The First Number of the Fibonacci Sequence

Date: 10/17/95 at 14:43:54
From: Anonymous
Subject: First number of Fibonacci sequence

We're in 3rd grade. We're reading a mathnet book.  What is the first 
number in the Fibonacci sequence, 1 or 0?  We have looked in six 
books and asked the special math person in our school.

Date: 10/18/95 at 14:10:23
From: Doctor Eric
Subject: Re: First number of Fibonacci sequence

Hi.  An interesting question!  I believe that the first number in the 
famous Fibonacci sequence is, in fact, 1.  To tell you the truth, 1 is 
also the second number in the sequence.  I know that seems a bit 
strange, but it's true.  Think about how you figure out the numbers in 
the sequence, and convince yourself that _something_ had to be 
different about the second number.

So, by definition, both the first and second numbers in the Fibonacci
sequence are 1. 

-Doctor Eric,  The Geometry Forum