Fibonacci Numbers Day - August 13

It's Fibonacci Numbers Day. Fibonacci numbers are the numbers that start with 0 and 1, and each subsequent number is the sum of the 2 preceding numbers: 0, 1, 0+1=1, 1+1=2, 1+2=3, 2+3=5, 3+5=8, 5+8=13, 8+13=21, ...

Though the sequence was known to Indian mathematicians as far back as 200 BC, it wasn't known in Europe until introduced by the Italian mathematician Fibonacci in the 13th century. This simple sequence has a surprising amount of utility in math, nature, and related fields. It's also got ties to the golden ratio, which used to be considered to define the perfect rectangle.

We celebrate Fibonacci numbers on 8/13 because those are the largest sequential Fibonacci numbers that represent a (Gregorian calendar) date.

Jahobr, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons


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