Fibonacci sequence
from Teienkawi@beehaw.org to nostupidquestions@lemmy.ca on 14 Jan 2026 19:46
https://beehaw.org/post/24223177

Im curious how does the Fibonacci sequence get from zero to one. Without that how could the rest be possible. Any ideas?

#nostupidquestions

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calliope@retrolemmy.com on 14 Jan 2026 19:54 next collapse

0 + 1 is the next number, 1

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144

Edit: Why would anyone downvote this? Jesus. I literally used Wikipedia. You people are nightmares.

Teienkawi@beehaw.org on 14 Jan 2026 20:12 next collapse

Thankyou im working on using the Fibonacci sequence as part of crytograph for was supposed to be fun lol i thought like how 3 is 1+2 meant it had to be two previous numbers added which 1+1 =2 cool but what added to 0 for 0+1? (Sorry Im probably overthinking the goose shit out of this)

calliope@retrolemmy.com on 14 Jan 2026 20:19 collapse

1 is added to 0 to get 1.

I know the explanation also sounds stupid, but the Fibonacci sequence is defined as

0, 1, 1, 2, 3

So if you want something between 0 and 1, that may not be the Fibonacci sequence.

Teienkawi@beehaw.org on 14 Jan 2026 20:34 collapse

O shibby alright thank you now I see ive been warping it all funky

hakase@lemmy.zip on 14 Jan 2026 22:14 next collapse

I downvoted you because your answer is confusing and doesn’t seem to address the heart of OP’s question (as evidenced by the fact that they had to effectively restate their question in their response). Yes, 0+1 is the next number, but citing Wikipedia doesn’t address how we initially get from 0 to 1 when there aren’t two previous numbers available in the sequence. Where does the 1 come from?

Your answer is what prompted me to provide an answer of my own (with explicitly cited source) that attempts to more directly and clearly answer the question.

I’m sorry if you feel that my downvote is unjustified, but I still don’t believe that your answer contributed productively to the discussion.

calliope@retrolemmy.com on 14 Jan 2026 22:16 collapse

And yet the person who asked the question responded and indeed thought I added to the conversation. Especially because there literally weren’t any answers.

So my answer contributed multiple ways, given you literally answered because I did.

So thanks for the explanation, but yikes! It’s “no stupid questions,” get off your pedestal.

“No stupid questions? No friendly answers!”

That’s ok, I won’t be back!

hakase@lemmy.zip on 14 Jan 2026 22:26 collapse

I’m here from /all, so no need to leave on my account.

You wanted to know why I downvoted you, so I told you. What you do with that information is up to you.

hesh@quokk.au on 15 Jan 2026 00:43 collapse

You have one downvote… Chill

hakase@lemmy.zip on 14 Jan 2026 20:17 collapse

Since the sequence is only defined from the third number on (“add the previous two numbers”), the first two numbers must be stipulated. That is, the sequence gets from zero to one because we force it to, and then we let it do its thing.

Teienkawi@beehaw.org on 14 Jan 2026 20:31 next collapse

Awesome thank you that fits with the second part of my play cryptograph goofing project

sopularity_fax@sopuli.xyz on 14 Jan 2026 20:54 collapse

Can you talk more about stipulation. Is that basically the axiological equivalent of “it is because I say it is” and you have to agree if you want to play?

hakase@lemmy.zip on 14 Jan 2026 22:19 collapse

You can stipulate whichever two numbers you like to start, but anything that doesn’t get you to two and three won’t begin the specific sequence that we name after Fibonacci (it’s worth mentioning that Fibonacci himself started with one and two, not zero and one). According to the linked discussion, apparently interesting things happen when you choose numbers other than zero and one, so it’s not like you absolutely have to choose those two numbers as a starting point or anything.

sopularity_fax@sopuli.xyz on 14 Jan 2026 22:24 collapse

Does using non 1 or 0 starts fundamentally alter the proportions/ratios or whatver, like the overall shapes

hakase@lemmy.zip on 14 Jan 2026 22:30 collapse

That’s beyond my ability to authoritatively answer. You’d have to check out the linked thread above or ask a mathematician. I’m interested to hear the answer if anyone perusing the comments can speak to it.

sopularity_fax@sopuli.xyz on 15 Jan 2026 02:51 collapse

I wonder too if you use a negative