The simplest is the series 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, etc. The next number is found by adding up the two numbers before it.
- The 2 is determined by adding the two numbers before it (1+1)
- Similarly, the 3 is determined by adding the two numbers before it (1+2),
- And the 5 is (2+3),
- and so on!
(The Fibonacci sequence is defined by the property that each number in the sequence is the sum of the previous two numbers; to get started, the first two numbers must be specified, and these are usually taken to be 1 and 1. In mathematical notation, if the sequence is written then the defining relationship is
with starting conditions .)