PANDIT DEENDAYAL PETROLEUM UNIVERSITY

Analysis of The Fibonacci

Sequence
Minor Project Report Submitted in partial fulfillment of the internal
assessment of
Mathematics – II
In
Electrical Engineering

Under the guidance of

Dr. Bhasha H. Vachharajani

Department of Mathematics
School of Technology
Pandit Deendayal Petroleum University
Gandhinagar
May 2018
 Report Submitted by:

Name Roll No. Signature

17BEE045
Naman Kumar
17BEE046
Aanchit Nayak
17BEE047
Nikul Rangadiya
17BEE048
Ojaswini Sharma
17BEE049
Milap Pala
17BEE050
Jay Panchal
17BEE053
Mary Parmar
17BEE054
Parth Rathod
17BEE055
Bhautik Patel

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Table of Contents

Acknowledgements................................................................................. 4
Introduction ............................................................................................ 5
The Fibonacci Sequence: What is it? .................................................... 5
The Fibonacci Sequence in Nature ....................................................... 6
History of Mathematical Technique ........................................................ 8
Methodology .......................................................................................... 9
The Algorithm....................................................................................... 9
The Calculation for Fibonacci Sequence ............................................. 10
Results and Discussions ........................................................................ 13
Conclusion ............................................................................................ 15

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Acknowledgements
This report and project could not have been possible without the
support of the faculty, Dr. Bhasha Vachhrajani. We remain gratified
to her for her guidance and support throughout the semester. We
are indebted to the institution for its conducive environment and
support so that more ideas and ideals can flourish. We express our
heartfelt gratitude to the above mentioned dignitaries and hence
begin our report on The Analysis of Fibonacci Sequence using
Calculus of Residue.

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Introduction

The Fibonacci Sequence: What is it?

C
onventional wisdom suggests that the Fibonacci numbers were first
introduced in 1202 by Leonardo of Pisa, better known today as
Fibonacci, in his book Liber Abaci, the most influential text on
mathematics produced in Europe at that time. The Fibonacci number
sequence appeared in the solution to the following problem:

“A certain man put a pair of rabbits in a place surrounded on all sides by a wall.
How many pairs of rabbits can be produced from that pair in a year if it is supposed
that every month each pair begets a new pair which from the second month on
becomes productive? "

The resulting sequence to which is:

1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55 …

This series came to be known as the Fibonacci Series

The recurrence formula for these numbers is:

𝐹𝑛 = 𝐹𝑛+1 + 𝐹𝑛+2

Where n>1 and F0= 0 and F1= 1

Although Fibonacci only gave the sequence, he obviously knew that the nth
number of his sequence was the sum of the two previous numbers. Johannes
Kepler, known today for the “Keplers’ Laws" of celestial mechanics, noticed
that the ratio of consecutive Fibonacci numbers, as in for example approaches
which is called the Golden or Divine Ratio

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 55 1+√5
= 1.618 ….≈ ∅ =
34 2

The Fibonacci Sequence in Nature

F ibonacci helices, based on small Fibonacci numbers, appear in the

arrangement of leaves of many plants on the stem. The Fibonacci spiral,
also related to the Fibonacci sequence, occurs in Nature as the shape of
snail shells and some sea shells. Cook found that the spiral or helix may lie at
the core of life's principles: that of growth. The spiral is fundamental to
organic life ranging from plants, shells to animal's horns to the periodicity of
atomic elements; to microscopic DNA (the double helix) and to galaxy
formations like the Andromeda Nebula. What is unusual is that although the
rabbit model problem seems contrived and artificial i.e. rabbits do not
reproduce in male-female twins; the Fibonacci numbers have universal
applications and appear to be ubiquitous to nature.

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The wealth of examples cited in the previous paragraph indicates that the
Fibonacci numbers represent a fundamental mathematical structure. The
presence of these numbers and the Golden ratio in nature is certainly a
fascinating prevalent tendency, particularly in the botanical and zoological
realms.

The presence of Fibonacci numbers has been noted within ladder and cascade
Electronic Network Analysis, Modern Music, Tributary patterns of stream and
Drainage Patterns, Atomic Physics, Education and Economics. It is not always
clear why these numbers appear but in a number of instances, they do reflect
minimization or optimization principles of some sort, namely the notion that
nature is efficient yet “lazy", making the most of available resources. The
ubiquitous nature of Fibonacci numbers has even inspired the creation of a
journal, the Fibonacci Quarterly.

