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Golden Ratio
/ˈɡoʊldən ˈreɪʃioʊ/
THEORY & MATHEMATICSintermediate
Definition
A proportion, approximately 1:1.618, considered aesthetically ideal and found throughout nature, art, and architecture. A golden rectangle can be divided into a square and a smaller golden rectangle indefinitely. The ratio appears in classical temples, Renaissance art, and many natural forms — whether by design or coincidence remains debated.
Example
The facade of the Parthenon in Athens can be inscribed within a golden rectangle, and its proportional system is often cited as an example of the ratio in architecture — though scholars debate how intentional this was.