Fibonacci

Date: 01/31/97 at 19:20:13
From: KEITH MCKENZIE
Subject: Fibonacci

Hi Dr. Math,

My name is Shoushou and I have a report due on Fibonacci.  He's a 
mathematician and that's why I thought I could get some information 
from you.

Sincerely,  Shoushou

Date: 01/31/97 at 20:04:20
From: Doctor Wilkinson
Subject: Re: Fibonacci

Here's some information from the MacTutor Math History archives at St. 
Andrews - for math history and math reference links, see the bottom of 
the Dr. Math FAQ: http://mathforum.org/dr.math/faq/   

Leonardo Pisano Fibonacci

Born: 1170 in (probably) Pisa (now in Italy)
Died: 1250 in (possibly) Pisa (now in Italy)

Fibonacci, or Leonard of Pisa, better known by his nickname Fibonacci, 
played an important role in reviving ancient mathematics and made 
significant contributions of his own. _Liber Abaci_, a book he wrote, 
introduced the Hindu-Arabic place-valued decimal system and the use of 
Arabic numerals into Europe. 

Fibonacci was born in Italy but was educated in North Africa, where 
his father held a diplomatic post. He travelled widely with his 
father, recognizing the enormous advantages of the mathematical 
systems used in the countries he visited. 

_Liber Abaci_, published in 1202 after his return to Italy, is based 
on bits of arithmetic and algebra that Fibonacci had accumulated 
during his travels. A problem in _Liber Abaci_ led to the introduction 
of the Fibonacci numbers and the Fibonacci sequence for which 
Fibonacci is best remembered today. The _Fibonacci Quarterly_ is a 
modern journal devoted to studying mathematics related to this 
sequence. 

Fibonacci's other books of major importance are _Practica Geometriae_, 
published in 1220, which contains a large collection of geometry and
trigonometry.  In _Liber Quadratorum_, published in 1225, he 
approximates a root of a cubic obtaining an answer which in decimal
notation is correct to 9 places. 

_Mis Practica Geometriae_, published in 1220, gives a compilation of 
the geometry of the time and also introduces some trigonometry. 

References: 

    1._Dictionary of Scientific Biography_ 
    2._Biography in Encyclopaedia Britannica_ 
    3.J Gies and F Gies, _Leonard of Pisa and the New Mathematics of
      the Middle Ages_ (1969).          
    4.G Loria, _Leonardo Fibonacci, Storia delle mathematiche I_ 
      (Turin, 1929), 37.

You can also search our site under the key word "Fibonacci" at:

   http://mathforum.org/grepform.html   


-Doctor Wilkinson,  The Math Forum
 Check out our web site!  http://mathforum.org/dr.math/