Interactive Primary Newsletter 35 Nature's Numbers (Fibonacci frolics)

Fibonacci Spiral offer You can recreate the spiral pattern found in seeds and shells by using squares whose sides are the lengths of the Fibonacci numbers and drawing a quarter circle curve across each square to create a spiral shape, or try making a jigsaw by cutting up a shape like Fig. 12 and getting your students to reassemble it. If you would like an A4 sized copy of the Fibonacci spiral please send a stamped addressed envelope to SSERC, Fibonacci Spiral offer, 2 Pitreavie Court, Dunfermline, Fife  KY11 8UB.

Figure 12 - Fibonacci squares used to create a spiral

The ratios between successive Fibonacci numbers is called the Golden Mean - a ‘rule’ which has been used by artists, architects and photographers in planning their work.