MSTE Perfection The golden ratio and proportions of the human body

First, the teacher presented 3 rectangles and asked to the students to choose the ones that they found most harmonious. Instinctively, most of them chose  number 2, that is to say the one which was closest to the golden rectangle. The teacher therefore explained the idea of divine proportion and the influence of the golden ratio in ancient and modern architecture and in art.

After that, they read a short text explaining the divine proportion (or golden ration) and after calculating quotients, they identified golden rectangles in different artistic and architectural works.

Then  the teacher presented a document about the  works of the Roman architect Vitruvius and the ones of Leonardo da Vinci: the Vitruvian Man, a drawing that  represents Leonardo's conception of ideal body proportions, originally derived from Vitruvius but influenced by his own measurements, The students were asked to study the two pieces of work and compare them with precision.

Finally, the students observed the human proportions and they draw the silhouette of a sportsman or woman with the right proportions.

They discovered the golden ratio and its consistent presence around us.

The students improved their knowledge of the proportions of the human body. They were able to realise the presence of  mathematics in a new context.