Fibonacci sequence

The Fibonacci Sequence is the series of numbers:

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89

in which each element is the sum of the two elements that precede it.

Sequence applied to Computers, Nature, other Domains

The Fibonacci numbers were first described in Indian mathematics as early as 200 BC in work by Pingala on enumerating possible patterns of Sanskrit poetry formed from syllables of two lengths. They are named after the Italian mathematician Leonardo of Pisa, also known as Fibonacci, who introduced the sequence to Western European mathematics in his 1202 book Liber Abaci.

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Applications of Fibonacci numbers include computer algorithms such as the Fibonacci search technique and the Fibonacci heap data structure, and graphs called Fibonacci cubes used for interconnecting parallel and distributed systems. They also appear in biological settings, such as branching in trees, the arrangement of leaves on a stem, the fruit sprouts of a pineapple, the flowering of an artichoke, and the arrangement of a pine cone’s bracts, though they do not occur in all species.

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The Fibonacci spiral: an approximation of the golden spiral created by drawing circular arcs connecting the opposite corners of squares in the Fibonacci tiling

The sequence is also applied in science, economics and other areas.

Application to Work Estimation

The Fibonacci sequence works well with work estimation compared to a linear scale as has a proportional increase in uncertainty as effort becomes larger.

Example is estimate complexity based on time, tasks changes, understanding of the requirement. High ones should be broken up and may indicate poor understood work.

Low: 0, 1, 2
Medium: 3, 5, 8
High: 13, 21
Highest: 34, 55

Break down work to smaller work items of size 1 to 8.