From Tom Schulenburg, Quora contributor, 12-16-21
Why is the shape of an elephant related to Fibonacci numbers?
Starting with 1, 2, etcetera, the Fibonacci sequence is derived from adding the two previous terms to create the next term - (1+2) = 3, (2+3) = 5, (3+5) = 8, and so on.
As the sequence progresses, the ratio of two terms (term2/term1) becomes consistent at about 1.618034. This is known as the golden ratio. As nature would have it, this is a ratio that appears frequently in many forms - the spiral of a snail shell, the petals on a flower, the shape of a hurricane, to name a few.
The same ratio can be seen in the elephant’s trunk when curled up.
Why is the shape of an elephant related to Fibonacci numbers?
Starting with 1, 2, etcetera, the Fibonacci sequence is derived from adding the two previous terms to create the next term - (1+2) = 3, (2+3) = 5, (3+5) = 8, and so on.
As the sequence progresses, the ratio of two terms (term2/term1) becomes consistent at about 1.618034. This is known as the golden ratio. As nature would have it, this is a ratio that appears frequently in many forms - the spiral of a snail shell, the petals on a flower, the shape of a hurricane, to name a few.
The same ratio can be seen in the elephant’s trunk when curled up.
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