What are mathematics classes like at Roanoke College? Different. Challenging. Fun. To take one example, Calculus 2 has a regular lab. What in the world is done in a calculus lab? Among other topics, we look at rabbit and fox populations, baseballs and golf balls in motion, a cube that curves, and the classic video game Gorillas …, basically whatever our faculty can develop to show you the power of calculus while exploring an interesting application. One lab showcases some of the amazing properties of the Fibonacci sequence and its relationship to the golden ratio. Legend has it that a perfectly proportioned human will have a total height to height-of-belly-button ratio and a facial height to width ratio both equal to the golden ratio, about 1.6. The student in the picture was pleased to learn that she has the perfect face!
