Fibonacci sequence in the bible

Math In The Bible

1. Given there are 7 animal pairs of each kind loaded on to Noah’s Ark (A0 = 7), how many animal pairs of each kind could we expect in year 20 and in year 40?

2. Suppose Noah loaded 500 kinds of animals on the Ark, for a total of 3500 animal pairs (A0 = 3500). In what year does the model predict that we reach 10,000,000 animal pairs total?

Math in the Bible Session 1: Estimating Population Growth After Noah’s Ark

Math in the Bible 1 Estimating Population Growth After Noah’s Ark

Background

Instructions

Submitting the Assignment

Background

Genesis 7: 1 – 3 The Lord then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation. 2 Take with you seven pairs of every kind of clean animal, a male and its mate, and one pair of every kind of unclean animal, a male and its mate, 3 and also seven pairs of every kind of bird, male and female, to keep their various kinds alive throughout the earth.”

In this assignment, we will use the Fibonacci sequence to approximate the population growth of animals after the flood. We will use the following assumptions.

Each animal pair reproduces once a year, and we don’t take into account any deaths.

A0 is the initial number of animal pairs on the ark, and A1 is the same number of animal pairs at the end of year 1. We assume Noah took young animals, ready to reproduce after one year.

None of these assumptions are completely accurate. Remember, this is a model and the numbers represent an approximation to the growth of the population after the flood.

Instructions

Download the Math in the Bible 1 Excel Spreadsheet from Session 1. You can use the spreadsheet to answer the questions below by simply entering the value of A0 and examining the spreadsheet. Note that A0 represents the initial number of animal pairs and the spreadsheet lists the total number of animal pairs at the end of each year, according to the Fibonacci sequence.

Questions

1. Given there are 7 animal pairs of each kind loaded on to Noah’s Ark (A0 = 7), how many animal pairs of each kind could we expect in year 20 and in year 40?

2. Suppose Noah loaded 500 kinds of animals on the Ark, for a total of 3500 animal pairs (A0 = 3500). In what year does the model predict that we reach 10,000,000 animal pairs total?

Note: In the event you do not have Excel, you can use the following website, which uses A0 = 1 and A1 = 1. You will have to multiply the numbers listed on the website by the initial amount, which is 7 for Question 1 and 3500 for Question 2. https://www.browserling.com/tools/fibonacci-numbers

Submitting the Assignment

1. Upload a Word or PDF file in the course for the Math in the Bible 1 assignment.

2. Be sure the document includes your name and the answers to each question. Please include both the questions and answers in the document you submit.

3. You can either include screenshots of the spreadsheet or you can include the appropriate data from the table and a description of what you did.

4. Include a brief summary paragraph which includes any thoughts and observations you might have about the assignment. The more information you include, the easier it is for your instructor to give you credit for your work.

5. As always, be sure that your work is your own.

If you have any questions about the assignment, contact your instructor.