2012

The Golden Ratio- Research project

Carrie Meserole
Statistic 1510
3/2/2012

The Golden Ratio Research Project

Abstract
In progress.
Introduction
The research conducted in this research paper consists of obtaining measurements from
random people located in my town Bakersfield, Ca. The reason for this study is to demonstrate
that the idea that nature is constructed with the Golden Ratio as a core element is not true. The
Golden Ratio is a value known as Phi or 1.6180 and many believe that the proportion is found in
architecture, nature, and the human body.
Method
In order to obtain the information need I handed out surveys to my family and friends.
On the survey it stated the purpose of colleting the measurements and that it was for a statistical
research project. In order to insure proper input I handed out the surveys and explained how to
do the measurements correctly. I had everyone complete their own measurements. This also
helped to ensure that all of the measurements were done the same way. I also posted an event on
Facebook.com. I explained that I am doing a research project for my statistics class at Taft
College. I explained how to do the measurements and this again helped to also ensure that they
were done the same way. I then took a random sample of 35 of the 50 people to ensure that the
sample is representative of the population.

Participants
The participants were 27 females and 23
males. Of the participants there were 31
adults and 19 children. I explained to
the participants that this was a statistical
research project for my statistics class at
Taft College and it was to prove that the
Golden Ratio doesnt appear in
everyone.

The Golden Ratio Research Project

Box and whisker plot

The Golden Ratio Research Project

Histogram

The navel to knee/ knee to foot histogram is skewed right somewhat. 78% of the population
that is represented in this data is between 1.0000-1.2500 which does not meet the Golden
Ratio of 1.618. There is nobody that even represents the Golden Ratio for this
measurement. The length of face/ width of face there is 34% that meet the Golden Ratio,
which means this measurement does not meet the Golden Ratio as well. This histogram is
bell shaped symmetric.

The Golden Ratio Research Project

The navel to foot and shoulder to the top of the head histogram is skewed left. It
shows that only 2% hit the golden ratio of 1.618. This proves for this measurement
that the nature is constructed with the Golden Ratio as a core element in fact is not
true. Now, the height/navel-foot there is 84% that do in fact fulfill the Golden Ratio
of 1.618. This histogram is skewed right.

The Golden Ratio Research Project

Histograms

Summary Statistics

The age histogram represents the different ages that I surveyed. The ages that were
measured from my research project ranged from 1 years old to 61 years old. The average
age is 25.34

The Golden Ratio Research Project

Conclusion
In concluding and looking the 50 people measured from a source of 4 different
measurements the Golden Ratio only existed in one of the four measurements. Many of the
variables that I initially felt would have represented the Golden Ratio of 1.618 did not.
There were a few limitations when dealing with this data set. The sample size could have
been bigger; a bigger sample size would have made the data more reliable and given more
statistical significance.

The Golden Ratio Research Project

Appendix
Please fill out this survey with the appropriate data for each member of your family. Please give all
measurements in the number of inches. Make sure that you do not include your name when returning
this survey. All data will be used in a statistical report for my college statistics class. If you have any
questions, comments or concerns please just ask.

1. Male or Female
2. Age3. Height4. Shoulder line to the top of the head5. Navel to foot6. Navel to the top of the head7. Navel to the knee8. Knee to the end of the foot9. Width of face10. Length of face-

