{image credit: “Fibonacci sequence layout at it’s best!” by Ginette / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0}
Leonardo Pisano Bigollo (1170-1250), an Italian mathematician known to us as Fibonacci, is considered “the most talented Western mathematician of the Middle Ages,” according to Howard Eves in An Introduction to the History of Mathematics. Fibonacci brought Arabic numerals to Europe, and his book Liber Abaci (Book of Calculation) featured the sequence of numbers that we know today as “Fibonacci numbers.” Although he didn’t devise this sequence himself (it was discovered earlier in India), he introduced it to the western world.
Since today is an E&E day, we thought you and your kids might enjoy this fascinating little TED talk video featuring Fibonacci numbers, as a reminder that math is not only practical, but can be beautiful and inspiring:
Arthur Benjamin: The magic of Fibonacci numbers
The pattern created by these numbers can be found everywhere! Here’s a website with captivating photos: The Fibonacci Sequence in Nature
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{image credit: “fibonacci green” by Mark Strozier / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0}
And here are a couple of other fun videos that show the beauty of mathematics, particularly the Fibonacci sequence:
Enjoy!
SLO Classical Academy is not affiliated with any of the above mentioned websites or businesses.
