, who built the Parthenon of Athens based on the golden ratio. Research shows that things that have the golden ratio are pleasing to the eye. In fact, Justin Kuepper says "nature relies on this innate proportion to maintain balance. The equation used to nd the golden ratio is a/b = (a+b)/a. The golden ratio is believed to be the building block of nature. So can this golden ratio be found in parts of the human body? This experiment was conducted to prove that the Golden ratio does exist in the human body and serves as the core element of structure. Methods: The data was collected from population of males and females in college and high school. Each student was approached in random times and random orders throughout a 3 day period. The random students were asked information about their age, gender, and arm lengths. Each person was chosen according to the age group range of 16-21. A sample 25 male and 25 female college and high school students was taken from the population. The sampling technique implemented in this data collection used to represent each population was through randomization. The information about the students was laid on a spreadsheet then transferred unto a data set in an Apple Inc. application called TC- stats. This

application was used to generate all the data analysis such as summary statistics, hypothesis test, histograms, t and f distributions, and normal plots. During each inquiry the student was asked to get their arms measured in parts. A 60" plastic measuring tape was used to take the measurements. The measurements were taken from ngertip to shoulder, ngertip to elbow, elbow to wrist, elbow to shoulder, and ngertip to wrist. The ngertip is considered the middle nger. These measurements will help obtain the variable needed. The variable of interest for each sample population is the ratio of nger and shoulder to nger and elbow (Ratio A), ratio of nger and elbow to wrist and elbow (Ratio B), ratio of elbow and shoulder to nger and wrist (Ratio C) of only the left hand of the sample population. In the appendix there is a restatement of what Ratio A, B, and C represent and how they were calculated. The measurement scale is classied as ratio. The devices used to calculate numbers, information and to measure were all kept the same during the experiment. Consider that the measuring procedure could cause error by chance because some people moved when they were being measured. Note: Measuring tapes and rulers are not recommended by scientist to get a theoretical measurement of each person. In TC-Stats we were able to identify if the distributions of each population were normal to begin with. The normal plots for each sample population are found in the appendix section. The normal plots for each male variable is found under Norm 1a, 1b, 1c and the normal plot for each female variable ratio is found in under Norm 2a, 2b, and 2c. First, we checked the male population based on the sample. m normal plots for ratio A, B, and C found in males are not normal distributions. The normal plots for ratio A, B, and C found in females are also not normal distributions. There are potential outliers and some gross violations along the reference line. With this information we were able to compare the ratios for males and females. To truly include the value of the population parameter we can estimate a condence interval for each variable measured. A sign test for the medians was used to calculate each condence interval since the median is the best point estimate for distributions that are not normal. The signicance level we used for all tests was a .05. Concerning the medians of the variables we did a Kruskal Wallis hypothesis tests. Results: It is important we look at the individual variables for each sample so we can see if the ratio of the body parts agree with the Golden ratio theory. Below are descriptive statistics and results are for each variable concerning the male sample population. According to the summary statistics report the average ratio among men for Ratio A is 1.7015. The standard deviation (SD) between individuals in the Ratio A is .0597 (Fig. 1). Figure 2 is a box-plot that shows some leftward skewness that is why we consider the median as the point estimate, which is

1.7059. Based on the sign tests we are 95.7% sure that the true median of Ratio A is between 1.6857 and 1.7222. Fig. 1

Fig. 2

Moving on to the second variable, our results report the average ratio among men for Ratio B is 1.7461. The standard deviation (SD) between individuals in Ratio B is .0504 (Fig. 3). The box plot in Figure 4 illustrates a mount shaped distribution and we consider the mean as the best point estimate which is 1.7461. Based on the one-sample T-test we are 95% condent that the true mean of Ratio B is between 1.7253 and 1.7669. Fig. 3

Fig. 4

The third variable for man Ratio C. This sample's data had an average ratio of 1.6453. The standard deviation between these individuals in Ratio C . is .1486 (Fig. 5). The box-plot shows skewness to the left. Based on the distribution the median was considered as the point estimate which is 1.6667. Based on the sign test, we are 95.7% certain that the true median for Ratio C is between 1.5625 and 1.7333. Fig. 5

Fig. 6

When we compare the statistical signicance of these condence intervals we know that Ratio C's condence intervals overlap with both Ratio A and B. Therefore the prevalence are deemed to not be signicantly different. In the other hand, Ratio A and B do not have overlapping condence intervals.

