Fibonacci

Problem Solving and Thinking in

Engineering Programming

H. James de St. Germain
Understand the Problem
The Fibonacci Series is of interest and
excitement to Mathematicians and
Scientists.
The Series is:
0,1,1,2,3,5,8,13,21,34,55,89,
To calculate a Fibonacci Number simply
add the two previous numbers together.
We always start with zero and one (0 and 1)
What is the Requirements
High Level English Description (or
Pseudocode Version 1)

Calculate and Display the first X Fibonacci
Numbers

Really Understand the Problem
Start with 0 and 1 (by definition)
Start of sequence is: 0,1
Add these two together: 1
Expanded sequence is: 0,1,1
Add last two numbers together
1+1 = 2
Expanded sequence is: 0,1,1,2
Add last two numbers together
1+2 = 3
Expanded sequence is: 0,1,1,2,3
Do it by Hand!
0 add the first number
1 to the second number
1 to get the next number


Now What?
Do it by Hand!
0
1 now add this number
1 to this number
2 to get the next number


Now What?
Do it by Hand!
0
1
1 now add this number
2 to this number
3 to get the next number


Now What?
Do it by Hand!
0
1
1
2 now add this number
3 to this number
5 to get the next number


Now What?
Do it by Hand!
0
1
1
2
3 now add this number
5 to this number
8 to get the next number


Now What?
What does the Program
need to know at Each step?
0
1
1
2
3 now add this number
5 to this number
8 to get the next number

1. the previous number
2. the number before that
3. the current number
What happens at each step?
Pseudocode Version 2:
1. set the first number to 0
2. set the second number to 1
3. Add previous two numbers together to get current
number
4. repeat step 3 until done

Question:

Are the last two numbers always the same?
Transform Repeat to While
1. Add previous two numbers together to get
current number
2. repeat step 1 until done

1. while not done
Add previous two numbers together to get
current number
end

What informatino do we need to
know or compute at Each Step?
2
nd
Previous Number
Previous Number
Current Number

We need VARIABLES to store each of
these
Create Variables for our Program
second_previous = 0;
previous = 1;
current_number = ????
current_number = second_previous +
previous;
What happens at each step?
1. Add previous and 2
nd
previous numbers
to get the current Fibonacci number
2. Then update our previous variables to
contain the new previous numbers

Question: Is the ordering of these two steps
important?
Is the ordering of the two operations in step
2 important?
Which of these produces the
correct values in our variables?
Now is it:
current = second_previous + previous;
previous = current;
second_previous = previous;

Or is it:
current = second_previous + previous;
second_previous = previous;
previous = current;
Lets Confirm our Understanding:
previous = 1, second_previous=1;
Case 1:
current = second_previous + previous;
% current is assigned the value 2
previous = current;
% previous is assigned the value 2
second_previous = previous;
% second_previous is assigned the value 2
Lets Confirm our Understanding:
previous = 1, second_previous=1;
Case 2:
current = second_previous + previous;
% current is assigned the value 2
second_previous = previous;
% 2
nd
previous is assigned the value 1
previous = current;
% previuos is assigned the value 2
Pseudocode ( 3rd Version)
1. print 0,1:
2. set the first two values to 0 and 1
3. While we havent reached our goal
1. add these values to get the next (or current)
value
2. print the current value:
3. update the previous two values
Onward to Code
fprintf(0, 1, );
second_previous = 0
previous = 1
current = previous + second_previous;
fprintf(%d, , current);

Sample Code
second_previous = 0
previous = 1
current = previous + second_previous;
fprintf(%d, , current);
second_previous = previous;
previous = current;
current = previous + second_previous;
fprintf(%d, , current);
Sample Code
second_previous = 0
previous = 1
current = previous + second_previous;
fprintf(%d, , current);
second_previous = previous;
previous = current;
current = previous + second_previous;
fprintf(%d, , current);
second_previous = previous;
previous = current;
current = previous + second_previous;
fprintf(%d, , current);

Sample Code
second_previous = 0
previous = 1
current = previous + second_previous;
fprintf(%d, , current);
second_previous = previous;
previous = current;
current = previous + second_previous;
fprintf(%d, , current);
second_previous = previous;
previous = current;
current = previous + second_previous;
fprintf(%d, , current);
second_previous = previous;
previous = current;
current = previous + second_previous;
fprintf(%d, , current);
second_previous = previous;
previous = current;
current = previous + second_previous;
fprintf(%d, , current);
second_previous = previous;
previous = current;
current = previous + second_previous;
fprintf(%d, , current);
second_previous = previous;
previous = current;
current = previous + second_previous;
fprintf(%d, , current);
Seems like the same old same old,
over and over and over
This implies that we want a loop!

