Article QB3Q Fibonacci numbers, arctangents, and pi

Fibonacci numbers, arctangents, and pi

by
John
from John D. Cook on (#QB3Q)

Here's an unusual formula for I. Let Fn be the nth Fibonacci number. Then

fibonacci_pi_atan.png

As mysterious as this equation may seem, it's not hard to prove. The arctangent identity

fibonacci_atan.png

shows that the sum telescopes, leaving only the first term, arctan(1) = I/4. To prove the arctangent identity, take the tangent of both sides, use the addition law for tangents, and use the Fibonacci identity

fibonacci_determinant.png

See this post for an even more remarkable formula relating Fibonacci numbers and I.

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