Thinking Mathematically (6th Edition)

Published by Pearson
ISBN 10: 0321867327
ISBN 13: 978-0-32186-732-2

Chapter 5 - Number Theory and the Real Number System - 5.4 The Irrational Numbers - Exercise Set 5.4 - Page 299: 113

Answer

The golden rectangle is used in architecture and art because it is believed to produce aesthetically pleasing division and proportions. According to Adrian Bejan, a professor of mechanical engineering at Duke’s Pratt School of engineering, the eyes scan an image the fastest, when it is shaped as a golden- ratio rectangle, leading our brains to perceive it as aesthetically pleasing. However, it is known that many of the most famous and celebrated application of the golden rectangle do not, in fact, conform entirely to it. In many cases, the golden ratio was applied later during the analysis of the building, and the eye sees what it wants to see. It is widely believed that the design of the Parthenon in Athens is based on the golden rectangle.
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