Fibonacci sequence and Occam's razor

Two fresh topics of exploration. These are Mommy's questions the girls really didn't care but where Mommy's inquiring mind goes theirs has to follow.  It was interesting investigating these two topics. We found out that they are not new ideas to us just new names for old ideas.

Occam's razor: This is a principle used in problem solving that states that of all the differing hypothesis out there it is the Hypothesis with the fewest assumptions should be selected. In other words if it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck then it is probably a duck. My father the Marine used Occam's Razor under a different name he called it the K.I.S.S (Keep it simple stupid)  method.

The philosophy in Occam's razor is used in every area of life. The area where we have first hand knowledge of Occam being wrong was with my husbands cancer diagnosis. They were looking for the simplest answer but in fact the cancer that he had was extremely rare and extremely lethal. The awareness ribbon for his cancer is Zebra print because they of the way the medical profession analogizes Occam's razor. They say that when you hear hoof sounds outside your window it is most likely going to be a horse not a zebra. Unfortunately in life there are the occasional Zebras.

I think that even though the idea behind this philosophy is not a 100% it is still a great way of thinking. The simple answer is generally the best answer in just about every aspect of life.



Fibonacci Sequence: The Fibonacci sequence is names after Leonardo of Pisa who was known as Fibonacci. By definition, the first two numbers in the Fibonacci sequence are 0 and 1, and each subsequent number is the sum of the previous two.

So the Fibonacci Sequence written out is - 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8. 13, 21 and so on and so on. 

There are a bunch of things that I run across and have to look up and when I do I file the information away for when a child asks me about it later or the random game of Trivial Pursuit. 

This got my attention because one website called the Fibonacci sequence the thumbprint of God. They stated that the Fibonacci sequence can be found all though out nature and that it must be the finger print of God. 

 In this picture you can see the Fibonacci spiral in everything from a snail to a fetus to the galaxy

 The Bible says we are made in the image of God so it makes since that the creators finger prints are all over his creation. Here is the Fibonacci swirl in a finger print.

 This picture amazed me honestly. The Fibonacci sequence in the measurement of the bones in our hands. To me that is spectacular. God is definitely in the details.

Until I researched ole Fibonacci I didn't realize that I used his principals when I made icing roses for my decorated cakes. When you make an icing rose you start with one mound of icing and then wrap another.. Well here watch this. Can you spot the Fibonacci sequence in what you see?

Youtube video on Rose making

He took half the video to show you how to fill a bag but when he got down to it he did it right. One  center, One wrap around and then three leaves and then five leaves and so on and so on. 

I hope you find our discoveries as cool as we have found them. At the very least I have helped better prepare  you for your next trivia game. 

The exploration will continue this week when we try and I reiterate the word try to make Hydrophobic sand (thanks to Latin class I didn't have to explain what Hydrophobic was) and making our own breakable glass.