Therefore the prevalence estimates are signicantly different. Based on the sign tests for condence intervals of Ratio A and C we can say that there is enough evidence to say that the ratio of nger and shoulder to nger and elbow (Ratio A) and ratio of elbow and shoulder to nger and wrist (Ratio C) are within the golden ratio (1.618). However, Ratio B is not within the golden ratio. To conrm this a Kruskal Wallis hypothesis test says that there is at least one of the ratios is different and by looking at the data we can see that Ratio C is the different one. The next data analysis was for the female population were we compared the same ratios (A, B, C). Below are descriptive statistics and results are for each variable concerning the female sample population. According to the summary statistics report the average among females for Ratio A is 1.73778. The standard deviation (SD) between individuals in the Ratio A is .0469. (Fig. 7). Figure 8 is a box-plot that shows a right skewed distribution and that is why we consider the median as the point estimate, which is 1.7273. Based on the sign tests we are 95.7% sure that the true median of Ratio A is between 1.7097 and 1.7500. Fig. 7

Fig. 8

The descriptive statistics for the second variable said that the average among the female sample for ratio B is 1.7722. The standard deviation between individuals for Ratio B is .1651 (Fig. 9). The box plot in Figure 10 illustrates a very skewed right distribution and thats why we considered the median as the point estimate. The median is 1.75 and based on the sign test we are 95.7% certain that it is between 1.7000 and 1.7714.

Fig. 9

Fig. 10

The third variable of interest is the ratio of elbow and shoulder to nger and wrist (Ratio C). Ratio C data had an average of 1.7164. The standard deviation between individuals in Ratio C is .1469 (Fig.11). Figure 12 is a box plot demonstrating that the data for Ratio C has some skewness to the left and for that reason the median is the best point estimate. We are 95.7% certain that the true median is between 1.629 and 1.7857. Fig. 11

Fig. 12

When we examine the statistical signicance of these condence intervals for the female sample population we know that all the ratios are overlapping each other. Therefore the prevalence are deemed to not be signicantly different. Based on the sign tests for condence intervals of Ratio A and B we can say that there is enough evidence to say that the ratio of nger and shoulder to nger and elbow (Ratio A) and ratio of elbow and shoulder to nger and wrist (Ratio C) are not within the golden ratio (1.618). However, Ratio B has contains the golden ratio. The Kruskal Wallis hypothesis test there is insufcient evidence to say that at least one of the ratio data was different. Discussion: According to scientists the golden ratio is found in the human body. Based on the experiment males could have the ratio because only the left arm was measured for this experiment. Knowing that one arm is proportional than it is possible that the rest of the body is made up of the golden ratio. The initial hypothesis said the golden ratio did exist, however, the results from this experiment did not give us sufcient evidence to make condent statements about the existence of the golden ratio. We need to test more body parts and use a better measuring too in order to make a better inference about the populations. Clearly the ndings of this experiment were not sufcient to agree with what scientists say about the Golden Ratio. Conclusion: This experiment served as a initial process of a deeper experiment. A deeper experiment where various body parts of the human body in both males and females can be measured. However, the data we collected is important because it gave us an idea of the possibility of the existence of the golden ratio in the human body. This implies that there is a great chance that the golden ratio does exist since the average ratios found in the left arm were near each other.