Raw Data
NAVEL
KNEE

KNEEFOOT

LENGTH
FACE

WIDTH
FACE

HIEGHT
/
NAVELFOOT

NAVELFOOT /
SHOULDERTOP HEAD

NAVEL KNEE /
KNEEFOOT

LENGTH
FACE /
WIDTH
FACE

F/M

AGE

HIEGHT

NAVELFOOT

SHOULDERTOP HEAD

NAVELTOP
HEAD

26

66.25

37

11

26.5

21

18

7.75

4.5

1.7905

3.3636

1.1667

1.7222

32

69

41

12

29

23

18

1.6829

3.4167

1.2778

1.1667

52

65

37

11

29

19

16

4.75

1.7568

3.3636

1.1875

1.8947

48.5

28

20.5

14

13.5

4.75

1.7321

3.1111

1.037

1.4737

56

34

10

22

17.5

17

1.6471

3.4

1.0294

1.3333

32

69

42

10.5

27

22

19

1.6429

1.1579

1.3333

27

65

39.5

11.5

26.5

22

19

5.75

1.6456

3.4348

1.1579

1.3913

32

74.5

44.5

11

29.5

23

22

6.25

6.5

1.6742

4.0455

1.0455

0.9615

59

63.5

38.5

11.5

25

19.5

20.5

7.75

5.5

1.6494

3.3478

0.9512

1.4091

60

64.5

39

10

25.5

20

18.5

5.5

1.6538

3.9

1.0811

1.6364

60

73.75

46

11.5

32

22.5

23.5

9.5

7.5

1.6033

0.9574

1.2667

31

71.75

44.5

10.5

27.5

23

21

9.5

7.5

1.6124

4.2381

1.0952

1.2667

30

63.5

38.5

9.5

24

20.5

19

9.5

5.5

1.6494

4.0526

1.0789

1.7273

48.5

29

10

19.5

16

13.5

6.5

1.6724

2.9

1.1852

1.3

The Golden Ratio Research Project

53

61

35

9.5

27

17.5

19

1.7429

3.6842

0.9211

1.3333

27

66.5

40

9.5

26.5

20

19.5

5.5

1.6625

4.2105

1.0256

1.4545

28

62

35.5

10

25

20

19.5

4.5

1.7465

3.55

1.0256

1.5556

32

73

44

11

29

23

19.5

9.5

1.6591

1.1795

1.3571

30

63

39.5

26

21

17

8.5

1.5949

4.3889

1.2353

1.4167

48.5

30

8.5

19

15

14.5

4.5

1.6167

3.5294

1.0345

1.3333

55

33.5

10.5

21.5

19

16.5

1.6418

3.1905

1.1515

1.6

56.5

35

8.75

21.5

34.5

17

6.75

4.75

1.6143

2.0294

1.4211

11

57

35.5

20.5

19

16

5.5

1.6056

3.9444

1.1875

1.2727

52.5

31

21

18

14

1.6935

3.4444

1.2857

1.4

36.5

20.5

17

11

10

1.7805

2.5625

1.1

1.5

28

62

34

10.5

23

20

16

4.5

1.8235

3.2381

1.25

40

67.5

31

11

27

21

21

8.5

2.1774

2.8182

1.4167

28

62

38

11.5

26

18

18

1.6316

3.3043

1.3333

47

28

20

14.5

16

4.5

1.6786

3.1111

0.9062

1.7778

59

63

39

11

26

19

19

1.6154

3.5455

1.6

33

70.5

43.5

11

26

22

21.5

9.5

5.5

1.6207

3.9545

1.0233

1.7273

30

64.5

39.5

11.5

26

21

19.5

8.5

5.5

1.6329

3.4348

1.0769

1.5455

47

27

18.5

13

13

7.5

1.7407

3.375

1.5

44.5

26.5

18.5

15

12.5

4.5

1.6792

3.3125

1.2

1.5556

54.5

32.5

10.5

22

18.5

16

7.5

1.6769

3.0952

1.1562

1.5

34

69

42

11

29

23

20

1.6429

3.8182

1.15

1.8

41

70.5

42.5

28

23

20

20

5.25

1.6588

1.5179

1.7143

35

67.5

41

11

25

18

21.5

1.6463

3.7273

0.8372

1.3333

31.5

17.5

15

9.5

6.5

1.8

2.5

1.1875

1.625

30.75

17

14.75

6.75

4.25

1.8088

2.4286

1.125

1.5882

44.5

26.5

7.75

18.5

14

13

6.5

4.5

1.6792

3.4194

1.0769

1.4444

27

62.5

38

10.5

26

21

17

7.5

5.25

1.6447

3.619

1.2353

1.4286

50

31.5

20

16

14.5

4.5

1.5873

3.5

1.1034

1.3333

34

64.5

38.5

11

25.5

20.5

19

1.6753

3.5

1.0789

1.6

60

64.5

39

28

19.5

19

5.5

1.6538

4.3333

1.0263

1.4545

57.5

35

10.5

23.5

18

15.5

7.5

1.6429

3.3333

1.1613

1.5

25

32

9.5

20

17

15

6.5

4.75

0.7812

3.3684

1.1333

1.3684

10

57.5

34.5

10

22.5

17

17

1.6667

3.45

1.4

34

71

44

11.5

27

22.5

23

6.5

1.6136

3.8261

0.9783

1.2308

39

68

39.5

11

28.5

19

20

1.7215

3.5909

0.95

1.3333

The Golden Ratio Research Project

Bibliography
1. http://qt-server.taftcollege.edu/podcasts/stat1510/youtube/Golden_Ratio_Human_Body.mp4
2. http://qt-server.taftcollege.edu/podcasts/stat1510/youtube/The_Golden_Mean.mp4
3. Bourne. M, What has mathematics got to do with beauty? Actually, a lot. Physical
attraction depends on ratio. Intmath.com July 24,2011
<http://www.intmath.com/numbers/math-of-beauty.php>
4. Unknown. The Human Body. GOLDENNUMBER.NET. 3/2/12. 2011.
<http://www.goldennumber.net/body.htm>
5. Filipovic, D. The Golden Section and the human body. Golden Section. Radoslav Jovanovic.
January 2003< http://milan.milanovic.org/math/english/golden/golden2.html>

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