Imagine an inflorescence

Educational activities

The presence of mathematics in nature. Know the characteristics of the living world.

Plants, in their search for optimization and efficiency in the growth process, produce complex geometric patterns, crossed spirals, regular arrangements of leaves along the stems, organization of pine cone scales... The relationship between the plant world and mathematics is a complex subject; However, it may be interesting to discuss with students aged 6-11 that nature seems to have a predilection for Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio but also for mathematical objects such as fractal figures. The growth of plants is not random but on the contrary obeys natural laws of distribution.

For example, 3 petals for lilies, 5 for buttercups, 34 or 55 or 89 petals for daisies. The number of spirals in the heart of sunflowers (spirals in 2 directions) is either 21 and 34, or 34 and 55, or 55 and 89, or 89 and 144. Pine cones have either 8 spirals on one side and 13 on the other, or 5 spirals on one side and 8 on the other. The number of diagonals of a pineapple is 8 in one direction and 13 in the other.

These numbers are all part of the Fibonacci sequence (Leonardo Fibonacci, 1202, Pisa): 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144, 233... (each number in this sequence is obtained from the sum of the two previous numbers [0+1=1] [1+1=2] [1+2=3] [2+3=5] [3+5=8] [5+8=13]...).