Fibonacci
September
3rd, 3000
Dear
Leonardo,
I have laid this letter upon your
grave. I know the Gods will deliver it to the underworld safely. I have written
to thank you for your many contributions to the world as it is today. You may
not know who I am, so I shall tell you. You may remember Abdul, a Muslim man
from Syria, who taught you how to use the decimal system, which you then
introduced to the greater Europe. I am his grandson, Farhad. My grandfather was
incredibly fond of you.
As a young child, he would sit me on his lap
and tell me stories of your so called “math adventures” together. He told me
that one-day, as you two were discussing roman numerals, Abdul asked if you, a
most intelligent scholar, had heard of the decimal system. He was surprised to
learn that you had not. Abdul always laughed about the inquisitive look you
gave him after hearing the word, “decimal.” However, you were quick to learn
the math system, which you obviously know was based on ten digits with a
decimal point and a symbol for zero. Abdul says you soon fell in “mathematical”
love with this method, realizing how hard it was to perform operations with
roman numerals. You soon brought this system to Europe in your famed book,
“Liber Abaci”, convincing many European mathematicians to adopt this system.
You definitely simplified things for us merchants, Leonardo!
Another
most famous contribution you made of the Fibonacci sequence also made a huge
impact on the world, as we know it today. My grandfather told me you discovered
it when studying the
number of rabbits in subsequent generations and the number of ancestors in
consecutive generations of bees. The sequence also appears in plants, such as
the daisy head, pineapple, and pinecone.
You provided a valuable link between
math and the natural world. Leonardo, you proved that math is an instrument for
understanding rather than something that is removed from the natural world. For
this I thank you. Before the Fibonacci sequence, I knew many people who scoffed
at math’s relation to nature; you proved them wrong. Math is incredibly
significant to daily life, not just trade, and helps us understand how the
world functions.
I know the underworld has placed you
in a specific mathematical sect in which you solve mathematic equations
everyday J. We all miss you. Within this letter I have enclosed a
page of a new copy of your book “Liber Abaci” which is fresh off the print.
Hope you like the new graphic. It’s a sunflower whose petal pattern occurs by adding the previous number of petals to
the current one and repeating the cycle, thus producing a spiral.
Rest
in Peace, Leonardo.
Sincerely,
Farhad
Rafael.
Best
Wishes,
 |
| (3) |
Abdul
Rafael
How wonderful it is that even after two generations, you continue to value the friendship your grandfather had with Leonardo! The story of those two men's friendship is beautiful, and their love of mathematics is clear through your letter. I am fascinated that Abdul was one of the pivotal leaders in creating the decimal system, for today, in our modern society, the roman numeral system is rarely used, and the decimal system is used constantly. It is great to know that Leonardo himself was the one to carry this decimal system over to Europe, for otherwise, I wouldn't be using it today! The way the merchants used the decimal system, and how plants and animals contain the Fibonacci sequence, are perfect examples of how math can be applied to every day things, just like in my artwork. I just love to find these connections, for, it gives more value to the world of mathematics. I am sure that his sequence will be used for years and years to come, to describe the world we live in. One last thing, I was wondering how you use mathematics in your life? Are you a merchant as well? The letter was lovely to read and I hope that you continue to value Leonardo not just as a friend of your grandfather, but as an inspirational mathematician.
ReplyDeleteM.C. Escher
Farhad,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad to hear how you see Leonardo's contributions in everyday life. I'm excited to hear that new applications are discovered for this sequence! When I first heard about the sequence, I wondered just how much it would be found in the natural world, and the discoveries never cease to amaze me. I agree with you, Farhad, that Leonardo served as an integral link between the beauty of math and the beauty of the real world. I'm surprised at the effectiveness that Leonardo's book had at spreading revolutionary ideas such as the decimal system. I know that without the decimal system, mathematics would be more cumbersome and not as enjoyable. Do you think that the current advancements in mathematics would still exist without the decimal system? I believe it was necessary for the evolution of mathematics, and we would still be stuck in the past had we not adopted this new way of counting.
Best,
David Hilbert