Fibonacci and the Liber abaci

In short

Leonardo of Pisa, known as Fibonacci, followed his merchant father to Bugia, in Algeria, as a boy, and there he learnt Hindu-Arabic numerals. In 1202 he wrote the Liber abaci, a book that taught how to calculate with the nine digits and zero. It explained the sums merchants needed: changing money, weights and interest. Among the book's problems is one about a pair of rabbits that multiply, which gives rise to the famous ‘Fibonacci sequence’.

Why it matters Thanks to him, the digits we use today spread among merchants and then across all of Europe.

Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, “Fibonacci”

Where we are in the era “Late Middle Ages”

Your turn

Name ______________________ Class ______ Date __________

1. When did it happen? Find the date at the top and write it here:

2. Tell it in your own words: what happened?

3. Draw the scene below.

storiascopio.com/en/event/fibonacci-and-the-liber-abaci/ · free worksheet, you may photocopy it for your class