Chapter 6 – Ratio and Proportion
Map
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Timeline
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Introduction
Have you ever wondered why humans see some things as beautiful? What would you say to the idea that there was a mathematical formula that influences what we see as beauty? There is, in fact, a secret ratio, and it is called The Golden Ratio.
As you have studied mathematics, you have learned about ratios and proportion. For example, if a ratio of pizzas to celery sticks is 2:5, and there are 20 pizzas, how many celery sticks would there be? 50, right? Perhaps it sounds boring to some, but when we imagine that mathematics is used to decode the fundamental language of the universe, applying it gives us the power to perceive the raw nature of reality in ways we never could before! One of the most interesting uses of ratios and proportions is illuminating our understanding of beauty across the whole of nature. Here’s where the Golden Ratio comes in.
Have you ever wondered why you see a cat’s face as beautiful? How about the pyramids of Egypt, the Taj Mahal, or the Mona Lisa? How would you feel knowing that these seemingly different things share a common mathematical connection? That connection is The Golden Ratio. It is a symmetrical relationship so widespread across nature, art, music, architecture, and even human biology, that it quietly guides our concept of what is and is not beautiful. When applied, it creates a natural, harmonious, and visually pleasant experience to all who observe it.
Now, to the fun part – the math. The Golden Ratio is 1:1.68 – aka the length is 1 and width is 1.68. Have a look at your index finger. Notice that, from the tip to the base of your wrist, each section is bigger than the last one by a ratio of 1 to 1.68. Using this scale, your fingernail is 1 unit in length. The ratio between your hand and your forearm does the same, abiding by the Golden Ratio.
Although beauty is mysterious, and is ultimately in the eye of the beholder, there are basic characteristics of beauty that are inseparable from the Golden Ratio. Rather than being solely established by cultural beliefs, recent science claims that beauty standards have their roots in mathematics. Proportions and ratios are useful in our everyday lives, but they have a secret, and ancient life of their own as cosmic agents of beauty and harmony across the universe.
Pyramids across the World
Humanity’s architectural achievements are truly astonishing. Looking up at the great monuments of the world like the Eiffel Tower or Taj Mahal can have a truly humbling effect on us. But, have you ever wondered why human civilizations build such tall towers? With a new record-breaking tower erected every decade, from Toronto’s CN Tower to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, there seems to be a never ending competition among mankind to construct taller and taller buildings. Even in the biblical story, The Tower of Babel, the ancient Babylonians built a tower so tall, it was perceived as a threat to God! We know how the b