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History of Mathematical Technique
As previously mentioned, one can compute a Fibonacci number by using the
previous two fibonacci numbers as reference:

𝑭𝒏 = 𝑭𝒏+𝟏 + 𝑭𝒏+𝟐

Where n>1 and F0= 0 and F1= 1

However, in 1843, Binet derived a new formula for calculating the nth
Fibonacci number:
𝒏 𝒏
(𝟏 + √𝟓) − (𝟏 − √𝟓)
𝑭𝒏 =
𝟐𝒏 √𝟓

Fibonacci numbers have been applied in areas of combinatorics including the

search algorithm that uses Fibonacci numbers to find the element in a sorted
array much like a binary search.

Fibonacci numbers also have many applications as it can be applied to areas

such as Pythagorean triplets (or integer solutions in a2+b2=c2), Pascal’s
triangle and many more.

The Fibonacci numbers also share the special bond with the Golden ratio
which approximately ∅ ≈ 1.618 as the limit to infinity of consecutive
Fibonacci number converges to the Golden ratio

𝐹𝑛
lim =Φ
𝑛→∞ 𝐹𝑛−1

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Methodology

T
he analysis of recurrence relations is usually done analogous to solving
differential equations. One sees the type of relation and decides the
kind of solution it might have and by inspection alone, she finds the
expression for an.

Application of Calculus of Residues makes this uncertain inspection go away

and we have a more concrete proof as to solving recurrence relations.

The Algorithm
For this, the following algorithm is followed:

1. One defines a generating function, which is a Laurent Expansion of the

form:
∞
1 𝑓 (𝑧)
𝑓 (𝑧) ≝ ∑ 𝑧 𝑛 𝐹𝑛 𝑠𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝐹𝑛 = ∮ 𝑛+1
2𝜋𝑖 𝑐 𝑧
𝑛=0

2. Then, the recurrence relation is manipulated and solved to get an

expression in terms of the generating function. This brings us to an
equation where we get a perfect precise expression for the above
defined generating function.
3. Returning to the definition of the generating function, the coefficients of
the power of the complex variable are given as an integral over a
contour encircling the origin.
4. We find the residues at the origin and make utmost use of the property
of contour deformation so as to calculate the residue at each pole.
5. The solved expression for the residue gives us the solution of the
recurrence relation and hence an expression in n which can be used to
find any number in the sequence for all 𝑛 ∈ 𝐼 + .
6. Finding the limiting case for n tending to infinity can yield powerful
results.

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The Calculation for Fibonacci Sequence

The recurrence relation for the Fibonacci sequence is as follows:

𝑭𝒏 = 𝑭𝒏+𝟏 + 𝑭𝒏+𝟐

𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒 𝑛 > 1, 𝐹0 = 0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝐹1 = 1

Now, we define a generating function of the form:

∞

𝑓 (𝑧) ≝ ∑ 𝑧 𝑛 𝐹𝑛
𝑛=0

𝑠𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡:

1 𝑓 (𝑧)
𝐹𝑛 = ∮ 𝑛+1
2𝜋𝑖 𝑐 𝑧

Multiplying 𝑧 𝑛 on both sides of 𝑓(𝑧) we have:

∞ ∞ ∞
1 𝑛+2
1
∑ 𝐹𝑛+2 𝑧 − ∑ 𝐹𝑛+1𝑧 𝑛+1 − ∑ 𝐹𝑛 𝑧 𝑛 = 0
𝑧2 𝑧
𝑛=0 𝑛=0 𝑛=0

From the recurrence relations, we may write:

1 1
[𝑓 (𝑧 ) − 𝐹0 − 𝐹1 𝑧 ] − [𝑓 (𝑧) − 𝐹0 ] − 𝑓 (𝑧) = 0
𝑧2 𝑧
On solving for f(z), we have:

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10
 𝑧
𝑓 (𝑧) =
1 − 𝑧2 − 𝑧
Hence,
𝑧
𝑓 (𝑧) =
1 + √5 (1 − √5)
(𝑧 + ) (𝑧 + )
2 2

Substituting this value of f(z) in the expression for Fn , we have:

