Plus or minus
Make and prove a conjecture about the value of the product of the Fibonacci numbers $F_{n+1}F_{n-1}$.
Problem
Make and prove a conjecture about the value of the product of the Fibonacci numbers $F_{n+1}F_{n-1}$.
This problem complements the material in the article The Golden Ratio, Fibonacci Numbers and Continued Fractions.
For a sequence of, mainly more elementary, problems on these topics see Golden Mathematics.
For a sequence of, mainly more elementary, problems on these topics see Golden Mathematics.
Getting Started
Use the formula for the $n$th Fibonacci number: $F_n={1\over\sqrt5}(\alpha^n-\beta^n)$ where $\alpha$ and $\beta$ are solutions of the quadratic equation $x^2-x-1=0$ and $\alpha > \beta.$
Student Solutions
This solution is from Andrei from Tudor Vianu National College, Bucharest, Romania. Calculating $F_1$, $F_2,. . . , F_7$, I obtain:
Teachers' Resources
The Golden Ratio is one of the roots of the equation $x^2-x-1=0$ and the $n$th Fibonacci number is$F_n={1\over\sqrt5}(\alpha^n-\beta^n)$ where $\alpha$ and $\beta$ are solutions of the quadratic equation $x^2-x-1=0$ and $\alpha > \beta$ hence the many connections between Fibonacci numbers and the Golden Ratio.