1 algorithmic manipulation of fibonacci identities.pdfVIP

1 Algorithmic Manipulation of Fibonacci Identities Stanley Rabinowitz 12 Vine Brook Road Westford, MA 01886 USA 1. Introduction. Methods for manipulating trigonometric expressions, such as changing sums to prod- ucts, changing products to sums, expanding functions of multiple angles, etc., are well- known [1]. In fact, the process of verifying trigonometric identities is algorithmic (see [2] or [5]). Roughly speaking, all trigonometric identities can be derived from the basic identity 2 2 sin x + cos x = 1. Methods for manipulating expressions involving Fibonacci and Lucas numbers are also known; however, they do not seem to be systematically collected in one place. The fact that verifying Fibonacci identities is algorithmic seems to be less well-known, especially considering the strong relationship there is between Fibonacci numbers and trigonometric functions (see equation (7) below). For example, the problem of establishing the identity F14r (F 7 + F 7) − 7F10r (F 6 Fn + Fn+4r F 6) + 21F6r (F 5 F 2 + F 2 F 5) n+4r n n+4r n n+4r n n+4r n (1) − 35F2r (F 4 F 3 + F 3 F 4) = F 7 F7n+14 n+4r n n+4r n 4r is still considered “hard” as witnessed by the fact that this problem appeared in the advanced problem section of The Fibonacci Quarterly [10]. Yet this identity (and all such identities) can be proven using a straighforward algorithm that we shall describe below. Roughly speaking, all Fibonacci identities can be derived from the basic identity 2 2 n Ln − 5Fn = 4(−1