1 1 1
𝐹𝑛 = ∮ 𝑛
2𝜋𝑖 𝑐 𝑧 1 + √5 (1 − √5)
(𝑧 + ) (𝑧 + )
2 2

1+√5 (1−√5)
Let = 𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 = 𝑏.
2 2

Here we observe that for the contour C which is a unit circle encircling the
origin; we have an nth pole and two simple poles. The nth order pole lies inside
the region while the rest do not. However, the calculation of residue at z=0
becomes a tedious task as one must differentiate the given expression n times.
Hence, we deform the contour such that it does not cover the poles at, say a
and b. The more we deform the contour, the sooner we realize that we can
switch the huge deformed contour to two smaller contours encircling the
points a & b. Hence we are left at calculating the residue at the simple poles
only, while the nth pole can be altogether neglected.
1 1
𝐹𝑛 = (−2𝜋𝑖)(−1)[𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑧=𝑎 ( 𝑛 )
2𝜋𝑖 𝑧 (𝑧 − 𝑎)(𝑧 − 𝑏)
1
+ 𝑅𝑒𝑠𝑧=𝑏 ( 𝑛 )]
𝑧 (𝑧 − 𝑎)(𝑧 − 𝑏)
1 1
𝐹𝑛 = −
𝑎𝑛 (𝑎 − 𝑏) 𝑏𝑛 (𝑎 − 𝑏)

Hence, we have, on calculating the residues at the simple poles:

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11
 𝒏 𝒏
𝟏 𝟏 + √𝟓 (√𝟓 − 𝟏)
𝑭𝒏 = [( ) − (−𝟏)𝒏 ( ) ]
√𝟓 𝟐 𝟐

Now, we may apply our limiting case and see what happens to Fn as n tends to
infinity.

Applying the limit, we have:

𝑛 𝑛
1 1 + √5 (√5 − 1)
lim 𝐹𝑛 = lim [( ) − (−1)𝑛 ( ) ]
𝑛→∞ 𝑛→∞ √5 2 2

The expression on solving the above limit is:

1+√5
lim 𝐹𝑛 = 𝑒 𝑛 ln( 2 ) = Φn
𝑛→∞

Hence we may say,

𝐹𝑛+1
=𝛷
𝐹𝑛

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12
Results and Discussions

T
he above shown calculations are sufficient proof that the growth of the
Fibonacci series is directly linked to the Golden Ratio. From the
expressions obtained, we see that, for large values of n, the ratio of two
consecutive Fibonacci numbers is the Golden ratio. This result, obtained
purely through the generating function and not through any inspection is
completely devoid of undeterminable constants and variable functions of any
other variable, as we see in the case of solving a recurrence relation using
inspection.

Additionally, one may also infer that the Golden Mean is the most irrational
number out there.

This can be proven as:

1
𝑥= 1
1+ 1
1+1+1… ∞

1
𝑥=
1+𝑥

𝑥2 + 𝑥 − 1 = 0
1
𝑥 = 𝛷 𝑎𝑛𝑑
𝛷

The fundamental nature of Fibonacci sequence has already been

depicted in previous sections, which makes us appreciate the beauty
of the formula:
𝒏 𝒏
𝟏 𝟏 + √𝟓 (√𝟓 − 𝟏)
𝑭𝒏 = [( ) − (−𝟏)𝒏 ( ) ]
√𝟓 𝟐 𝟐

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Where we can see that for all values of n belonging to whole
numbers, the radicals eliminate themselves and the Fibonacci
numbers’ nature remains integral.
The following relations too, bring significant connection between
the Fibonacci spiral and the exponential rate of growth of the
Fibonacci sequence.
1+√5
lim 𝐹𝑛 = 𝑒 𝑛 ln( 2 ) = Φn
𝑛→∞

𝐹𝑛+1
=𝛷
𝐹𝑛

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14
Conclusion

W
ith the above mentioned calculations and results in place,
we hereby conclude our report with the essence of pure
awe towards the beauty of nature and how it can be
appreciated using mathematics. The applications of pure
mathematics are immense and they shall remain our only way of
comprehending the truth, in a more philosophical and metaphysical
sense. With an engineering perspective, the scope of mathematical
applications in Electrical Engineering is immense and the more we
learn, the more convenient the world becomes for us.

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