Bibliography: Duke University. (2009, December 21). Researchers explain mystery of golden ratio. Retrieved from http://www.physorg.com/news180531747.html Golden ratio in human body [Web]. (2008). Retrieved from http://youtube.com/watch?v=085KSyQVbU Kuepper, J. (2004, March 31). Fibonacci and the golden ratio. Retrieved from http://www.investopedia.com/articles/technical/04/033104.asp#axzz1nzcXaVgP Lahanas, M. The Golden Section and the Golden Rectangel Retrieved from www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/ GoldenSection.htm Sage, E. The golden ratio~ngerprint of "God" Retrieved from http://worldtruth.tv/the-goldenrationgerprint-of-god-2/ Appendix: F= Female M= Male Ratio A= ratio of nger and shoulder to nger and elbow Ratio B= ratio of nger and elbow to wrist and elbow Ratio C= ratio of elbow and shoulder to nger and wrist
Gender F F F M F M F M Ratio A 1.7419 1.6562 1.7419 1.6176 1.7273 1.7647 1.746 1.6176 Ratio B 1.8235 1.7778 1.7222 1.7895 1.7368 1.7895 1.6579 1.7 Ratio C 1.6429 1.5 1.7692 1.4 1.7143 1.7333 1.88 1.5

M M M M F M F F M M M M F F F F F M F M M F F F M M

1.6944 1.7778 1.697 1.5821 1.7097 1.7222 1.7742 1.7231 1.7941 1.7941 1.7273 1.6471 1.6562 1.7273 1.7188 1.7576 1.8621 1.7143 1.7097 1.7143 1.7105 1.7647 1.7143 1.7143 1.7353 1.7222

1.8 1.7143 1.7368 1.8108 1.7714 1.7143 1.6757 1.8056 1.7895 1.7895 1.7838 1.7436 1.6842 1.7368 1.7778 1.7368 1.8125 1.8421 1.7222 1.75 1.6522 1.7 1.8065 1.75 1.7895 1.6744

1.5625 1.8667 1.6429 1.3 1.6296 1.7333 1.92 1.6207 1.8 1.8 1.6552 1.5172 1.6154 1.7143 1.6429 1.7857 1.9231 1.5625 1.6923 1.6667 1.8 1.8571 1.6 1.6667 1.6667 1.7931

M M F F F F M M M F F F M M M F

1.7027 1.6812 1.8 1.75 1.7 1.8 1.7059 1.7576 1.6857 1.8 1.7647 1.6875 1.7059 1.7059 1.5588 1.697

1.6818 1.7692 1.7647 1.6842 1.7647 1.8182 1.7 1.7368 1.7949 1.7647 2.5185 1.6 1.7 1.7 1.7 1.6923

1.7333 1.5667 1.8462 1.8462 1.6154 1.7778 1.7143 1.7857 1.5484 1.8462 1.2683 1.8333 1.7143 1.7143 1.3571 1.7037

Calculations of obtaining the ratios: male ratios: Divide the measurement of nger to shoulder by nger to elbow to get a Ratio A. Divide the measurement for nger to elbow by wrist to elbow to get a Ratio B. Divide the measurement for elbow to shoulder by nger to wrist to get a Ratio C. female Ratios: Divide the measurement of nger to shoulder by nger to elbow to get a Ratio A. Divide the measurement for nger to elbow by wrist to elbow to get a Ratio B.

Divide the measurement for elbow to shoulder by nger to wrist to get a Ratio C. Kruskal Wallis hypothesis test for female sample: null hypothesis: ra = rb = rc alternative hypothesis: at least one is =.05 p-value: .6662 (subscript ra is ratio A, rc is ratio B, and rc is ratio C) Fail to reject the null hypothesis

Kruskal Wallis hypothesis test for male sample: null hypothesis: ra = rb = rc alternative hypothesis: at least one is =.05 p-value: .0211 (subscript ra is ratio A, rc is ratio B, and rc is ratio C) Reject the null hypothesis.

Normal plot for male sample: Ratio A Ratio B Ratio C

Normal plot for female sample: Ratio A Ratio B Ratio C