Fibonacci Numbers

Leonardo Fibonacci (1175-1250) was the son of a merchant who also served as a customs officer in North Africa. He traveled widely in Barbary (Algeria) and was later sent on business trips to Egypt, Syria, Greece, Sicily, and Provence.

Fibonacci discovered a number sequence that you may be able to figure out:

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, ____

If you guessed that the next number in the sequence is 13, you can see the pattern. A Fibonacci sequence is each consecutive number is the sum of the two numbers in front of it. So 1 + 1 = 2, 2 + 3 = 5, and 5 + 8 is 13, our missing number.

You may be surprised to learn that this sequence is found in nature, and this is also where we find your challenge!

Everyone has heard that four leaf clovers are lucky, but what makes them lucky is how rare they occur. Petals usually follow the Fibonacci sequence, so most will have three, five, or eight petals.

The next time you go to the florist, the grocery store, or even in your own backyard, do some Fibonacci exploring. Can you name a flower with three petals? Five? Can you find a flower that does not follow the Fibonacci sequence? Be sure to look up your flower in a book to make sure it's not just missing a petal or two!




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