We have spent the last couple of weeks looking and some of the many ways the Fibonacci sequence has been applied to real life, to mathematics, to nature (rabbits, bees, flowers, pineapples, pinecones, etc.) to music, to fashion, to furniture, and to art. All of this started with a simple problem about raising rabbits.
Leonardo of Pisa, or Leonardo Fibonacci, is best known for the Fibonacci sequence and this one problem in his book "Liber Abaci". And we are still overlooking his greatest achievement.
His book showed us how to do a new form of arithmetic. First by introducing the use of Hindu-Arabic numerals (which replaced Roman numerals). Second by showing us new methods of performing the calculations.
If you are not seeing it yet, just think about doing long division with Roman numerals. The changes that Leonardo of Pisa inspired created a great change in how Europeans did mathematics - including long division.
I encourage teachers who want to show what this man did to give a pop quiz on 11/23/2014. It should be a quiz on long division, and using Roman numerals.
JUST KIDDING!!! (maybe)
David
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