Fibonacci Numbers

Fibonacci numbers are a special list of numbers that follow a simple rule. You start with 0 and 1, then add the last two numbers to get the next one. The sequence goes 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, and keeps going forever. It was named after an Italian mathematician named Fibonacci.

How the Pattern Works

The rule is easy to remember. Start with 0 and 1. Add them to get 1. Then add 1 and 1 to get 2. Then add 1 and 2 to get 3. You keep adding the last two numbers to get the next one. The numbers grow quickly as the list goes on.

Fibonacci in Nature

Fibonacci numbers show up all over nature. The petals on many flowers come in Fibonacci numbers like 3, 5, or 8. Pinecones and sunflowers have spirals that follow the pattern. Even the shells of some snails grow in a Fibonacci spiral.

Fun Facts

• Fibonacci lived in Italy about 800 years ago.
• He first used the numbers to solve a math puzzle about rabbits.
• Bananas have 3 sections and apples have 5 seed pockets, both Fibonacci numbers.

Did You Know?

If you divide one Fibonacci number by the one before it, you get close to a special number called the Golden Ratio.