Name:
_______________________________
Date: _______________________
Calculating Fibonacci Numbers
An
Individual Investigative Learning Activity
Objective: Students will use Excel to calculate
Fibonacci numbers and the ratios between adjacent terms of the
sequence.
Materials needed: computer with Microsoft Excel
Step 1.
Start Microsoft Excel and create a new worksheet. In cell A1
enter 1, in A2 enter 1, in A3 enter 2, in A4 enter 3, and in A5
enter 5. These are the first 5 Fibonacci numbers.
Step 2. In cell A6 write this formula: =A4 +
A5. This formula will add the contents of cells A4 and
A5 and put their sum in A6.
Step3. Place the pointer on the tiny square in the lower
right corner of cell A6; it changes to a + sign.
Hold the left button down and drag the pointer down through cell
A39. This will copy the formula to all of these cells. In column
A there is now a list of the first 39 Fibonacci numbers.
Step 4. In cell B2 write this formula: =A2/A1
. This formula will divide the contents of A2 by A1 and put the
result in B2. Place the pointer on the tiny square and drag it
down to copy the formula down through cell B39. In column B we
now have the ratio of each Fibonacci number to the one before it.
State these terms of the Fibonacci sequence:
10th ___________
15th ___________
20th ___________
25th ___________
30th ___________
39th ___________