What Exactly are Fibonacci Numbers?
In many ways, Fibonacci numbers form the ultimate pattern, since they are found in things all around us — particularly in nature. For instance, nearly every flower has a number of petals that is a Fibonacci number, while the construction of a pine cone is ruled by them. Even the dimensions of a strand of DNA are proportional to two consecutive Fibonacci numbers. First recognized by Leonardo da Pisa, also called Fibonacci, these patterns are sequences of numbers that build upon themselves, beginning with the number 1. The sequence that follows is created by adding two consecutive numbers. . . For instance, consider this sequence: 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34. . . and so on. As you might have guessed, it’s not as random as it looks. A closer inspection reveals that every number in the string is actually the sum of the prior two. What’s more, the ratio between two successive numbers is always the same: 1.618 — otherwise known as the golden ratio. Think of it as one of “nature’s laws.” This r
