FIBONACCI
SEQUENCE
MA. KRISTINA B. PABLO, LPT
Instructor
The Fibonacci Sequence is the series of
numbers:
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, ...
The next number is found by adding up the two
numbers before it:
the 2 is found by adding the two numbers before it
(1+1),
the 3 is found by adding the two numbers before it
(1+2),
the 5 is (2+3),
and so on!
Example: the next number in the sequence
above is 21+34 = 55
It is that simple!
Here is a longer list:
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233,
377, 610, 987, 1597, 2584, 4181, 6765, 10946,
17711, 28657, 46368, 75025, 121393, 196418,
317811, ...
Makes A Spiral
The Rule
The Fibonacci Sequence can be written as a "Rule"
First, the terms are numbered from 0 onwards
like this:
So term number 6 is called x6 (which
equals 8).
Example: the 8th term is
the 7th term plus the 6th term:
x8 = x7 + x6
21 = 13 + 8
So we can write the rule:
The Rule is xn = xn−1 + xn−2
Where:
xn is term number "n"
xn−1 is the previous term (n−1)
xn−2 is the term before that (n−2)
Example: term 9 is calculated like this:
x9= x9−1 + x9−2
= x8 + x7
= 21 + 13
= 34
Some Interesting Things
Here is the Fibonacci sequence again:
There is an interesting pattern:
Look at the number x3 = 2. Every 3rd number is a multiple of 2 (2, 8,
34, 144, 610, ...)
Look at the number x4 = 3. Every 4th number is a multiple of 3 (3,
21, 144, ...)
Look at the number x5 = 5. Every 5th number is a multiple of 5 (5,
55, 610, ...)
And so on (every nth number is a multiple of xn).
Terms Below Zero
The sequence works below zero also, like this:
(Prove to yourself that each number is found by adding up the
two numbers before it!)
In fact the sequence below zero has the same numbers as the
sequence above zero, except they follow a +-+- ... pattern. It
can be written like this:
x−n = (−1)n+1 xn
Which says that term "−n" is equal to (−1)n+1 times term "n",
and the value (−1)n+1 neatly makes the correct +1, −1, +1,
−1, ... pattern.
History
About Fibonacci The Man
His real name was Leonardo Pisano Bogollo, and he
lived between 1170 and 1250 in Italy.
"Fibonacci" was his nickname, which roughly means
"Son of Bonacci".
As well as being famous for the Fibonacci Sequence, he
helped spread Hindu-Arabic Numerals (like our present
numbers 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) through Europe in
place of Roman Numerals (I, II, III, IV, V, etc). That has
saved us all a lot of trouble! Thank you Leonardo.
Fibonacci Day
Fibonacci Day is
November 23rd,
as it has the digits
"1, 1, 2, 3" which
is part of the
sequence. So next
Nov 23 let
everyone know!
Fibonacci The Man
Activity
1. The first four Fibonacci numbers are 0, 1, 1
and 2, what is the twelfth number?
A. 55
B. 77
C. 88
D. 89
RATIO
• Fifth number = 1 + 2 = 3
Sixth number = 2 + 3 = 5
Seventh number = 3 + 5 = 8
Eighth number = 5 + 8 = 13
Ninth number = 8 + 13 = 21
Tenth number = 13 + 21 = 34
Eleventh number = 21 + 34 = 55
Twelfth number = 34 + 55 = 89
2. If the first three Fibonacci numbers are
given as x1 = 1, x2 = 1 and x3 = 2, then what
is the least value of n for which xn > 500?
A. n = 13
B. n = 14
C. n = 15
D. n = 16
RATIO
• x4 = 1 + 2 = 3
x5 = 2 + 3 = 5
x6 = 3 + 5 = 8
x7 = 5 + 8 = 13
x8 = 8 + 13 = 21
x9 = 13 + 21 = 34
x10 = 21 + 34 = 55
x11 = 34 + 55 = 89
x12 = 55 + 89 = 144
x13 = 89 + 144 = 233
x14 = 144 + 233 = 377
x15 = 233 + 377 = 610 > 500
Therefore the least value of n for which x > 500 is n = 15
3. If xn is a Fibonacci number and n = -4, which
of the following is true?
A. x-4 = x-5 + x-6
B. x-4 = x-2 + x-3
C. x-4 = -(x5 + x6)
D. x-4 = x3 − x2
RATIO
• The same rule applies for negative Fibonacci numbers
as applies for positive Fibonacci numbers, that is
xn = xn-1 + xn-2
So, if we replace n by -4, we get
x-4 = x-5 + x-6
This can be confirmed from the list of negative
Fibonacci numbers:
x-5 = 5 and x-6 = -8
So x-4 = x-5 + x-6 = 5 + -8 = -3, which is correct.
4. The partial sums of the first n and n + 1
numbers of the Fibonacci sequence are both
divisible by 11. What is the smallest value of n
for which this is true?
A. n = 11
B. n = 10
C. n = 9
D. n = 8
RATIO
• These are the first few terms of the Fibonacci sequence:
0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55,...
The partial sum of the first one term = 0
The partial sum of the first two terms = 0 + 1 = 1
The partial sum of the first three terms = 0 + 1 + 1 = 2
The partial sum of the first four terms = 0 + 1 + 1 + 2 = 4
The partial sum of the first five terms = 0 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 = 7
The partial sum of the first six terms = 0 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 5 = 12
The partial sum of the first seven terms = 0 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 5 + 8 = 20
The partial sum of the first eight terms = 0 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 5 + 8 + 13 = 33
The partial sum of the first nine terms = 0 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 5 + 8 + 13 + 21 = 54
The partial sum of the first ten terms = 0 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 5 + 8 + 13 + 21 + 34 = 88
The partial sum of the first eleven terms = 0 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 5 + 8 + 13 + 21 + 34 + 55 = 143
33 is divisible by 11, but 54 is not.
Then 88 and 143 are both divisible by 11,
So n = 10 is the smallest value of n for which the sums of the first n and n + 1 numbers are
both divisible by 11
