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Beginning Activity Beginning Activity 2: The Fibonacci Numbers

The Fibonacci numbers are a sequence of natural numbers f1,f2,f3,,fn, defined recursively as follows:

  • f1=1 and f2=1, and

  • For each natural number n, fn+2=fn+1+fn.

In words, the recursion formula states that for any natural number n with n3, the nth Fibonacci number is the sum of the two previous Fibonacci numbers. So we see that

f3=f2+f1=1+1=2,f4=f3+f2=2+1=3, and f5=f4+f3=3+2=5.

1.

Calculate f6 through f20.

2.

Which of the Fibonacci numbers f1 through f20 are even? Which are multiples of 3?

3.

For n=2, n=3, n=4, and n=5, how is the sum of the first (n1) Fibonacci numbers related to the (n+1)st Fibonacci number?

4.

Record any other observations about the values of the Fibonacci numbers or any patterns that you observe in the sequence of Fibonacci numbers. If necessary, compute more Fibonacci numbers.