Remember: A Loop lets the computer do
things over and over again so we dont
have to!

What loop to use?
For loop or While loop?
Give a valid reason to use either!
While Loop
while ( current < some large number)

Use a while loop because we want all
Fibonacci numbers less than some number
FOR loop
for ith_fib_number = 3:1000

Use a for loop because we want the first 1000
Fibonacci numbers
Pseudocode (4
th
version)
Very Close to Code
Set second_previous to 0
Set previous to 1
Starting with 3, go until X (by ones)
Current value is set to second_previous +
previous
Print current value
Set second_previous to previous
Set previous to current
Code
second_previous = 0;
previous = 1;
fprintf(%d %d , second_previous, previous);
for I = 3:total_fib_numbers
current = second_previous + previous;
fprintf(%d , current);
second_previous = previous;
previous = current;
end % the for loop
Thoughts
Is the variable I used in the loop?
Nope! Its just a place holder.

for I = 3:total_fib_numbers
current = second_previous + previous;
fprintf(%d , current);
second_previous = previous;
previous = current;
end % the for loop

Thoughts

Are we calculating anything?
Sort of, but when the program is over, does
the computer have anything it can use?
Nope
How would we write code to save these
values?
What data type?
Saving the values
What would we do if we needed to save
the values instead of simply printing them
to the screen?
Answer:
Use an Array
Note: now the variable I is important
New Code with Array
% Pre-allocate (save buckets for)
% enough space for all the numbers
fib_numbers = zeros(1,total_fib_numbers);

% Set up the first two fib numbers from memory
% (your memory)
fib_numbers(1) = 0;

fib_numbers(2) = 1;

New Code with Array

for i = 3:total_fib_numbers

fib_numbers(i) = fib_numbers(i-1) +
fib_numbers(i-2);

end % for

% where did the previous and
% 2
nd
previous variables go?
What is wrong with this code?

fib_numbers = fib_numbers(i-1) +
fib_numbers(i-2);

Corrected:

fib_numbers(i) = fib_numbers(i-1) +
fib_numbers(i-2);

Notice the Update of the Array uses the (i) next to
the array variable
Let me Repeat!
NEVER use:
array = 5 + 6;

ALWAYS use:
array( position ) = 5 + 6;

You must always index into an array!
Function
How would we turn this code into a
function?
What are the inputs?
What are the outputs?
Draw a Black Box
You have 1 minutes to draw a black box
for this function
Function as Black Box
Function
Input Output
Fibonacci as Black Box
Fibonacci
Count
Fibonacci
Numbers
Compute the first count fibonacci
numbers
Array of
Numbers
Integer
Comment Your Function
You have 1 minute to write a brief
comment that would go at the top of your
.m file for the Fibonacci function
Function Comment
% array_of_fib_numbers = compute_fib(
% how_many)
%
% Author: H. James de St. Germain
% Date: Fall 2007
%
% This function produces an array of the
% first how many Fibonacci Numbers
Function Design Pattern
You have one minute to write the function
design pattern for this function
Function Design Pattern
function result_array = compute_fib( how_many )

result_array(1) = 0;

end %function
Function Code
From your memory and your notes write
out the code for this function.

you have 1 minute.
Pseudocode:
set up first two values in array
loop updating the current value based on the
previous two values
Function Code
function result_array = compute_fib( count )
result_array(1) = 0;
result_array(2) = 1;
for counter = 3 : count
result_array(counter) =
result_array(counter-1) +
result_array(counter-2);
end %for loop
end % function
How many
1. semicolons (;s) in the function? Where?

function result_array = compute_fib( count )
result_array(1) = 0;
result_array(2) = 1;
for counter = 3 : count
result_array(counter) =
result_array(counter-1) +
result_array(counter-2);
end %for loop
end % function

How many
1. fprintfs and input statements?

function result_array = compute_fib( count )
result_array(1) = 0;
result_array(2) = 1;
for counter = 3 : count
result_array(counter) =
result_array(counter-1) +
result_array(counter-2);
end % for loop
end % function

NEVER
use fprintf in a function
unless told that the function communicates
with the user of the program
use input in a function
unless told that the function recieves input
from the user of the program
How many
1. variables? (parameters, return variables, local
variables)

function result_array = compute_fib( count )
result_array(1) = 0;
result_array(2) = 1;
for counter = 3 : count
result_array(counter) =
result_array(counter-1) +
result_array(counter-2);
end % for loop
end % function
End Fibonacci

Questions?